Do Venus Fly Traps Need Drainage?

Before choosing a pot and soil for Venus flytraps, it is important to consider drainage. There are many different ways to grow Venus flytraps effectively, and drainage is a key factor.

Venus flytraps thrive in good draining soil and pots with drainage holes. Venus flytraps need to be watered often, but standing water can slow down their growth. Good drainage prevents the plant from suffering from root rot and mold infestation.

Drainage is key to keep a Venus flytrap healthy. This article will outline some specific strategies to add drainage to your plants through pots and soil.

Is Drainage Necessary for Venus Flytraps?

Not all plants require drainage. Some grow better with drainage holes. But at the end of the day, the owner decides and chooses the pots and soil. For example, many plant owners prefer pots without drainage holes in indoor locations.

Venus flytraps need continuously humid soil. They thrive in moist but not damped environments. For best results, avoid overwatering and employ soil and pots with drainage.

Venus flytraps are resilient plants. People grow them all over the world. They adapt to a variety of temperatures and humidity levels. Still, the moisture level in the soil is important. Venus flytraps suffer in standing water and can develop life-threatening issues such as root rot.

It is possible to grow Venus flytraps in pots without drainage holes. But it is not recommended. The last section of this article will give you some recommendations on the best way to grow Venus flytraps without drainage.

For best results, grow Venus flytraps in pots with drainage holes and employ good draining soil. It can be a challenge to grow Venus flytraps. It is always recommended to start with a suitable setup.

Well-Draining Soil for Venus Flytraps

Good drainage for plants starts with the soil. Some potting mixes are known for draining water at different levels. Some hold water for long periods, other drain water very quickly.

Venus flytraps can only grow in nutrient-free fertilizer-free soil. Also, it is recommended to add a draining agent such as sand or perlite to their potting.

In the wild, Venus flytraps fly traps grow in inferior soil. The soil has no nutrients. As a result, Venus flytraps have developed an intolerance to nutrients in the soil.

Potting a Venus flytrap in standard potting soil will kill the plant. Venus flytraps require nutrition-less potting media. There are a few options for making carnivorous plant soil appropriate for Venus flytraps.

Carnivorous plant soil is usually made by combining a moss, such as long-fibered sphagnum moss or peat moss, with a drainage agent, such as silica sand or perlite.

All elements in the potting media must be pure. They cannot be enriched or contain any minerals.

It is possible to grow Venus flytraps in a pure moss media. Drainage is not strictly necessary in the soil. However, it can be beneficial for several reasons.

For best results when growing Venus flytraps, add perlite and sand and combine it with moss to make carnivorous plant soil. There is no exact science on how much of the drainage agent you should employ. But, you can use this general rule:

When making carnivorous plant soil, always employ either sand or perlite. The potting media should be at least 20% sand or perlite, and the rest moss. You can also employ up to 50% sand or perlite, with the remaining 50% being peat or sphagnum moss.

Here are a few recipes to make good carnivorous plant soil for Venus flytraps.

  • 4:1 or 2:1 ratio of peat moss and perlite
  • 4:1 or 2:1 ratio of peat moss and silica sand
  • 4:1 or 2:1 ratio of sphagnum moss and perlite
  • 4:1 or 2:1 ratio of sphagnum moss and silica sand

If you want more information about soil for Venus flytraps, you can read this article. It teaches you all you need to know about soil, and it guides you through the Venus fly trap potting and repotting process.

Do Venus Flytraps Need Pots With Drainage?

The pot you employ to grow a Venus flytrap can make a huge difference. The material, size, and presence of drainage holes are important considerations.

The best pots for Venus flytraps are 6 inches tall; they are made of plastic or glazed ceramic and have drainage holes. The drainage holes are critical to keep the plant healthy and avoid overwatering.

Venus flytraps have long roots. They thrive in tall pots that promote growth. The material of the pot is also significant.

Venus flytraps are very sensitive to minerals. Always chose a pot that won’t leach minerals to the ground. Clay or terracotta pots tend to leach elements to the soil. Some Venus flytraps can overcome a mild presence of minerals in the media, but there are no guarantees. The best strategy is to choose plastic or glazed ceramic pots for your Venus flytrap. Styrofoam is another suitable option that provides insulation.

The drainage holes in Venus flytrap pots are critical. They prevent standing water in the root area. It is possible to keep a Venus flytrap in nursery pots as long as they have drainage holes.

Employing a net pot is also a suitable option. Net pots are effective for holding potting media based on long-fibered sphagnum moss. Net pots provide drainage and aeration all around and can be placed in a water tray.

net pot
Net pot

The Water Tray Method

Pots with drainage holes are very useful to implement a very effective watering technique for Venus flytraps: the water tray method.

Employing the water tray method is simple. You only need three things: a Venus flytrap pot with drainage holes, water, and a tray.

The water has to be pure; it cannot contain any minerals or elements. Never water Venus flytraps with tap water or bottled water. Instead, employ distilled water, reverse osmosis water, or rainwater.

The tray should be capable of holding one to two inches of water.

These are the instructions for implementing the water tray strategy for a Venus flytrap:

  1. Place the Venus flytrap pot inside the empty water tray.
  2. Add pure water to the water tray until it reaches an inch in depth.
  3. Do not add any more water.
  4. Wait until the water has just dried up to fill up the tray once again.
Venus Flytrap water tray
Water tray method

Can You Grow Venus Flytraps in Containers Without Drainage?

Venus flytraps can adapt to different environments.

It is possible to grow Venus flytraps in pots with no drainage holes, but it is a challenge. Venus flytraps thrive in humid environments, but they do not like sitting in standing water. For that reason, closed containers without drainage are not the best option.

To avoid running into issues. You must be methodical when watering your plant.

Water the soil of the Venus flytrap until it is humid all around. After watering, the soil should feel moist but never damp. Never overwater the ground, or the excess humidity can affect the plant’s health by attracting bacteria or fungus.

I have grown Venus flytraps in containers without drainage. The image below shows a terrarium I built; it holds 2 mature Venus flytraps. The container has no drainage holes, but it has a layer of pebbles to hold the water and prevent the soil from turning acidic. The plants have continued to grow without issues for several

Venus flytrap terrarium

Drainage has two elements: soil and pot. You should at least implement one element to keep Venus flytraps healthy. If you choose a pot without drainage, at least select soil with perlite or silica sand. Perlite and silica are draining agents. They are very effective at breaking up the soil and providing aeration.

Final Thoughts

Growing Venus flytraps is a rewarding experience. It can also be very challenging, especially for first-time owners. This website contains tons of useful resources for carnivorous plant enthusiasts. But, maybe the most useful article is a Complete Venus Flytrap Care Guide (link to the article). Follow the link and learn all you need to know to keep Venus flytraps alive. Also, you can download a Venus Flytrap Care Sheet for your reference.

Can Venus Fly Traps Eat Roaches?

Venus flytraps can make fantastic houseplants; they capture annoying bugs inside your home. Since cockroaches are one of the most hated pests, many wonders of Venus flytrap can offer a solution and capture roaches.

Venus flytraps can consume small roaches that fit within the plant’s traps. The plant can reduce the bug infestations within certain limitations. However, other carnivorous plants with pitcher-like traps are more effective.

Roaches are a suitable meal for Venus flytraps. But, there are many other options to feed Venus flytraps.

The next sections will explain the effectiveness of Venus flytraps as a bug controller and expand on more suitable alternatives.

Can Venus Flytraps Eat Cockroaches?

Venus flytraps developed bug trapping mechanisms to supplement their diet. They capture insects to extract key nutrients and boost their development.

