Author: Kellie

Carnivorous plants are fascinating, and Venus flytraps are one of the public’s and my personal favorite. Venus flytraps are unique. They characterize by their modified leaves, which have evolved to look like jaw-like structures. When you are a Venus flytrap owner, it is very exciting to feed your plant. You can observe the trapping mechanism and give your plant some extra nutrients. However, some growers might get too excited about feeding their plants. This post will answer a common question about the feeding procedure: Can you overfeed a Venus flytrap?

Venus flytraps are designed to catch bugs. Can you feed a Venus flytrap too much? (Give it too much love) Yes.

Growers can overfeed their Venus flytrap and end up harming the plant by incorrect portion size, frequency, or food options.

Let’s start by explaining the reasoning behind the trapping mechanisms of Venus flytraps. Then, I will explain the current method to feed Venus flytrap and avoid overfeeding.

Why do Venus flytraps consume bugs?

Venus flytraps are native to South Carolina and North Carolina in the United States. Their habitat is referred to as the wetlands of the east coast. There, they have exposure to high humidity, an abundance or sunrise, and water. Also, the soil in the Venus flytrap habitat is inferior.

The soil lacks the necessary nutrients most plants need to develop correctly. Due to the lack of soil nutrients, Venus flytrap evolved to perfect a bug trapping mechanism. These plants extract vital nutrients from their prey and supplement their diet.

Venus flytraps can produce most of their food through the photosynthesis process. They can survive without bugs for a very long time or even forever. Still, the insect’s Venus flytraps consume, helps them thrive.

You will notice a significant difference between plants that are fed bugs and plants that live without them. I will encourage any Venus flytrap growers to feed their plant or make sure their plants can catch their own prey.

When to feed Venus flytrap

Outdoors

I grow my plants outside either in the garden or a balcony. There, my Venus flytraps can catch their own prey. I double-check every so often, but every few weeks without fault, there will be at least one trap that is shut and consuming some type of insect.

When you grow Venus flytraps outdoors, they will be more independent. In almost all cases, you won’t have to feed them manually. The only exceptions come when you live in an area with too much concrete and a lack of insects. Still, that is extremely rare.

Venus flytraps are smart creatures. Their trapping mechanism is designed only to activate if a live being is inside a leaf. Also, they only consume bugs that are the right size. Do not worry about your plant been overfeed when placed outdoors. Venus flytrap’s mechanism will do what it is best when catching or releasing potential victims.

Indoors

People grow Venus flytraps all over the world. And in many cases, the outdoor environment is not appropriate for these plants. In those scenarios, it makes sense to grow Venus flytraps indoors.

But, it is challenging for Venus flytraps to catch their food indoors. As an owner, you will have to feed your plant manually. Make sure to follow the instructions below to feed your plant correctly and avoid overfeeding.

Sometimes Venus fly traps will remain closed after consuming a bug and might never open back up. This article explains why venus fly traps won’t reopen. Spoiler: it is usually due to improper feeding, and for that reason, I recommend paying attention to the details.

Venus Flytrap Feeding Requirements

Venus flytrap owners might get too excited about feeding their new Venus flytrap. Follow the feeding considerations below to avoid overfeeding your plant:

• Frequency: Venus flytraps only need to eat once every two to four weeks. When you feed your plants following this frequency, only feed one trap at a time.
• Feeding during dormancy: You do not feed your plant during dormancy (late fall and winter). During this period, you can skip the feeding altogether. Learn more about dormancy with this article: Venus Flytrap Care Instructions (including dormancy)
• Prey size: Only feed your plant with a feed that is the right size. Pick an insect that is 1/3 of the size of the trap or smaller. If you can’t find one of that size, cut the bugs into pieces and feed your plant part of it.

Overfeeding your Venus flytrap won’t kill the plant directly, but it can severely weaken it and eventually kill it. When you feed multiple traps simultaneously or an insect that is too large for a trap, traps tend to die. The plant won’t have enough energy to digest the large bug or several bugs simultaneously. Then, some of the traps will wither and die.

Related Questions

How many flies can a Venus flytrap eat in a day?

First, it is a common misconception that Venus flytraps only eat flies. Venus flytraps consume a variety of creatures such as spiders, ants, beetles, crickets, and flies. So, first, Venus flytraps consume a myriad of prey. Second, Venus flytraps do not catch prey daily. The appropriate feeding frequency is 2 to 6 weeks. Still, you could feed your plant weekly, but not every day. It takes the plant several days or even a couple of weeks to consume a small bug.

Fun fact: Venus flytraps are carnivorous plants; therefore, they can consume meat. In some rare scenarios, large Venus flytraps catch tiny frogs or rodents.

But, do not try to feed your plant anything besides bugs. Stay with the safe bet. You can feed them live insects. Also, you can feed dead bugs to Venus flytraps. It is convenient; you can buy appropriate feed online or at a pet store. Yet, the feeding process with dead bugs is unique. Read the article below for all the details: Can I feed dead bugs to my Venus flytrap?

Can I feed dead bugs to my Venus flytrap?

How many bugs does a Venus flytrap eat?

In its lifetime? Probably hundreds. Venus flytraps have a life span of approximately 20 years. During that time, they consume a few bugs per month or even more!

What about fertilizing Venus flytraps?

Some people refer to fertilizing as plant feeding since most plants get their nutrients from the soil. It is not a good idea to fertilize your Venus flytrap. The only type of feeding these plants need is through their traps.

Venus flytraps can not handle minerals, and fertilizers are loaded with them. Fertilizers will weaken your plant and can eventually kill it. If you are concern about your plant not getting enough nutrients, focus on proper feeding rather than fertilizing.

Continue Learning

I hope I answered all the related questions and doubts regarding Venus flytrap overfeeding. Of course, this is only a small part of growing and caring for these plants. Read the article below for the complete care instructions:

Complete Venus Flytrap Care Instructions

Venus flytrap = Man-eating plant?