Venus flytraps consume various insects and arachnids, such as ants, gnats, crickets, worms, slugs, and flies. They are not specifically designed to trap any type of insect.

venus flytrap indoor

Venus flytraps can also consume roaches. The plant can capture its own prey or be fed manually. In the next sections, you will learn about each case.

Can Venus Flytraps Trap Cockroaches Naturally?

In the wild or in a home setting, Venus flytraps attempt to capture prey whenever they can. Venus flytraps produce sweet nectar in the interior parts of their lobes to attract potential victims.

The nectar draws a wide variety of insects. Once an insect is walking inside the traps, it triggers thin filaments in the leaves and prompts the plant to close.

Venus flytraps can capture roaches by using their standard trapping mechanisms. The traps of a mature Venus flytrap extends an average of 1-inch in length. Within that length, Venus flytrap can consume small roaches.

Cockroaches are not the most common meal for Venus flytrap, but a plausible one, especially in an indoor setting. In the outdoors, Venus flytrap consumes a lot of ants and other crawling insects.

Roaches are one of the oldest plagues. They consume a variety of organic matter and are common pests in some urban areas. The sweet nectar from Venus flytraps can attract roaches and other insects wandering nearby.

How Effective Are Venus Flytraps on Eliminating Roaches?

Carnivorous plants are unique creatures. They can consume animals! But how effective are they? Can Venus flytraps eliminate a bug infestation, such as roaches?

Venus flytraps can consume cockroaches, but their effectiveness as a bug controller is limited. A Venus flytrap has less than a dozen active traps. They can only consume a handful of bugs at a time, and their digestive cycle takes several weeks.

Due to the size of Venus flytraps, the plant can only capture small bugs. Mature Venus flytraps are big enough to capture cockroaches. Still, they are limited. The size of cockroaches varies from half an inch to several inches. 1-inch long Venus flytrap leaves can capture roaches in the lower end of the spectrum. Venus flytrap capture bugs that can fit completely inside their traps.

The number of cockroaches Venus flytraps can consume is limited. Venus flytraps have a limited number of traps (between 6-10). Each trap can capture one bug at a time. After trapping the bug, the plant starts the digestion process, which can take a long time.

Venus flytraps take a few days to multiple weeks digesting a single bug. For example, smaller insects, such as ants or gnats, can take 5-7 days. Larger bugs take a lot longer to digest. Crickets or cockroaches can take 2-3 weeks to digest. Once the plant finishes the digestion process, the trap reopens, and it’s ready for the next victim.

Venus flytraps have some limitations on how many bugs they can capture to act as a bug controller. This challenge can be overcome by owning several plants or by employing other carnivorous plants. The last section of the article describes some alternatives.

Can Roaches Be Used as a Food for Venus Flytraps?

Venus flytraps thrive when they have access to feed. Consuming bugs boosts their diet and encourages healthy growth. As a Venus flytrap owner, you are encouraged to place your plant where it will have plenty of access to feed (a garden, for example) or feed it manually.

Venus flytraps do not require bugs to survive. They can live happily without eating insects by producing their own substance through photosynthesis. However, feeding Venus flytrap has many positive effects.

Roaches are a fine food option for Venus flytraps. They can be used as dead or live feed. The bug must be small enough to fit within the closed trap.

Before employing a cockroach to feed your Venus flytrap, make sure to check a few things.

  • The bug must be small enough to fit within the closed leaf. A good rule of thumb is to pick bugs that are 1/3 of the size of the trap or smaller.
  • If the cockroach is dead, examine it for mold or bacteria. Make sure the bug is clean.
  • Check the traps of your plant. If the Venus flytrap is still digesting a meal, there is no need to feed it again.

There are a few differences between feeding dead bugs and live bugs to Venus flytraps. Personally, it is easier to employ live bugs if you do not have difficulties handling a live insect. Since the feeding process can be tricky, I wrote a detailed guide on the feeding process. You can read it by following this link. It gives you the details and tips on how to feed dead and live bugs to Venus flytraps.

Feeding Venus flytrap
This bug is too big for that trap!

Besides roaches, Venus flytraps can consume many different types of bugs.

The easiest way to feed a Venus fly trap is to grow the plant outside in a garden with access to live feed. Venus fly traps are effective predators; they can capture bugs on their own.

When I have grown Venus flytrap indoors, I feed them dead bugs I buy in the pet store. Dried-freeze mealworms, bloodworms, or crickets are all suitable options. A small container of dried-freeze bugs from the store can last you for months or even years.

Venus flytraps do not need to be fed constantly. One meal a month is more than sufficient. Owners can notice bug differences between plants that consume bugs and plants that don’t.

What Carnivorous Plants Eat Cockroaches?

Carnivorous plants are unique. It is surreal to encounter a plant that can consume meat. Carnivorous plants can capture and consume insects, arachnids, and even small mice, birds, or frogs. But, some species of carnivorous plants are more effective as bug controllers.

Almost any carnivorous plant can consume cockroaches as long as the bug is weak enough to fall into their trap. Venus flytraps can consume roaches, but they are limited due to their size and number of traps. Other carnivorous plants, such as Pitcher plants, are more effective as bug controllers.

Pitcher plants characterize by having pitcher-like structures to capture insects. Thanks to their pitfall trapping mechanism, bugs fall inside their pitcher and are unable to escape. Then, digestive fluids inside the trap break up the bug and digest it slowly.

pitcher plant
Nepenthes Pitcher

Pitcher plants are not limited on how many bugs they can capture at a specific time. Multiple bugs can fall inside the pitcher. And each plant has multiple pitchers waiting for the next victim.

It is unlikely that a single carnivorous plant can eradicate a pest in a home. In most cases, you will have to call an exterminator to eliminate pests. Still, carnivorous plants can assist in reducing the bug population. Which is an amazing feature, not many plants can provide!

Depending on the type of bug you want to eliminate, some carnivorous plants are better than others. Pitcher plants can be effective at capturing roaches. Mexican butterworts and Sundews are suitable bug controllers for gnats and mosquitos.

Suppose you are interested in owning a carnivorous plant. Start by researching which type is the best for you. Here is a list of some popular species for inspiration. Also, it is critical to learn how to care for carnivorous plants. Carnivorous plants are not hard to care for as long as you follow the instructions. Here is a guide with all you need to know when growing carnivorous plants.

Should I Fill My Pitcher Plant With Water?

Considering that the pitchers or your carnivorous plants are shaped like something perfectly equipped to hold liquid, you might wonder if you are supposed to fill them with water. The answer depends on the species.

While most pitcher plants like Nepenthes produce their own digestive fluids, others are dependant on collecting rainwater and might need human help to fill up their pitchers with water. The only plant that needs to collect rainwater in its pitchers is Sarracenia Purpurea and their hybrids.

In this guide, you will learn how to fill a pitcher plant with water (when it is appropriate). Also, I will show you how to trigger your plant to produce its own fluids.

When to Fill Pitcher Plants With Water?

Especially when you keep your plants indoors and not exposed to the rain, it seems logical to give them what they are supposedly missing away from their natural habitat. But should you do that? Is it good for your plants when you fill their pitchers with water?

Pitcher plants have fluids in their pitchers. Some collect rainwater; others produce their own fluids. But, the fluids should always be present to capture and digest insects.

The Sarracenia Purpurea collects water from rainfall in its pitchers. The insects that fall into the pitchers, like for example flies, spiders, or ants, then drown in the water before they are digested. It also needs rainwater to provide a fitting habitat for the bacteria living in the pitchers.

When a Sarracenia Purpurea does not have access to enough rainwater, it is recommended to add pure water inside the pitchers. You should never add water to other pitcher plants, as they produce their own fluids.

Sarracenia Plant

There are no other species that contain rainwater in their pitchers. Carnivorous plants like Nepenthes, venus fly traps, or most subspecies of Sarracenia, like the Flava or Oreophila, produce their own digestive enzymes as well as the often acidic digestive fluids. Sarracenia Purpurea, though, is dependent on hosting diverse organisms in their pitcher that dissolve their prey for them.

Taller species of Sarracenia even tend to tip over when they are filled with water since they are not made to hold such a large amount of fluids – you might have noticed that the moist puddle at the bottom of their pitchers is usually quite shallow. Adding water yourself would even damage them. Most species of pitcher plants protect themselves from rain by a hood on top of the pitcher that, aside from not letting rain get in, also keep the trapped insects from escaping.

The hoods on top of a pitcher of the Sarracenia Purpurea, conversely, are angled in such a way that allows water from rainfalls to collect inside the pitcher. Since they do not properly function as hoods in the literal sense, they are sometimes referred to as lips.

If your pitcher plant is a hybrid and you are unsure whether to add water, you should compare the size and shape of its pitchers and hoods with those of Sarracenia Purpurea versus other species. This will give you an idea of how its digestion works and if it is grown to let in rainwater.

When to Add Water to a Pitcher Plant?

Add water to the pitchers of your Sarracenia Purpurea when you get the impression that it is running low in fluid since it needs this to keep the bacteria that live in its pitchers happy and thriving.

Fill the pitchers of Sarracenia purpurea only when the fluid level is low. Never fill your plants up to more than 1/3 of the total height of their pitcher. Any more than that would be too much and the pitcher would fall over.

Better start with a smaller amount of water and observe your Sarracenia when it feeds – if you get the impression that it does not manage to properly dissolve its prey, you can always add more water.

Sarracenia Purpurea: Which Type of Water Should You Add?

Carnivorous plants are quite sensitive when it comes to what kind of water is good for them. Do not make the mistake of simply giving them tap water, even though most of your other plants are happy enough with this!

Tap water contains salt and chemicals (so-called TDS, totally dissolved solids) which are harmless to humans and most house plants but might damage your pitcher plant by causing leave burning, wilting, or root burn, and eventually lead to the death of your carnivorous plant.

The degree of TDS water contains is measured in parts per million (PPM). Pitcher plants can tolerate a PPM rate between 50 and 140, but unfortunately, although the PPM rates for tap water vary widely with regards to location, they are mostly found to be between 100 and 400 PPM. This is simply too much of a risk to expose your plants to. If you are unsure about the quality of your tap water, you can order a cheap PPM meter online. The pH – the measure of acidity/alkalinity – of the water you give to your pitcher plants should be neutral at around 7.0, which you can test with pH strips available online or in aquarium or pool supply stores.

Since Sarracenia has evolved in nutrient-deficient soils, it is adapted to draw minerals from its prey instead of its soil, therefore it would be overwhelmed by water containing minerals. Aside from tap water, this also includes bottled water and filtered water. For this reason, you also should not use fertilizer on carnivorous plants.

There are three main kinds of water that are compatible with pitcher plants: rainwater, distilled water, and water resulting from a reverse osmosis process.

RAINWATER can be collected for example in buckets or rain barrels. Either place them on your balcony or garden or directly beneath the gutters coming from the drain. This, of course, might be difficult if you live in a place where it does not rain a lot, or in the case that you are renting an apartment which does not give you access to a garden or balcony.

When you have enough containers to store rainwater for a long time, make sure that these containers are opaque because light getting in would encourage the growth of algae. There are even UV-resistant containers that are specially made not age and crack in the sunlight.

All in all, using rainwater is better for outdoor plants than for indoor plants, though. No matter how much care you take to store it correctly, it is always possible that rainwater is contaminated by algae, fungi, or bacteria. Plants that are kept outside are included in an ecosystem that works at keeping potential outbreaks at bay, whereas indoor plants lack this ecosystem. If you do not want to risk this, the following methods might be better for you.

DISTILLED WATER can be purchased at the store, but you can also get a basic household distiller and distill it yourself. In a distillation unit, water is first heated to a boiling point. Thus, the water evaporates, leaving most of the contaminants behind. When the vapor is cooled down again, it results in distilled water. Since distillation only produces a few gallons of water per day, this is best for people that do not have too many plants.

REVERSE OSMOSIS systems force unfiltered water through a semipermeable membrane that allows water molecules to flow through but blocks contaminants. Water automatically flows from the more concentrated side of the membrane, which contains more contaminants, to the less concentrated side. This process removes about 99% of bacteria, chlorine, and other harmful substances in the water.

How Would Adding Water Help the Plant?

Bacteria and microbes live there and they help the Sarracenia to digest its prey since this species does not produce efficient enzymes to aid in digestion. The pitcher fluid acts as the organism which these helpful species occupy. Adding water thus creates this habitat necessary for your carnivorous plant to be able to take nutrients from the insects that it traps.

What to Do There if There No Liquid in a Pitcher Plant?

When you notice that there is no liquid inside the pitcher of a plant that usually produces its digestive fluid itself, this can be a sign that the humidity in the room is too low. In this case, you might consider growing the plant in a greenhouse – if you do not have the outdoor space for this, there are humidifiers available that will fit on your windowsill or a table.

Pitcher plants usually grow in pretty humid climates. They need to take humidity from the air and soil to produce liquids inside their pitchers. The digestive fluid is secreted into their pitcher by the same glands that are also evolved to take the nutrients from the dissolved prey.

Nepenthes Pitchers

Digestive fluid largely contains two enzymes: Basic chitinase, which is able to disintegrate the hard exoskeletons of insects, and purple acid phosphatase, which is what makes it possible for the plant to absorb the nutrients.

Do you want to learn how to feed your Pitcher plant? This guide can help you learn which bugs to employ and how to do it: What To Feed a Pitcher Plant: A Comprehensive List (Plus Feeding Tips)

Also, make sure to read my complete guide to Pitcher plant care.

Do Venus Flytraps Need Dormancy?

Some carnivorous plants require a dormancy period that can extend for several months, usually as temperatures drop. The Venus flytrap requires specific care during the winter.

Venus flytraps require a yearly dormancy period. Skipping dormancy over two years in a row can kill Venus flytraps. These plants need to go dormant for 2-3 months every winter season to continue thriving in the spring.

Dormancy is critical for the Venus Flytrap development; it is critical to learn how to achieve it. This article will give you all the details.

Is Venus Flytrap Dormancy Required?

In the wild, Venus flytraps grow in North Carolina and South Carolina in the United States. There, they are not only exposed to hot summers but also freezing winters. During the winter season, Venus flytraps rest.

Venus flytrap need to experience dormancy for 2-3 months every single year. Skipping dormancy hinders the plant’s growth and can eventually kill it.

The dormancy period for Venus flytraps is similar to hibernation in animals. Some creatures require a resting period before the growing/ active season.

Scientists calculate that Venus flytraps can live for more than 20 years, which is a long time for any human. If you own one of these plants, they can be part of your home or garden for decades. However, Venus flytraps only live for such a long period of dormancy is present.

When a Venus flytrap does not experience dormancy, it weakens, and its growth slows down during the year.

Skipping one dormancy won’t kill a Venus flytrap, but systematically skipping multiple dormancy periods in a row will kill it. Without dormancy, Venus flytraps perish within 2-3 years.