Venus flytraps are fascinating carnivorous plants. Their leaves have evolved to look like jawlike structures that trap prey. When most people encounter a Venus flytrap for the first time, they are fascinated by the traps. Let’s say you run into a Venus flytrap. Is it safe to touch the trap? Or maybe to stick your finger inside a trap? Can Venus flytrap hurt humans?

First of all, poking the plant or inserting your finger might not be the best idea ( I will explain in just a bit!). Yet, Venus flytrap cannot hurt humans. You won’t lose a finger or even get a scratch if a trap closes on your pinky.

How safe are Venus flytraps?

They are very safe. The trapping mechanism in Venus flytraps is designed to detect motion inside the leaves and activate the trap. You can easily trigger a Venus flytrap and get your finger stuck in the leaves. However, it won’t really be trapped because of two main reasons: size and strength.

First, Venus flytraps are small plants. The expected mature width size of Venus flytraps is 5 inches (12.7 cm) in diameter. Vertically, Venus flytraps can be as tall as a foot (30 cm). And, the size of a single trap is about 1 inch long.

You might have watched science fiction movies with life-size carnivorous plants. But, Venus flytraps are small plants that grow close to the ground. In the wild, Venus flytraps are predatory plants. They are always waiting patiently for the next victim. But those victims are just small bugs.

Second, the strength of a Venus flytrap is not enough to trap a human. The traps are designed to catch small bugs. Venus flytraps aim to catch prey that can fit inside a single trap completely. They do not have the strength to hold a larger victim.

Can a Venus flytrap make you bleed?

Venus flytraps close their traps at high speed. The initial action of closing is swift, yet not strong enough for a human to notice. You will feel pressure, but nothing beyond that.

Some people exaggerate the strength of Venus flytraps. They claim that Venus flytraps can make you bleed. This claim is untrue. The traps are not sharp; therefore, they can’t cut you. And, again, they are not strong enough to make you bleed.

“Venus flytraps exhibit one of the fastest movements in the plant kingdom, competing in speed tests with the exploding fruits of flowering plants.” (Robin Lloyd, Live Science, Venus Flytrap’s Speed Secret Revealed)

Can Venus flytraps eat a human?

On rare occasions, mature Venus flytraps can catch small rodents or small frogs. If the prey is small enough, and if it stays within the trap, the plant can consume it. It will start the digestion process inside the trap by producing enzymes. The enzymes can slowly break up the victim’s body.

But, if Venus flytraps can consume flesh, can’t they consume a human? They cannot consume a human (or at least not a significant part of it).

You can take a small piece of skin and give it to a Venus flytrap. The plant should be able to digest it. Yet, the plant can’t consume anything more significant than that.

The standard digestion process takes one to two weeks for a small bug. It takes longer for larger prey. And, if the plant attempts to consume an even larger victim, the trap will most likely die. When prey is too big for the trap, and the trap is unable to consume it within a reasonable timeline, the trap will start dying. It will turn black and wither completely.

If you go ahead and stick your finger inside a Venus flytrap and do not remove it for days, you will notice some changes…

However, these will be minor. The skin in your finger might look yellowish due to the contact with the enzymes. Also, some of your skin might have peeled off. This would be a big deal if you were a miniature frog, but at a human scale, it would just be a scratch. Still, it is probably not the best (or most fun) idea to confirm the effects.

Why you shouldn’t stick your finger inside a Venus flytrap (not because it hurts)

Generally, when you encounter Venus flytraps, you should avoid triggering the traps with your fingers. Venus flytraps employ a good amount of energy, activating those traps. The energy loss won’t kill them immediately, but it will weaken the plant.

Instead of triggering the traps with your finger, you can observe the trapping mechanism by feeding the plant. Venus flytraps use the nutrients from bugs they catch and consume to supplement their diet and thrive. Therefore, the plants will be very thankful if you feed them.

It is amusing to watch these plants in action! We have a full article that teaches you how to feed a Venus flytrap. The article suggests prey options and the best methods to keep Venus flytraps healthy. Make sure to give it a read before you feed a Venus flytrap.

How to Feed a Venus Flytrap?- Live and Dead Prey Options

Are Venus flytraps dangerous for humans?

I hope the message is clear: Venus flytrap cannot hurt us; they are inoffensive to humans. And they are amusing plants to own. Their unique carnivorous nature allows you to feed them and observe their development.

Venus flytraps are also a perfect plant to grow with children. They certainly keep kids entertained. Most plants take months to exhibit any type of change. Venus flytraps evolve quickly. You can observe their growth, their flowers (spring), and their trapping mechanism during feeding time.

Venus flytraps are not dangerous for humans. However, humans can be dangerous for Venus flytraps. Unfortunately, Venus flytraps are an endangered species.

Their original habitat (the states of North and South Carolina in the United States) has been changing due to an increase in urbanization and agricultural development. Also, lots of people like buying them. It is ok to buy Venus flytraps from responsible growers. However, some irresponsible vendors extract Venus flytraps directly from their natural habitat in a process referred to as poaching. Poaching is illegal, but unfortunately, it is still a common practice.

Sources

• https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Plants-and-Fungi/Venus-Flytrap
• https://www.livescience.com/105-venus-flytrap-speed-secret-revealed.html#:~:text=Venus%20flytraps%20exhibit%20one%20of,protect%20the%20developing%20embryos%20inside.

Venus flytraps do not automatically close during night time. However, they can activate their traps anytime. If a fly or other insect happens to enter their traps during the night-time (or day-time), the Venus flytrap will attempt to capture it.

There are many plants, especially flowers, that close every night (or day). Flowers that close during night time (or day time) exhibit a behavior called nyctinasty. Nyctinasty is a mechanism that causes plant movements as a result of temperature, light, or other environmental changes. Yet, the traps in Venus flytraps do not exhibit nyctinasty.