Since Venus flytraps take 3-4 years to achieve maturity, it is impossible to grow Venus flytraps from seeds to adults without dormancy. You can keep a mature plant without dormancy, but remember, their lifetime is limited.

In the next sections, you will learn how to achieve dormancy for your Venus flytrap and also some care considerations during the season. Besides, the last section expands on what to do if you will skip dormancy anyway.

How to Achieve Venus Flytrap Dormancy?

Venus flytraps thrive after the dormancy resting period and must undergo dormancy every single year. The dormancy period is associated with the winter month due to the temperature requirements.

Venus flytraps achieve dormancy after been exposed to temperatures below 45 F (7 C) for 2-5 weeks. Once the plant enters dormancy, it will lose leaves and stop its growth.

The easiest way to grow Venus flytraps and achieve the dormancy state is to grow Venus flytraps outdoors. These carnivorous plants thrive in the outdoors with plenty of access to water and sunlight. If you live in areas with suitable winter temperatures, then your plant will go dormant every winter as soon as the temperatures start to drop.

Leaving your plant outside during the winter months is the most common practice. You can place the Venus flytraps in the garden, a porch, an unheated garage, or basement. The goal is to expose Venus flytraps to temperatures below 45 F (7 C). When exposing your plant to cold temperatures, avoid letting it freeze. Venus flytraps need dormancy, but temperatures below 25 F (-4 C) can kill them.

After Venus flytraps have entered dormancy, it is important to keep the plants at temperatures between 32 F (0 C) and 45 F (7C).

Not all live in areas where winters reach low temperatures. Or if they do, some places experience extremely short winters, unsuitable for Venus flytraps.

In those locations where it is impossible to induce natural dormancy, you can try an alternate method: Refridgerator Dormancy. As a last option, it is possible to induce dormancy by placing your plants in the fridge. There is a specific process to do this correctly. You can read this article to get the details.

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

Once Venus flytraps enter dormancy, the plant will experience sudden changes.

Dormant Venus flytraps lose most of their green leaves and shrink in size. Some owners believe their plants are dead as the leaves are almost none existent. However, the underground portion of the plant continues to strengthen during dormancy.

Do not alarm when a Venus flytrap starts changing during dormancy. The changes are completely natural and required for their health.

How to Exit Venus Flytrap Dormancy?

Venus flytrap dormancy takes 2-3 months. After that period, the plant should start exiting dormancy.

Venus flytraps exit dormancy when the temperatures start to rise. As spring approaches, Venus flytraps finish dormancy and start flourishing again.

The best way to exit dormancy is to let nature flow. If you placed Venus flytraps outdoors and winter is coming to an end after 2-3 months, then you can continue to leave your plant outside as the temperatures start to rise and the plant exits dormancy.

In the case winter is very long (more than 5 months) in your location, you can force your plant out of dormancy by reintroducing it to warmer temperatures. Over a few weeks, you can bring the plant closer to indoor temperatures. Make sure to reintroduce the plant to warm temperatures slowly and wait until it has been dormant for 3 months.

You will notice a Venus flytrap has exited dormancy once there is new growth spurring from the plant (here is more information about the plabts’s growth stages) (here is more information about the plabts’s growth stages).

Venus Flytrap Care During Dormancy

Venus flytrap requires a particular environment to live in. During dormancy, some care considerations are also critical.

  • Temperature: Dormant Venus flytraps should remain at the following temperature range: 32F – 45F.
  • Feeding: Venus flytraps do not require feeding during dormancy.
  • Lighting: The lighting requirements decrease.
  • Trimming: It is safe to trim dead leaves.
  • Repotting: repotting at the end of dormancy is an optimal time to exchange the medium or pot.
  • Watering: Venus flytraps will consume less water during dormancy.

Even though Venus flytraps need cold temperatures during winter, there is a lower limit for them. Avoid letting your plant freeze completely. Venus flytraps are resilient, but such low temperatures can weaken them and potentially kill them.

Through the growing season, Venus flytraps require bugs to supplement their diet and grow. However, during the dormancy period, feeding is not required. If the plant captures a bug on its own, that is fine. But, never manually feed Venus flytraps during dormancy.

During dormancy, the lighting requirements for Venus flytrap lower. However, there is no harm in exposing the plant to hours of sunlight as long as the temperatures as appropriate. Cold winters and sunny days are not exclusive.

There is no risk of trimming Venus flytraps during dormancy. In this period, the plant will lose a lot of leaves. You can trim all the completely dead foliage.

Repotting a Venus flytrap during the growing season slows down its growth. The optimal time to repot a Venus flytrap is to do it at the end of dormancy. As temperatures start to warm up, you can carefully repot the plant in new media. Then, the Venus flytrap will start the spring in fresh soil.

Continue to keep the soil of dormant Venus flytraps humid t all times, but avoid overwatering. During dormancy, Venus flytraps slow down on their water consumption.

The list of care instructions during dormancy is short because those items are specific for dormancy. However, there are many more considerations that need to be followed when growing Venus flytraps. This article includes a complete guide and care instructions for Venus flytrap. It is the best resource for current or future Venus flytrap owners.

Also, I wrote a guide specifically for growing Venus flytraps indoors. You can read it here: Venus Flytrap Indoor Care Guide.

Skip Venus Flytrap Dormancy

Skipping Venus flytrap dormancy causes several effects. The plants continue growing during the winter and coming seasons. However, its growth rate eventually slows down.

Skipping dormancy multiple years in a row kills Venus flytraps. Still, it is possible to skip the dormancy period in complicated scenarios.

I do not recommend skipping dormancy at all. However, if there is no way around it, the best alternative is to skip dormancy during winter but secure dormancy for the upcoming season. As long as the plant goes dormant for the next couple of years, it will recover from skipping on the resting period.

Venus flytraps can be grown almost anywhere in the world. But keeping these plants healthy requires a cold winter, which is not always present and can be challenging.

Do not get discouraged from growing Venus flytrap in your zone if the temperatures are not optimal. Instead, research and learn about the fridge dormancy method and other indoor growing strategies.

Are Pitcher Plants Poisonous?

Before buying Pitcher plants to grow at home I did in-depth research to investigate Pitcher plants are safe to grow at home. Luckily, I found some encouring information.

Pitcher plants are not poisonous to humans or pets. Also, contact with Pitcher plants is completely harmless. These plants make up safe and beautiful houseplants.

This article will give you an overview on how Pitcher plants can make up great houseplants. Also, it will give you pointers to avoid harming Pitcher plants.

Are Pitcher Plants Poisonous to Humans?

Pitcher plants are unable to poison humans not only if they accidentally come in contact with either their digestive fluid or any other part of the plant; pitcher plants are also non-toxic to such a degree that they are being eaten in some parts of the world.

In Malaysia, for example, people like to snack on _lemang periuk kera_, which is a dish made of sticky rice that is wrapped in the trap of a pitcher plant which is then cooked in coconut milk. As you can see, you are more likely to eat a nepenthes than it is likely for them to eat you!

While your children should not attempt to eat up a whole pitcher plant, they are harmless to the touch and even way safer than other popular house plants. Nepenthes pose no threat to the curious fingers of exploring toddlers.

Are Nepenthes Poisonous to Cats and Dogs?

As all pet owners know, it is close to impossible to hinder either cats or dogs from putting things in their mouths. They like nibbling at and licking everything they can get to, be it actual food, furniture, or houseplants. In the latter case, a carnivorous and exotic plant might give the impression that it poses a risk. Especially cats are known to be attracted to plants because they enjoy their fibrous texture that, when it is consumed in small amounts, or when it comes in the form of special plants like kitty grass, can aid their digestion.

There is no reason to worry about your cat’s health when it happened to eat part of a Pitcher plant. Digesting a few bites of a Nepenthes might result in mild digestive issues in cats but usually does not lead to the display of any serious, long-lasting effects.

In the case that your pet has consumed large quantities of such a plant, though, there are nevertheless some symptoms that you should keep an eye out for: if you notice your cat vomiting a lot, suffering from diarrhea, being unusually lethargic, or displaying a rash or any other kind of irritation around their mouth you should contact a vet. When you need to visit a veterinarian because of symptoms like these, it makes a lot of sense when you take a piece of your pitcher plant with you, so that they know what they are dealing with and can assess the situation quickly and competently.

In general, it will be more important to save the plant from your pet and not the other way round. There are some things you can do to avoid your house plants ending up chewed up or shredded. Some plants even defend themselves by their taste. Venus flytraps, another well-loved carnivorous plant, for example, are known to taste sour and thus not to be to the liking of cats.

To protect plants with a more delicious taste from maltreatment by a cat, you can make sure that your cat always has some kitty grass or catnip to keep them busy. Aside from that, you should try to put your nepenthes in locations that the cat cannot reach. While cats might be likely to crawl up shelves and jump onto whatever when it comes to dogs it is often enough to simply put your plant somewhere up high. A hanging planter is a good idea in both cases. Just make sure to put it somewhere in the room where the cat cannot jump to from other high locations.

Are Pitcher Plants Dangerous in Any Way?

Back in the 19th century, the European adventurers and explorers traveling the world brought back home stories of cruel, man-eating plants that lurk in exotic rain forests. Nowadays we know that this is not true. Now we know that nepenthes do not grow remotely tall enough to ingest a human being. Nevertheless, this shows that pitcher plants have fascinated and scared human beings for a long time. Especially the most well-known of them, which are the species that belong to the genus called nepenthes, drew botanists as well as laypeople in by being both scary and undeniably beautiful.

Both intrigued and somehow a little fearful we still like to observe the insects that fall into the trap of a pitcher plant. But, are these carnivorous plants poisonous unsafe to be kept as house plants?

No species of the Pitcher plant is dangerous to human beings – or any other animal that is bigger than a small rodent, for that matter. Even if you were to put your finger inside and move it around, nothing would happen to you. If you handle the pitcher too roughly, though, you will damage the plant rather than yourself.

pitcher plants

Since a pitcher plant takes three to five days to ingest a small insect, a human being would have to spend a long time simply holding their hand into a pitcher of a nepenthe to even feel a thing.

The tallest Nepenthes, which are those that are to be found in the rainforests of Southeast Asia and that can grow up to 5 feet tall, has never been known to ingest anything bigger than frogs or rats.

Do Nepenthes Make Good Houseplants?

Now, that you know pitcher plants are completely safe. It is time to consider growing them in your home.

There are a lot of reasons why Pitcher plants make excellent house plants. It is simply fascinating to observe such an unusual plant that not many people have in their homes. They exhibit fascinating insect trapping mechanisms and act as bug controllers.

When owning a Pitcher plant, you will be able to witness how insects, lured in by the sweet-smelling nectar fall into the pitcher. Then they are prohibited from crawling out again, by various elements contained on the inside wall of the pitcher, for example by thin hairs pointing inward and downward and thus locking the insect in the trap. Consequently, they are stuck at the bottom of the pitcher, surrounded by digestive fluid, where, in a couple of days, they get ingested and turn into a sticky, soup-like substance from which the nepenthes draws the nutrients it needs.

Bug control is one of the aspects that make pitcher plants and other carnivorous plants so attractive to many fans of house plants. They can, for example, digest gnats, spiders, flies, and other small insects.

When you put them at a place where insects have a tendency to enter the room, like on a window sill, or close to a door, it will most likely not be required for you to feed them.

If you have absolutely no insects in your apartment, it might be necessary to provide food for your nepenthes, though. In this case, you can try to find some insects yourself, but if those are difficult to come by, goldfish flakes from a pet store are also a good solution. You might also be enticed to share your lunch or dinner with your pitcher plant, but you need to resist this temptation! Do not feed them chunks of meat, or any human food, they will not be able to digest it.

The location of your plant should be warm and humid. Chose a bright place that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. They thrive best in temperatures between 60 and 85 F.

Pitcher plants grow best in soil that is poor in nutrients. A mixture of moss and perlite works well. Refrain from using potting mixes or fertilizers. It is important to always keep the soil wet during the growing season, which continues from May to October. Do not put water directly into the pitchers, though!

During winter, some pitcher plants like to go dormant, which is something like the hibernation we know from some animal species. This period of dormancy can take from three to five months. During this time the plant does not require light and is happy with a cooler and dryer climate. Any newly developing pitchers should be covered by a layer of mulch.

Once you have decided which species of pitcher plant you want, you need to look up their needs in winter, since not only the lengths of their dormancy vary, some of them do not go dormant and keep on growing instead, which results in them needing even more care than in the warmer months.

There are several species of nepenthes available for cultivation indoors that grow beautiful pitchers in colors ranging from light green to dark maroon that can be, depending on the species, location, and care, grow up to 20 or even 30 cm long. Along the big spectrum of pitcher plants, everyone is sure to find the right species for their home and possibilities.

Can You Drink Pitcher Plant Water?

Pitcher plants are unique carnivorous plants that characterize by pitcher like structures used to trap and consume insects. Inside the pitchers, there is a liquid, Pitcher plant water. Is Pitcher plant water safe?

Pitcher plant water is safe to drink as it poses no harm to humans. Pitcher plant water is made up of a mixture of rainwater and digestive substances produced by the plant. Some believe Pitcher plant water has medicinal properties; however, this has not been proven.

Before owning a Pitcher plant, I did tons of research to learn about their care and if they were safe to grow at home (this article I wrote expands on how safe are pitcher plants) (this article I wrote expands on how safe are pitcher plants). Keep on reading to get all the details on Pitcher plant water, including safety considerations for humans and pets.

Can You Drink Pitcher Plant Water?

Pitcher plant water is safe for human consumption. So, what happens when you drink the Pitcher plant water? One of the most frequently asked questions is if someone can drink the Pitcher plant water. Of course, yes!

Pitcher plant water has a neutral pH of 7.0, and after tasting, it tasted just like ordinary rainwater, and most likely, much of its water is rainwater.

Pitcher plants are harmless to humans and pets. Dogs and cats can be attracted to Pitcher plants due to their unique shapes and bright colors. A pet could eat a Pitcher plant without any dangerous health risk beyond a stomachache.

pitcher plant
Young Pitcher Plant Pitcher

Some people say drinking pitcher plant water is likely to cause endless racy dreams. Taking Pitcher plant fluids through the mouth under the guidance of a doctor can be used as an alternative medicine for treating some unitary track complications, treatment of constipation, fluid retention problems, and digestion problems. However, there is no scientific proof of the Pitcher plant effectively treating the above conditions.

What Liquid Do Pitcher Plants Produce?

The small amount of liquid found within the Pitcher plant traps is known as phytotelmata, and it is usually for trapping insects.

Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants meaning that they feed on animals (insects). The fluid inside their traps is extremely viscous to effectively drown insects whose bodies are slowly dissolved through bacteria activities.

Pitcher plants contain special jug-shaped leaves that produce pitcher fluids to attract, trap, and digest small insects. Unopened pitcher leaves contain water that harbors bacteria that help digest trapped insects.