Now that you learned that Venus flytraps do not automatically close every night. Let’s learn more about the trap mechanisms and why it doesn’t close during the night-time.

Why do Venus flytraps not close at night (automatically)?

First, Venus flytraps do not exhibit nyctinasty behaviors. Second, the trap mechanisms of Venus flytraps have been perfected over time to conserve energy. Venus flytraps spend significant amounts of energy opening and closing those leaves. Therefore, the plant ensures opening or closing is worth it.

The Trap Mechanism

Why does it need it?

The traps in Venus flytraps are modified leaves. Before looking like the current jaw-like structures we observe today, they were just simple leaves. But, Venus flytraps are native to the wetlands on the east coast of the United States. Their natural habitat characterizes with poor soil (nutrient-free). Because of the lack of nutrients in the ground and the environment, Venus flytraps evolved to be successful predators. Venus flytraps use the nutrients from bugs they catch and consume to supplement their diet and thrive. Here is how Venus flytraps employ their trapping mechanism.

An Energy-Efficient Approach

First, Venus flytraps must attract their prey. Venus flytraps produce sweet nectar in their traps to attack potential victims. Once an insect is inside a trap, it might trigger it to close. Each trap is made up of two leaves, and each leaf has three hair cells arranged in a triangular pattern (as seen in the image). The trap only closes when something has touched the hair cells two consecutive times in a short period. The double stimuli mechanism is crucial to avoid closing due to rain, wind, dirt, or any inanimate object touching the trap.

The plant drains significant amounts of energy when it closes its trap. For that reason, Venus flytraps want to be as energy-efficient as possible. If you ever encounter a Venus flytrap, you might be tempted to play with the traps and trigger them. Yet, you should avoid playing with the leaves. The plant won’t die, but it will lose a lot of energy. And they need that energy to live and be ready to catch some real food.

Prey Selection

Once a plant has capture prey, it might release the victim. Why? Well, Venus flytraps are very careful when selecting a meal. For example, when the insect is tiny, it will be able to scape. Venus flytraps have evolved over the years to choose their prey appropriately. We found related information in a Biology paper that studied Venus flytraps from the Journal of Theoretical Biology:

“Among carnivorous plants, the Venus flytrap is of particular interest for the rapid movement of its snap-traps and hypothesized prey selection, where small prey are allowed to escape from the traps (…); the costs and benefits of capturing and digesting its prey; and optimization of trap size and prey selection.” Understanding the Venus flytrap through mathematical modelling, Sami Lehtinen

In this study, scientists observed a 76.8% prey release rate for Venus flytraps, which is a significantly high percentage. The findings indicate that these plants are highly selective about prey capture. Venus flytraps select their prey carefully to maximize efficiency. Once the plant has caught prey, it will take a couple of weeks to consume it entirely. Therefore, it must choose carefully.

Related Questions

Why is my Venus flytrap closed right now?

Traps close when they have received the appropriate stimuli. Like we explained previously, Venus flytraps have evolved over the centuries to perfection their response to stimuli. A close trap might be consuming an insect right now! Or it might have attempted to trap a victim. If the prey scaped, then the trap will reopen in a day or two. Once it opens, it will be ready to capture the next victim.

Do Venus flytraps die when they close?

No, Venus flytraps do not die when a trap closes. First, each Venus flytrap has approximately five to ten active leaves (traps) at a time. Each trap is independent and can close when needed. For example, when an insect is crawling inside them.

Even though traps do not die when they close, they can open and close a set number of times before they wither. Once a trap reaches that limit, then it will slowly turn to a black color and die. But do not worry! This process is normal. Generally, a new leaf should grow for every dead one. Start to worry or take action if you notice an increase in black leaves on your Venus flytrap.

Do Venus flytraps sleep?

Venus flytraps do not sleep, or at least they not like humans. Instead, Venus flytraps undergo a dormancy period. Every year, during late fall or winter (when temperatures drop), Venus flytraps will go dormant.

The plants change dramatically during dormancy. Several leaves wither, and the plant reduces in size. Some first-time growers panic and throw their plants away because they think their plants are dying (or dead). But, in reality, their plants are just experiencing dormancy. The dormancy process is a crucial stage for the plant’s development. For that reason, Venus flytrap should experience dormancy every year (find more information about venus flytrap dormancy in this article) (find more information about venus flytrap dormancy in this article).

In spring, once dormancy is over, Venus flytraps return to their original state and continue to grow and develop. You can learn a lot more about dormancy and the care process in this article: Venus Flytrap Care Instructions

Complete Venus Flytrap Care Instructions

How long do Venus flytraps stay closed?

It depends on why they are close. Generally, there are two scenarios. First, the trap is closed, and it is consuming prey. Second, the trap is closed, but it did not capture anything.

Once a Venus flytrap has caught an insect, it will start the digestion process with enzymes. The Venus flytrap digestion process is unique, but it is not at all fast. It takes one to two weeks to consume an insect. Therefore, in the first scenario, the trap will stay close while it is digesting the prey. The second scenario is much simpler. In that case, the trap will reopen within a day or two.

There is also an in-between scenario. Sometimes a dead organism or object falls inside a Venus flytrap. The initial motion stimuli can activate a trap. Yet, since the creature inside the trap is dead (or is inanimate), it doesn’t move. The lack of stimuli is a red flag for Venus flytrap. In this scenario, the lack of stimuli might cause the plant to lose interest and reopen without attempting to consume what is inside the trap. This can be a real challenge when trying to feed a Venus flytrap with dead bugs. But do not worry, you can find a way around it in this article:

How to Feed a Venus Flytrap?- Live and Dead Prey Options

Conclusion

Venus flytraps are fascinating beings. They have not only evolved to be successful predators but also to select their prey in a very meticulous manner. Does it make sense for Venus flytraps to close at night? Absolutely not! Venus flytraps spend large amounts of energy opening and closing those traps. They should only close when a potential victim has been detected inside a leaf.