These carnivorous plants, mainly of the genus Nepenthes, depend on nutrients gotten from ingesting small insects after trapping using the pitcher-shaped leaves and digesting them using the enzymatic fluids.

Pitcher plants exhibit a wide diversity of prey, but their trapping mechanism is the most astonishing thing about them. For instance, their pitches have a slippery inner surface, which is not only easy to wet but also waxy for helping trap the insect firmly. However, not all species manifest this epidermal specialization but still very effective in trapping insects.

The physical properties of this digestive fluid play a critical role in holding the insect in the trap. For instance, even after the dilution by rainwater, its trapping efficiency doesn’t change. However, in the heavy rainy season, some of this viscous liquid is washed or diluted by rainfall.

What Happens When You Touch Pitcher Plant Water?

Although Pitcher plants have the predatory abilities to trap and digest small animals and insects, none of these Pitcher plants is man-eating.

Since the Pitcher plant water contains no harmful chemicals that could otherwise cause harm to your fingers, touching has no negative impacts on your fingers, but this may cause damage to your plant when it tries to fold on a relatively large object.

Once the prey sits on the leaf’s surface, the stiff hard surrounding the leaf blade automatically interlock, thus trapping the prey into tubular enclosing containing the digestive enzymes and fluids. The leaves of pitcher plants secrete sticky fluid substances that coat the inner surface of the pitchers.

Although your finder won’t fall prey to Pitcher plants, especially of the family Nepenthes, the only concern is the sickening substance that some plant members induce to foreign objects as a defense mechanism.

Can Drinking Pitcher Plant Water Save You in an Emergency?

Although the water from a pitcher plant is typically the ordinary water we drink, some Borneo and Sumatra legends say that drinking water from the pitcher plant has the ability to heal some illnesses. However, this isn’t scientifically proven, and therefore is important you get a go-ahead signal from your doctor to drink this water.

Since Pitcher plant fluid is just like the normal rainwater, it can save a life of an extremely thirst person, say in a remote area/ heavy jungle where someone can’t find clean water to drink.

An extremely dehydrated person, say in the jungle, and has no other feasible source of clean water will opt to drink the Pitcher water rather than perish from thirst. However, this should be only on extremely exceptional cases; otherwise, no need to risk your life so much experimenting with funny theories.

Gardening Tips for Growing Pitcher Plant at Home

Since Pitcher plants are safe to own, you might want to consider owning one. This section includes some beginner advice for choosing and caring for Pitcher plants.

Under the scientific study of Pitcher plants such as their structure, classification, how they grow, and their significance in the ecosystem, Pitcher plants are categorized as carnivorous plants. Native Pitcher plants members fall under the Nepenthaceae family of the order Caryophyllales while the Recent Pitcher plant members under the family Sarraceniaceae of order Ericales.

Although Pitcher plants’ appearance resembles that of exotic plants, you can grow several plant varieties in your compound. The plants have leaves resembling tubes that contain fluids for trapping small animals and insects.

Today, people grow pitcher plants indoors or outdoors. Some of the common pitcher plant genus are the Nepenthes, Sarracenia, and Darlingtonia.

Growing pitcher plants is easy, but you must ensure to follow all the key items. Start by researching the type of species suitable for your region or that can easily adapt to the local climate. It would be best if you kept your pitcher plant wet otherwise, you can grow it in a water garden. Note that moist and boggy soils can improve its performance. Besides, these plants perform well in full sun to partial shade light, and their optimum temperature ranges from 65 to 70 F.

Remember, it is important to mist their environment regularly and keep your plant near a humidifier; it may stop producing pitchers when the humidity drops past 40 percent and feed your indoor plant, especially at the start of your growing season.

If you are interested in growing Pitcher plants or other carnivorous plants, start by researching their care. Carnivorous plants have precise requirements. Implementing them is not difficult but critical. I wrote this article on carnivorous plant care to give you all the information you need to get started.

Do Venus Fly Traps Need to Be Covered?

When I first bought a Venus flytrap, it came in a closed and covered container. I was concerned about removing the plant from the dome and decreasing the humidity. Thankfully, after some research, I found out that those containers were not as critical as I thought.

Venus flytraps do not need to be covered; they thrive in open pots with plenty of access to light, water, and insects. Close containers block the light, prevent the plant from capturing bugs, and cause overheating issues in the summer.

Venus flytraps do not need to be covered, but they prefer humid environments. In this article, you will learn some easy to implement techniques to keep your Venus flytrap healthy.

Should Venus Flytrap Be Covered?

Large gardening stores and some nurseries sell Venus flytraps in domes. The containers provide some benefits for transporting the plants and preserving humidity and water within them. However, these containers are not necessary for growing Venus Flytraps.

The best place to grow Venus flytraps is outdoors, in open containers. They require high exposure to sunlight and water. Venus flytraps appreciate humid environments but can adapt to dry climates.

Covering Venus flytraps provides the benefit of extra humidity. However, Venus flytraps do not necessarily need high humidity; they can adapt.

I grow Venus flytraps in Arizona, which is very dry. Venus flytraps take a few weeks to adapt and eventually get used to the climate. I supplement my plants’ humidity using an electric humidifier to give them an extra boost. They do not really NEED the humidifier, but it helps with their development.

Covering a Venus flytrap causes several issues. For example, closed containers block the light, and Venus flytraps require a high amount of lighting. Also, covering Venus flytraps prevent them from capturing bugs. Venus flytraps do not need to consume insects to survive. However, adding bugs to their diet really help them accelerate growth.

Covered Venus flytraps can also easily overheat in the summer and freeze in the winter. Depending on the material of the container, some tend to conduct the exterior temperature. For example, glass domes left under direct sunlight can heat up and boil the plants inside.

How to Remove a Venus Flytrap From a Dome Container

I have seen many different companies sell Venus flytraps inside domes or terrariums. There is nothing wrong with buying one of these plants. As long as you verify, the Venus flytrap is healthy.

covered venus flytrap

If you buy a plant inside a similar container to the one shown in the picture, make sure to adapt it to its new home slowly.

A plant inside a container has gotten used to a humid environment. Extracting these plants from their enclosure has to be done step by step. First, remove the lid or use a pair of scissors to make a few cuts in the container. Then, leave the plant alone for a couple of days. After that, you can remove it entirely from the containers.

Giving the Venus flytrap an extra couple of days to adapt to its new home is a good practice. Once the plant is free from the dome, make sure to follow the correct care instructions. I wrote this very detailed article on Venus flytrap care that can get you started!

Venus Flytrap Humidity and Watering Requirements

Venus flytraps are native to a very region. They grow in the states of North Carolina and South Carolina in the United States. They are typical exposed to humidity levels of over 50% year-round.

Venus flytraps are resilient plants that can adapt to a wide variety of humidity levels. If you live in a zone with 50% humidity or higher, then you are all set. There is no need to supplement the environment with a humidifier.

Zones with dry climates are a challenge for Venus flytraps; however, it is not impossible to grow Venus flytraps in arid climates. You can employ humidifiers and, most importantly, focus on watering your plant correctly.

When employing humidifiers, use them consistently. Venus flytraps take time to adapt to different climates. They prefer a consistent humidity level rather than sporadic hikes in humidity.

Venus Flytrap Watering Instructions

The most important care consideration for Venus flytraps in terms of humidity is the watering.

Venus flytraps need to be watered often. Their soil needs to be humid at all times until it is less humid. Then, it needs to be watered again. The soil should be moist at all times but not soggy.

Venus flytraps also need a very particular type of water. They are unable to process minerals and nutrients present in tap water or bottled water. For that reason, they can only be watered with pure water sources.

Only employ mineral-free water such as distilled water, reverse osmosis water or rain water for Venus flytraps. Water with minerals will cause mineral burns and eventually kill the plant.

Venus flytraps thrive in humid mediums. However, the soil should never be flooded. After watering, the soil of a Venus flytrap needs to be humid but not soaking wet. A good rule of thumb is to check the soil after watering. Use your fingers to press the soil. You should feel the humid ground but not get wet.

A common technique to water Venus flytraps is the water tray strategy. With this technique, the owner waters their plant from the bottom using a water tray. The process is straightforward:

  1. Place the plant pot in a tray. The tray needs to be at least 2 inches in depth.
  2. Then, employ mineral-free, nutrient-free water to fill the tray up to one inch in depth.
  3. Wait until the water has just dried up to water again.

The water tray method prevents overwatering a Venus flytrap. Also, it ensures the watering level is appropriate to keep the soil moist at all times. There is no need to water the plant from the top or mist it if employing this method.

Also, the tray holding the water increase the humidity level in the environment close to the plant. The change is minimal, but it is a plus.

I always employ the water tray method, which has helped my plants (and I) tremendously. Venus flytraps can consume large amounts of water, especially during the hot summer. A water reserve in the tray eases the process of watering and prevents the soil from drying up.

Venus Flytrap Humidity water tray

Are Terrariums Suitable for Venus Flytraps?

Growing Venus flytraps in a terrarium is a common trend nowadays. But, their implementation should be done carefully.

Venus flytraps prefer open containers rather than closed terrariums. It is possible to grow Venus flytraps in a terrarium in the short term, but it is not a suitable long-term practice. Also, Some terrariums are better suited than others for Venus flytraps.

Closed containers can harm Venus flytraps as they block light and prevent bugs from entering. Also, Venus flytrap need exposure to cold weather in the winter to undergo dormancy. When plants live in a closed terrarium, they can’t be exposed to near-freezing temperatures. Also, direct sunlight is not an option when growing Venus flytraps in a closed terrarium. The direct light can heat up the terrarium and kill the plants.

The best terrariums for Venus flytraps are greenhouse type terrariums. These terrariums are large structures that can open and closed without issues. Also, each plant in the terrarium has its own pot. Then, Venus flytraps can be removed from the terrarium in the winter and be placed outside for dormancy.

Greenhouse Terrarium

Depending on the size of the terrarium, it is possible to install artificial lighting inside the structure. The picture greenhouse terrarium picture shows an example of this practice. Artificial light can be equally effective at fulfilling your plant’s growing requirements.

Venus flytrap terrarium
Venus Flytrap Terrarium Project

This picture shows a Venus fly trap terrarium I built. It is not the optimal setup for a Venus fly trap, but it was a very fun project. For several months, the plants have continued to live healthily in this semi-open terrarium. The opening in the glass container allows me to feed the plant. Also, I use artificial LED grow lights and shine the light through the opening.

Can Venus Fly Traps Be Blue?

Since I own several Venus flytraps, many people ask me about the different color varieties of these amazing plants. Some ads advertise bright blue or purple Venus flytraps.

Blue or purple Venus flytraps do not exist. Any post of blue Venus flytrap seeds or plants is an online scam. There are several varieties of Venus flytrap, many with unique color schemes, but none is blue.

It would be amazing if blue Venus flytraps were real, but they do not exist. However, there are many unique Venus flytrap varieties that you can own. Keep on reading, and you will get a list of options.

What Colors Are Venus Flytraps?

The Venus flytrap is a unique carnivorous plant. There are only one species of Venus flytrap, which has a particular color pattern.

In the wild, Venus flytraps exhibit bright green and burgundy colors. The plan is mostly green, with red coloring inside the traps. The brightness of the colors can vary depending on the plant’s living environment.

Depending on which variety of Venus flytrap you observe, you might notice some differences. Even though there are only one species of Venus flytraps, humans have developed multiple varieties of Venus flytraps that highlight unique characteristics. These varieties are commonly called cultivars.

Some Venus Flytrap cultivars characterize with extensive red coloring, others substantially large traps. However, no blue Venus flytraps have been developed. All Venus flytraps have variations of their two primary colors: burgundy and green.

Are All Blue Venus Flytraps a Scam?

Lately, a vast number of online shops have started promoting listings for blue Venus Flytraps. Due to the uniqueness of the product, many people have fallen prey to these scams.

Blue Venus flytraps are not real; any shop advertising blue Venus flytrap products are a scam. Regardless of the product: either seeds or plants. The primary colors of Venus flytraps are red and green, and there are no other colors for these plants.

Scammers use color filters to highlight interesting colors for Venus flytraps such as purple, blue, or even bright pink. If you order any of these fake products, you might never receive your order. Also, in some cases, these vendors send a Venus flytrap to their customers, but the plant they send is a standard Venus flytrap sold at a premium price for no reason.

How to Avoid Scams When Buying Venus Flytraps

It isn’t very pleasant when you end up being scammed online. It is so convenient to buy plants online, especially when the species is uncommon. Unfortunately, many vendors sell fake seeds, plants, and related supplies. This is true for all plants; carnivorous plants are not an exception.

When buying Venus flytrap online, follow the tips below to avoid scams. Also, consider buying Venus flytraps at brick and mortar stores. Some stores like Walmart, Lowes, or Home Depot sell Venus flytraps in their gardening section. Also, local nurseries might carry some varieties of carnivorous plants.

  • Do not purchase any Venus flytrap advertised to be any color other than green or red.
  • Avoid vendors without pictures or generic pictures of the Mario Bros Piranha Plant are not good sources.
  • Avoid vendors shipping plants from a completely different part of the world from when you are located. Shipping Venus flytraps is a common practice, but I do not trust long haul international shipment. They might be a scam, and if they are not, the plant might not make it alive.
  • Chose vendors with reviews or at least a chat function to track your order. Also, you can ask questions about the plant before purchasing to confirm the seller is real.
  • Preferably buy venus fly trap plants rather than seeds. Some scammers might send fake seeds that never germinate. It is harder to prove a scam when you do receive seeds but are uncertain if they are, in fact, Venus flytrap seeds.
  • Consider buying Venus flytraps from online nursery shops. There are several nurseries specialized in carnivorous plants that are trustworthy. If you do a quick search online, you can find a few options.

Are There Any Unique (and Real) Venus Flytrap Varieties?

Blue Venus flytraps are not a thing. However, you have many options beyond standard Venus flytraps. Here is a list of unique and beautiful Venus flytrap cultivars you can buy:

  • King Henry: Don Elkins of Mesa Exotics bred this cultivar. This variation was selected through size and was given a curious name. King Henry Venus flytrap are great looking plants that grow fast and mature within 2 years.
  • Akai Ryu: This cultivar is a completely red Venus flytrap, developed at the Atlanta Botanical garden. The leaves of the Akai Ryu exhibit a deep burgundy color all around. You can read an article on the Akai Ryu care here: Red Dragon Care Guide.
  • Dionaea Green Dragon: If you like the burgundy color but prefer to have some contrast, this Venus flytrap cultivar is right for you. This variation of Venus flytrap also exhibits a large amount of red coloring, like the Akai Ryu. However, the edges of each trap have a green border.
  • Dionaea Ginormous: This cultivar characterizes by huge traps. A fully grown trap is usually 1-inch in length. This cultivar is known for traps extending over 2 inches long. Since the traps are so large, they are not fully functional. One flap might close faster than the other.
  • Dionaea Dente: The Dionaea Dente produces medium-size plants with unique traps. The cilia in the border of each trap are usually long and pointy. The Dionaea Dente exhibits short and pointy cilia that resemble a saw.
  • Dionaea B-52: The B-52 variety is known as the giant Venus Flytrap. Mature traps reach 1.5 inches in length. The picture below is one of my B-52 Venus flytraps. Their trap size definitely captures people’s attention!
b 52 venus fly trap

Final Thoughts

I hope this article can help Venus flytrap enthusiasts avoid scams. Blue Venus flytraps seem like a great hope, but not a reality.