It is usually straightforward to differentiate animals from plants and vice-versa. However, many people get confused with Venus flytraps or any other carnivorous plants. People are typically puzzled over the fact that carnivorous plants catch their own prey and eat meat.

Venus flytraps are unique beings, they are carnivorous plants. But, regardless of their predatory nature, Venus flytraps belong to the plant kingdom. They produce their own food through photosynthesis, they grow continuously throughout their life, and they are anchored to the ground.

Now that you know that Venus flytraps are plants, we will describe the reasoning of this classification. Many factors contribute to this designation, such as:

• Feeding process
• Reproduction
• Movement
• Cellular structure
• Growth
• Response to stimuli

Feeding Process

Plants can generate their own food through the photosynthesis process. During this process, plants utilize sunlight to synthesize food from carbon and water. Animals, on the other hand, depend on plants for their nutrition. Some animals are herbivores and consume plants directly. Others consume other animals or beings that exist thanks to plants.

Venus flytraps catch bugs with their traps and digest them with enzymes, but they consume insects as a supplement to their diet. Generally, Venus flytraps grow using photosynthesis.

Venus flytraps produce their own food by taking energy from sunlight and nutrients from air and soil. Yet, Venus flytraps grow in inferior soil (lacks nutrients). Due to the lack of nutrients in the ground, these plants have evolved to be able to consume small prey and supplement their diet.

The Venus flytrap feeding process is fascinating from a scientific perspective. Also, if you grow Venus flytraps at home, you will definitely be curious and even enjoy feeding your plant!

Here is an article on the feeding process to get more details: How to Feed a Venus Flytrap?

How to Feed a Venus Flytrap?- Live and Dead Prey Options

Reproduction

Plants can reproduce sexually or asexually, depending on the species.

Most animals reproduce sexually and give birth to their young ones. However, some animals like algae reproduce asexually.

Venus flytraps can reproduce sexually and asexually. Like many other plants, Venus flytraps produce flowers for sexual reproduction.

Once a pollinator has transferred pollen from the anther to the stigma, the fertilized flowers produce seeds. Once fertilized, flowers change dramatically. Their color changes; they dry up and die. Then, the seeds are left behind in the remains of the dead flower.

Venus flytraps can also reproduce asexually (only one parent). In this process, the roots of the Venus flytrap extend in the soil and create a bulb root. Then, a new Venus flytrap grows from that bulb. After, you can separate both bulbs and have two independent plants.

Movement

Most animals characterize with constant movement.

Since the day animals are born, animals are in continuous motion, catching prey, hiding from danger, or perhaps searching for suitable habitat.

Plants, on the other hand, stay in one single place. They are rotted to the ground. Then, what about Venus flytraps?

They are anchored to the ground, but they demonstrate swift movements with their traps.

Yes, Venus flytraps exhibit an impressive range of motion. Also, they are very fast in closing those traps. Venus flytraps can close their leaves in just one-tenth of a second.

Even though Venus flytraps have developed the ability to move and catch prey, they can not move from one place to another, like most animals (except sponges and corals) can.

Most plants are capable of movement. They sense light and try to direct themselves to get more sunlight. Other plants adhere to surfaces and slowly climb through walls. But, in the end, the vast majority of plants are not mobile (exceptions: Volvox and Chlamydomonas); they live in one set spot.

Venus flytraps are no different. Still, it is impressive how Venus flytraps have evolved to exhibit extremely fast reaction times that are still not fully understood by botanists.

Cellular Structure

From a cellular perspective, plants and animals are also different. Animal and plant cells are both eukaryotic. However, organelles within the cell vary. For example, chloroplast, cell walls, and plastics are only found in plant cells.

Venus flytraps are plants. Therefore their cellular structure contains all the plant-specific elements.

You might have noticed Venus flytraps exhibit a bring green color. The color is associated with the green color pigment of chlorophyll (vital for photosynthesis).

Growth

Plants grow continuously throughout their whole lifespan. Animals grow for a specified period. Then, their growth stops. Venus flytraps, like all other plants, continue to grow throughout their entire life.

Venus flytraps can live for many years, their lifespan is not defined perfectly, but they are expected to live up to 20 years.

During adulthood, they can reach a size of 5 inches (12.7 cm) in diameter, a foot vertically, and 1-inch long traps. But even then, Venus flytrap plants will shrink and grow through the seasons. Also, their leaves are under constant change. Some wither and new ones spur.

Response to Stimuli

Plants can respond to different stimuli; however, they are not as sensitive as animals. Animals have a full nervous system which is necessary to interact with the environment. Several organs in animals allow them to respond to stimuli rapidly.

But, if plants are not as sensitive, how do Venus flytraps catch their prey so efficiently?

Well, let’s start from the beginning. The Venus flytrap leaves will only activate if they sense motion inside of them. Each trap is made up of two leaves, and each leaf has three hair cells arranged in a triangular pattern.

The trap will only close if something touches the hair cells inside the trap two consecutive times in a short period. Venus flytraps develop the double stimuli requirement to avoid closing due to rain, dirt, or any inanimate object touching the trap.

All in all, the whole plant has not developed a system to react with stimuli. Instead, the leaves in Venus flytrap have evolved into jaw-like structures with sensitive hair cells.

Conclusion

Venus flytraps are not animals; they are plants. Today we explored several factors such as reproduction, cellular structure, and response to stimuli that classify Venus flytraps as plants. However, there are many more characteristics associated with this scientific decision. For example, you could explore their food storage systems or genetics.

Related Questions

What is a Venus flytrap classified as?

Venus flytraps belong to the plant kingdom. They are part of the Droseraceae family, which is the family of carnivorous plants. And the scientific name of Venus flytraps is Dionaea muscipula

Why is a Venus flytrap not an animal?

Venus flytraps are carnivorous plants, they are not animals as they exhibit plant kingdom behaviors and characteristics. Venus flytraps synthesize their own food through photosynthesis.

Their tissue is made up of plant cells with chloroplast, cell walls, and plastics. Also, they grow continuously throughout their life. Venus flytraps do consume bugs, but they only extract key nutrients to supplement their diet.

Are Venus flytraps alive?

Venus flytraps are alive. They are carnivorous plants native to South Carolina and North Carolina in the United States. Currently, due to illegal poaching, the increase in farming and urbanization, and several other factors, Venus flytraps are endangered species.

Venus flytraps only grow naturally in the Carolinas in the United States. But, because of their unique and fascinating nature, people grow them all over the world by mimic their natural habitat. So, do not be surprised if you find a sale of live Venus flytraps anywhere out of the Carolinas.

Sources

• https://biodifferences.com/difference-between-plants-and-animals.html
• https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/chlorophyll.htm#:~:text=Chlorophyll%20is%20a%20green%20photosynthetic,hence%20its%20intense%20green%20color.
• http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/146/2/694

Growing Venus flytrap does not have to be hard. The basis of taking care of Venus flytraps starts with building a proper setup and a systematic care process. Your main goal is to mimic their original habitat. Venus flytraps are native to South Carolina and North Carolina in the United States. They only grow naturally in those two states. However, it is possible to grow venus flytraps all over the world.

This article contains some essential information to build a Venus flytrap setup and the appropriate care instructions and consideration. Read on and learn more about Venus flytraps.

Elements to Grow Venus Flytraps

In the Carolinas, Venus flytraps grow with an abundance of sunlight in humid terrain, which lacks nutrients. Before you build a setup for your plants, make sure to go over this list of essential elements.

Important Elements

Light: These carnivorous plants need an abundance of light. Venus flytraps require 12 hours of sunlight every day. They can live under partial shade. However, they must always receive at least 4 hours of direct sunlight. If you live in a sunny area, pick a sunny window or balcony, and take advantage of natural light. If your home town lacks natural light, you can always employ artificial lighting. A quick online search can get you in the right direction. But, generally, high output fluorescent lights are suitable for Venus flytraps.

Water: Venus flytraps require a very humid environment. You must water them consistently and never let the soil be dry. Also, you can’t use tap water or any water with salts and minerals (your plant will die). Instead, use rainwater, distilled water, or revert osmosis water.

Soil: The optimal ground for Venus flytraps is nutrient-free and with good drainage. There are many specialized carnivorous plant blend soils in the market. These soils are not appropriate for other plants due to their lack of nutrients, but they are perfect for Venus flytraps. You can buy the soil or make it yourself. Most growers utilize a mix of these components: Long-fibered sphagnum moss, sphagnum peat moss, sand, and perlite.

Elements to Avoid

Fertilizer: There is no need to fertilize Venus flytraps. Venus flytraps can not handle minerals. Fertilizers can weaken and eventually kill Venus flytraps.

Stress: Avoid stress due to constant movement and rough handling. Place your plant in a strategic area where it won’t need to be under continuous movement. Movement can produce strain and cause leaves to wither. Also, do not manually play with the plant and activate the plant’s traps. Venus flytraps utilize a lot of energy controlling those traps.

Extreme temperatures: Venus flytraps need sunlight, but they can dry out if they are placed under intense heat (be careful with that extremely hot window!). Also, during winter, Venus flytraps should experience colder weather, but they should not freeze completely.

Build the Setup

Now, you are ready to build a layout, make sure you have the essential elements: light (natural or artificial), water (distilled, revert osmosis or rain), Venus flytrap soil, your plants (or seeds), and a pot. The best containers for Venus flytraps are made of plastic, they are proportional to the plant’s size, and they have multiple holes.

Let’s assume you are starting to grow Venus flytraps, and you have bought the plants (probably a few years old). First, start by soaking the soil in the mineral-free water. Once the ground is saturated, add it in the pot. Now, dig a hole with enough spacing for the plant’s roots and center bulb and introduce it in the soil.

Venus flytraps have a central stem that connects to the underground roots. From the center, branches spur to become traps. The bottom center bulb is of a light pinkish color. All that area must be underground. Place your plant carefully and cover the roots and center bulb with the soil. In the end, only the green parts of your plant should be visible. Make sure the soil is still moist and place your Venus flytrap under appropriate lighting.

It can be challenging to keep the soil wet at all times; for that reason, I recommend using a saucer or plate to hold extra water. Like the image below, you can place the pot in a shallow container and fill the container with water. Then, you will have water reserves, and your soil is less likely to dry out.

If you have multiple plants, do not overcrowd one pot with various plants—instead, plant one Venus flytrap per cup. Once your plant has outgrown the container, you can consider repotting.

Growing Venus Flytraps from Seeds

Growing Venus flytraps from seeds will allow you to experience the full growth cycle of Venus flytraps. The process of Harvesting Venus flytraps from seeds is similar to the method described above. First, you will need the same necessary materials: light (natural or artificial), water (distilled, revert osmosis or rain), Venus flytrap soil, seeds, and a pot.

Since you will be working with seeds, you must be thorough in preparing the soil. The soil must be completely soaked in water. You know it is ready when you press the ground and water emerges (like when you press a sponge full of water). Then, go ahead and sow the seeds in the soil. Do your best to sprinkle them separate enough, so they have enough space to germinate. If you have multiple pots and enough soil, consider dividing your seeds into various batches. After, you can place your containers in different strategic places with enough lighting. With that method, you have higher chances of getting it right!

After a couple of weeks, you should be able to spot the first germinations. Be patient and continue to maintain your seeds on wet soil and under appropriate lighting and temperature. Eventually, you will be able to harvest tiny Venus flytraps. Then, you can transfer your new Venus flytraps to individual pots and continue to care for them as we have learned.

The only step missing to complete the whole lifecycle of Venus flytraps is to produce the seeds. You can harvest Venus flytraps seeds after pollinating their flowers. We have some useful introductory information if you are interested in collecting your own seeds. Read the article below to learn about Venus flytrap flowers and the fertilization process:

Venus Flytrap Flower Guide – Should I cut them off?

Other consideration when growing a Venus flytrap

Feeding: Venus flytraps get nutrients from the insects they capture and consume since the soil they live in is very poor. When you grow Venus flytraps, you must ensure they are catching and consuming bugs. If they are growing outdoors, they should be able to catch their prey. But, if you are growing them indoors, you will have to take care of the feeding. Learn about the feeding process with this article: How to Feed a Venus Flytrap?

How to Feed a Venus Flytrap?- Live and Dead Prey Options

Dormancy: In their natural habitat, Venus flytraps undergo a dormancy process every year (3 – 4 months). During late fall or winter, when temperatures drop, Venus flytraps will go dormant. Your plants might chanrge drastically during this period. First-time owners sometimes think their plans ae dying, but they just dormant. Even though you can skip dormancy without immediately killing your plant, the process is a crucial stage for the plant’s development. For that reason, you should make sure your Venus flytrap experiences dormancy every year. Here is more information on Venus flytrap dormancy and how to achieve it: The Complete Venus Flytrap Care Instruction.

The stages of growing Venus Flytrap

The germination process takes 1 to 5 weeks. Then, the young Venus flytraps continue to grow for several years. Venus flytraps reach maturity after 2 to 4 years. During winter, Venus flytraps experience dormancy. During such a period, they reduce in size. After, during spring, Venus flytraps recover their size and start to flourish.

Ultimately, how big can a Venus flytrap get?

All science fiction movies aside, Venus flytraps are not large plants Horizontally, the expected mature size of Venus flytraps is 5 inches (12.7 cm) in diameter. Vertically, Venus flytraps can be as tall as a foot (30 cm). And, the size of each trap can reach a size of one inch (2.5 cm) long. Venus flytraps are not impressive due to their size, but to their unique trapping mechanism that has captivated people for ages.

So, is growing Venus flytrap hard?

Personally, I do not believe growing Venus flytraps is particularly hard. I struggle to keep succulents or cacti alive. Most of the time is because I water them too much or too little. Venus flytraps, on the other hand, require a specific type of water (nutrient-free), but aside from that, you know how much to water them. The answer is always: “a lot.” If you are a first-time grower, focus on building a proper environment for your plants with all the right elements and learn about their needs. Also, be attentive to sudden changes in your Venus flytrap and research if you are unsure about the solution.

Sources:

• https://www.fws.gov/southeast/wildlife/plants/venus-flytrap/
• D’Amato, P. (2013). The Savage Garden. Berkeley, Unites States: Ten Speed Press.
• https://carnivorousplantnursery.com/blogs/potting-carnivorous-plant/how-to-pot-a-carnivorous-plant

Venus flytraps are native to the United States east coast. They grow naturally in the states of North Carolina and South Carolina. However, people cultivate Venus flytraps all over the world. To be a successful Venus flytrap grower, you must try to mimic their natural habitat. Venus flytraps grow with an abundance of sunlight in very humid terrain, which lacks nutrients. As a fellow carnivorous plant grower, I would like to share my research and experience from growing Venus flytraps. I hope you enjoy this complete guide to Venus flytrap care!

Venus Flytrap Care

The following sections cover vital considerations for Venus flytrap care:

Light

Venus flytraps require a lot of sunlight. They need about 12 hours of sun a day. However, Venus flytraps can live in partial shade, but they must receive 4 – 5 hours of direct sunlight. For people living in sunny areas, the light requirement shouldn’t be a problem. However, some people live in darker areas. “Can you still grow carnivorous plants? Yes. In fact, even if you live in a dark basement or a densely shaded house in a redwood forest, carnivorous plants can thrive even in the darkest corners. The solution is to grow them under artificial lighting” (D’Amato, 2013). There is a wide variety of plant light options in the market. High Output fluorescent lights are suitable for Venus flytraps.

Water

Venus flytraps need a lot of water. Never let the soil dry out. The ground needs to be moist at all times. Also, you can’t water your plant with tap water (it has too many minerals and salts). Instead, use rainwater or distilled water.

Feeding

Venus flytraps need certain elements from the insects they consume because the soil they live in lacks nutrients. Venus flytraps can survive several months without catching prey. However, they won’t thrive without proper feeding.

When you grow Venus flytraps outdoors, they can catch prey on their own. But, when you grow them indoors, you will have to take care of the feeding. There are a lot of menu options to feed your plant. Venus flytraps eat a variety of bugs, such as crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, spiders, slugs, flies, and ants. You must be very careful in the size of the insect you are using. The bug should not be larger than 1/3 of the size of the trap. It is better to opt for a smaller bug than using one that is too big. If the prey is too large, the leaf won’t be able to digest it. Then, the trap will wither and die.

A common mistake is to overfeed your plant. For best results, only feed your Venus flytrap once every two to four weeks. Also, you only need to feed one trap on the entire plant at a time.

For more information, read our complete guide on how to feed a Venus flytrap:

How to Feed a Venus Flytrap?- Live and Dead Prey Options

Soil

Venus flytraps require nutrient-free soil with drainage. Most growers utilize a combination of these components to create a Venus flytrap friendly soil: Long-fibered sphagnum moss, sphagnum peat moss, sand, and perlite. You can find all of these components in any gardening store. Or, you can purchase a specialized carnivorous plant blend. Peat and Sphagnum moss hold water to provide the high humidity/moist environment we need. And, perlite and sand help with drainage and loosen up the soil.

Fertilizer

Fertilizing is an essential step when caring about most plants. However, Venus flytraps are unique in this aspect. There is no need to fertilize them. Venus flytraps can not handle minerals (hence the distilled water and nutrient-free soil). All in all, avoid fertilizing your plant. Fertilizers can weaken and eventually kill Venus flytraps. If you are concern about your plant not getting enough nutrients, focus on proper feeding rather than fertilizing.

Flowering

During the spring months, Venus flytraps grow flowers. Thick cylindrical structures spur from the center of the plant and grow to become white flower bundles. First-time growers tend to get excited with the spur of flowers and let them flourish. However, the advice for amateur growers is to cut the flower stalks as soon as possible.

Venus flytraps spend a lot of energy producing flowers for reproduction. After flowering, Venus flytraps are weak for weeks or even months. Novice growers should not take the risk to grow flowers and weaken their plant. Instead, they should consider cutting the flowers off when they spur. A single plant attempts to grow several flowers during a season. Therefore, you should keep close attention to your Venus flytrap during spring.

For more information, you can read our Venus Flytrap Flower Guide:

Venus Flytrap Flower Guide – Should I cut them off?

Black Leaves

Venus flytraps grow five to ten traps at a time. Older traps eventually turn to a dark black color and whiter. This process is entirely normal. So, do not worry if some of your traps are turning black. Also, do not chop off traps when they start turning black. When the trap starts turning black, it is still an essential part of the plant for photosynthesis. Instead, wait until the leaves whiter entirely. Then, carefully cut them out. The photo below shows a couple of Venus flytraps growing in the wild. If you look carefully, you can notice the dead black leaves on the edges of the plant. Again, those are entirely normal.

When should you worry about black leaves?

Generally, a new leaf should grow for every dead leaf. Start to worry or take action if you notice an increase in black leaves on your Venus flytrap. If the plant is not entering dormancy (read below), then there must be something wrong. Review the other care item such as water, soil, and light and make sure your setup is proper. Also, sometimes Venus flytraps lose leaves due to stress, which can be caused by constant movement, excessive heat, or recent repotting.

Dormancy

In the wild, Venus flytraps undergo a dormancy period every year. During late fall or winter, Venus flytraps will go dormant. Their dormancy period is analogous to animal hibernation. The plant needs to rest for about three months. After the dormancy period, in the spring, Venus flytraps return to their original state and continue to grow and develop.

The physical changes on Venus flytraps due to dormancy are very noticeable. When temperatures start to drop, Venus flytraps go dormant. During dormancy, several leaves wither, and the plant reduces in size. First-time growers sometimes panic when they notice the changes. But, this process is normal, and it is a crucial stage for the plant’s development.

Natural Dormancy

Venus flytraps have evolved to go dormant during the winter. They do it naturally in North Carolina and South Carolina when the temperatures start to drop (usually sometime between October and December). Depending on your geographical location, you might be able to provide the appropriate conditions for your plant to go dormant.

Venus flytraps require a dormancy temperature between 45 F (8 C) and freezing (32 F / 0 C) [1]. If you live in a geographical location that archives those temperatures, consider placing your plants in a porch, garage, or basement (and don’t forget about all the other Venus flytrap care instructions, including lightning). Then, leave your Venus flytraps in that cold weather for a few months. During that period, you should be careful with extreme temperatures. Do not let your plant freeze! Finally, once dormancy is over, slowly introduce your plant to warmer weather. You will notice a dramatic change in appearance. Venus flytraps go from looking almost dead during dormancy to flourishing at its finest during spring.

Induced Dormancy

Some locations never experience a fall or winter temperatures below 50 F, or perhaps, they do achieve cold temperatures, but only for a couple of weeks. In those locations, it can be almost impossible to reach the natural dormancy state of Venus flytraps. As a last resort, you can induce dormancy by placing your plants in the fridge. There is a whole process associated with this method of inducing dormancy. Read the article below for the complete detail on the refrigerator dormancy method.

Refrigerator dormancy: Winter is Coming! A Guide to Venus Flytrap Dormancy

Skip Dormancy

Yes, it is possible to skip dormancy. However, it is not healthy. Your Venus flytrap won’t die right away, but its life span will reduce significantly. A healthy Venus flytrap can live for 20 years or more. But, if you skip dormancy, your plant will die within a couple of years.

Final Thoughts

It is easy to make mistakes when you are a beginner or first-time Venus flytrap grower. Becoming a successful carnivorous plant grower requires patience, practice, and attention to detail. Get started by learning about your plant. Then, build a proper setup considering all care instructions. Later on, while your plant grows, be attentive to sudden changes in climate and your plant’s behavior. I hope you enjoyed these Venus flytrap care instructions. Best of luck growing large and healthy Venus flytraps!

Related Questions: Venus Flytrap Care

How hard is it to keep a Venus flytrap alive?

It is not difficult to keep Venus flytraps alive. The starting point is to build a setup with the appropriate soil and a lot of sunlight and water (distilled). After the installation is ready, then, focus on avoiding these common mistakes to keep your plant healthy:

• Do not overfeed your plant: Only feed your plant once every 2 to 4 weeks.
• Do not feed human food to your plant: Venus flytraps are designed to consume insects. Other food might take too long to digest and create a bacterial infection.
• Avoid playing with your plant’s traps: Venus flytraps use a lot of energy controlling and activating those traps.
• Do not fertilize: Venus flytraps prefer nutrient-free environments.
• Skip the flowering process: Cut the flower stalks early to let your plant mature and grow early.

Can you keep a Venus flytrap indoors?

Yes, it is possible to grow Venus flytraps indoors. The care instructions remain the same, but you should be careful with some details. Here are a few important considerations:

• Feeding: You will need to take care of feeding your plant since it won’t be able to catch prey.
• Lighting: Find a bright spot indoors where your plant can receive 12 hours of sunlight. If you do not have access to natural light, you will need artificial light.
• Water: Same as outdoors (utilize distiller/rainwater).
• Dormancy: Weight your options between natural and induced dormancy
  • Let your plant go dormant naturally in temperature between 45 F (8 C) and freezing. For example, you can place your plant in a cold porch, shed, or garage for the winter.
  • If you naturally do not have access to such temperatures, consider induced dormancy. Skipping the dormancy period will eventually kill your plant.
• Stress: Place your plant in a tranquil area without constant movement. Movement can produce strain and ultimately cause your plant to lose leaves and deteriorate. For example, avoid placing your plant in a window that will constantly be opening and closing or a window with a curtain that always touches your plant.

Sources:

• D’Amato, P. (2013). The Savage Garden. Berkeley, Unites States: Ten Speed Press.
• https://libguides.nybg.org/c.php?g=654975&p=4597429
• [1] https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/chiwonlee/plsc211/student%20papers/articles02/dhodgson/dhodgson.html

As a fellow pokemon fan, I get really excited when I see (or hopefully catch!) a pokemon that resembles my favorite animal or plant. If you like carnivorous plants and pokemon, I have good news: you can catch carnivorous plant pokemon! But can you catch a Venus flytrap pokemon? Yes. Venus flytraps are fascinating plants, and it comes to no surprise that the pokemon franchise took them as inspiration for one pokemon: Carnivine. And it is not the only one! Many other pokemon resemble some exotic carnivorous plants.

Carnivine

Carnivine is a grass-type pokemon. It was introduced to the public in 2006, with generation IV. This pokemon is one of a kind. It has unique looks from its terrifying jaw to its tentacle-like arms. If you would like to catch Carnivine in a pokemon game, make sure to look for it during sunny and bright weather. Then, you will have the highest spawning rate. Also, if you are playing Pokemon Go, take into consideration that Carnivine is a regional exclusive pokemon. It can only be found in specific locations: Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia [1].

Similarities: Carnivine vs Venus flytraps

Carnivine has many characteristics and qualities that resemble Venus flytraps:

• The traps: Carnivine has a jaw like trap. The trap is used to catch bug type pokemon and to attack adversaries. Carnivine has sweet saliva inside its trap that attacks prey. Such a mechanism is the same Venus flytraps employ. Venus flytraps produce sweet nectar to lure their prey.
• Diet: Carnivine is a bug catcher pokemon. Similarly to venus flytraps, it lures bugs prey into its trap and then captures them. In the pokemon series, they show Carnivine consuming a wide variety of bug type pokemon, including Ledyba. In real life, venus flytraps also have a diverse diet. They consume crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, spiders, slugs, flies, ants, and worms.
• Color: The color of Carnivine is spot on (just like this picture on the right). Carnivine has green leaves, and the inside of its traps is reddish. Venus flytraps are naturally of those exact colors. However, growers have developed other colors of Venus flytraps over the years. Now, you can buy red and yellow Venus flytraps.
• Location: In Pokemon Go, Carnivine is a region exclusive pokemon. It can only be found in a few southern States of the United States: Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia [1]. Even though the States are not entirely accurate, they are very close. You can grow Venus flytraps almost anywhere in the world (if you have the right set up). However, Venus flytraps are only native to South Carolina and North Carolina in the United States.

Differences: Carnivine vs Venus flytraps

Now, let’s explore a few key differences between Carnivine and Venus flytraps

• Time to digest: Once Carnivine has caught a victim, it continues to digest it. Carnivine takes a whole day to digest its prey. However, Venus flytraps take a lot longer! A Venus flytrap takes several days, and sometimes up to two weeks to consume a meal.
• The tentacles: Carnivine has a unique characteristic. It uses its tentacle arms to clamp itself to trees and wait for its prey. In reality, Venus flytraps do not have tentacles or any other type of leaf. All the leaves in a Venus flytrap are part of a trap. The is no other structure growing out of Venus flytraps, except for flowers. Venus flytraps grow flowers; however, those only grow during a few months in the spring. If you would like to learn about Venus flytrap flowers, we have a full article for you.
• The trap aperture: Yes, Carnivine’s trap is very similar to Venus flytraps, but there is a crucial difference. Carnivine opens its mouth at a 180-degree angle. Venus flytraps, also keep their traps open, but at a much lower angle (less than 90-degrees).
• Size: The size and weight of pokemon vary greatly. Carnivine specifically has a human-like size, which differs significantly from venus flytraps. Venus flytraps are small plants that grow in the forest floors of North and South Carolina. Carnivine represents a fictitiously giant type of Venus flytrap. The idea to make Carnivine so large might have come from the ongoing joke of making carnitine bite James’ head. If you are not familiar with the reference, the video below shows what I am talking about.

Beyond the Venus flytrap Pokemon

Other Pokemon, aside from Carnivine, are inspired by Carnivorous Plants. Bellsprout is one of the most well-known examples. It might not be as apparent with Bellsprout, but as it evolves to Weepinbell, and finally to Victreebell, it becomes more apparent. Pitcher plants inspire all of them. Pitcher plants are another type of carnivorous plant. Its pitcher-like shape characterizes them. The picture below shows several of them growing in the wild.

Bulbapedia describes this pokemon evolution family in detail. The excerpt below explains the prey luring and catching mechanism from Victreebel. And many of the details relate closely to Pitcher plants. Pitcher plants use sweet nectar to attract insects. Once a bug has fallen inside one of its pitcher-structures. The plant will start decomposing the victim very slowly.

“Covering Victreebel’s mouth is a leaf with a long, brown, yellow-tipped vine growing out of it. The vine is flicked to mimic an animal in order to attract prey. Victreebel also produces a sweet scent to further aid in luring its victims. Acid that has dissolved numerous prey animals becomes sweeter and even more effective at attracting prey.” Bulbapedia

We hope you enjoyed this comparison article between Venus flytraps and Carnivine. Best of luck catching Carnivine!

Sources:

• [1] https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-06-03-pokemon-go-region-exclusive-pokemon-locations-list
• [2] https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Victreebel_(Pok%C3%A9mon)
• https://pokemon.fandom.com/wiki/Carnivine
• https://pokemon.fandom.com/wiki/Weepinbell