This website covers a wide variety of topics in regards to carnivorous plants. If you own a Venus flytrap or other carnivorous plant, many of my articles can be resources. For example, this article on carnivorous plant care is a great starting point for beginners:

Why Does My Venus Fly Trap Have No Traps – 5 Minute Fixes

Venus flytraps exhibit different appearances through the seasons and due to environmental changes. This article explores the main reasons why Venus flytraps stop producing traps.

Venus flytraps might have no traps due to dormancy or lack of lighting. Venus flytraps stop producing leaves when they do not receive enough light exposure. Without traps, the plant will weaken and can eventually die.

Depending on the status of your plant, you should take different approaches. The table summarizes the most common situations. Also, it describes some action steps I explain in detail through the article.

Venus Flytrap StatusAction Steps
The plant sporadically grows leaves without a trapIt is normal for a Venus flytrap to randomly produce some unperfect leaves. Focus on providing proper care and make adjustments only if the issue intensifies
The Venus flytrap is growing leaves, but none of them have trapsThe plant is suffering from light starvation. The appearance of the plant is a clear sign of poor light exposure. Provide at least 6+ of light daily. Read the section on “Proper Lighting” to perfect your setup.
It is winter and the plant is not growing as usual.Your Venus flytrap might be experiencing dormancy. It is a normal process. During this period, you must ensure proper care.

Now that you know why your Venus fly trap is producing no leaves, it is time for the solution. The following sections will get into the details on how to bring your plant back to life.

How to Fix a Venus Flytrap With No Traps

Sometimes Venus flytraps produce leaves without a fully developed trap. This can be normal when it is sporadic or during dormancy. But, if the plant is not dormant and produces multiple leaves without a trap or no traps at all. Then, there might be a problem. But, do not worry, proper lighting can fix Venus flytraps without traps. I will teach you how to fix it. Also, make sure to read the Dormancy section if you are unsure of your plant’s status.

Provide Proper Lighting

Venus flytraps are unique plants. In their natural habitat, they receive plenty of sunlight and water. And, at home should be no different.

Optimally, Venus flytraps should receive 12 hours of light. A minimum of 4-6 hours of light is required to keep Venus flytraps healthy. The lighting requirement can be fulfilled through natural light or artificial light.

Without access to proper lighting, Venus flytraps stop producing traps to focus on photosynthesis. The plant has adapted to survive in extreme habitats. But, they do require above average light exposure.

The easiest way to fulfill the light requirement is to place Venus flytraps outdoors. If you live in a sunny location, Venus flytraps thrive outside. Even under partial shade, the plant can grow healthy. However, they prefer direct sunlight as long as the temperature is not too extreme.

Venus flytraps can live happily in temperatures between 32 -95 F (0- 35 C).

You can also consider placing your plant on a sunny windowsill. Venus flytraps are optimal candidates for windowsill growing. Pick a window with at least 6 hours of light exposure, and your plant will start growing traps.

Changing the placement of your Venus flytrap takes less than a few minutes and resolves your problems quickly. However, not everyone is lucky enough to live in a sunny area or have a bright window. Some of us live in homes without natural light. For such cases, artificial lighting is the solution.

An Alternate Solution: Artificial Lighting

Sometimes it is difficult to fulfill the Venus flytrap lighting requirement with natural light. Luckily, there is an alternate solution.

Venus flytraps can grow healthy under artificial lighting. High output fluorescent light, such as T8 bulbs, provide adequate light intensity. Also, LED plant light can provide proper lighting.

Artificial lighting can be used as the sole lighting source or as a supplement. If you are already growing your Venus flytrap on a windowsill, but the sunlight is not enough, you can go ahead and add a small LED plant light as a supplement.

You have two options for artificial lighting:

  • High output fluorescent lights
  • LED plant lights

Both are effective and can be inexpensive, depending on how you build your setup. If you choose fluorescent light, you can get T8 bulbs in pet stores or the hardware store. Preferably choose cool colors to avoid overheating. For LED lights, choose 40-50 Watt LED lights. I have used this small and economical LED plant light to grow some of my Venus flytraps, and they are thriving. It cost me less than 30 dollars, but you can check the price and description on Amazon.com by following the link since the price is always changing.

The picture below shows some of my plants under my bright LED plant light. The plants are growing big and healthy traps. Also, the bright colors are a healthy sign of proper light exposure.

Venus flytrap with artificial light

How to Introduce Venus Flytraps to Better Lighting

Venus flytraps require lots of light to be healthy. However, introducing them too fast can create problems. Moving a Venus flytrap from shade to direct sunlight can generate sunburns. Believe it or not, plants can also suffer from sunburns.

When increasing the light exposure for your Venus flytrap. It is recommended to do it step by step. For example, you can increase the light exposure by one hour every day. Within a week, your plant will be adjusted to the changes in lighting.

I bought the plant in the picture online. The shipping process took several weeks. Once the plant arrived, it barely had any leaves. And the existing ones did not have traps. After 4 weeks under bright LED lights, the plant is growing some traps!

When Would You Notice the Changes?

Venus flytraps grow rapidly. They are always growing new leaves. After making the changes in your setup, you will start to observe some changes in your plant.

Be patient and wait for new growth. Within a week or two, the plant should produce some new leaves. The new growth will exhibit traps due to the lighting. Do not expect existing leaves to grow new traps suddenly; that won’t happen. Only new leaves will grow traps.

Lack of Traps During Dormancy

Dormancy is a natural process for Venus flytraps. During the winter months, Venus flytraps experience a resting period that is called dormancy. During this time, the plant might not exhibit its best looks.

Dormant Venus flytraps lose a bunch of leaves, shrink, and in some cases, stop producing traps. You can always provide proper lighting. But consider that if your plant is dormant, it will look very different.

Venus flytraps enter dormancy during the winter after being exposed to several weeks of temperatures below 45 F (7 C). Then, Venus flytraps remain dormant for several months, usually two to three months. But, do not worry; the plant will exit dormancy eventually and start growing strongly once again.

Do Venus Flytraps Grow New Traps?

Venus flytraps continue to grow throughout their lifetime, which could surpass two decades. They continuously produce new leaves as old ones wither.

Venus flytraps grow new traps often. The traps are only active for a limited amount of time. Then, once a leaf starts to wither, a new one starts growing.

The Continuous growth of new traps is a clear sign a Venus flytrap is healthy and thriving.

Venus flytrap parts

Do Venus Flytraps Die Without Traps?

The traps of a Venus flytrap are essential to capture bugs. However, the plant can live without traps.

Venus flytraps don’t die without traps. Even though they can’t capture insects, they can produce their own food through photosynthesis. The nutrients Venus flytraps extract from insects are just a supplement, not their main nutrition source.

Venus flytraps do not need insects to survive. Plants can live their whole life without ever capturing a bug. Consuming insects boost their growth. But it is not a necessity.

Venus flytraps without traps won’t die due to their lack of traps. However, they can die because they are fragile, and anything can affect them. Growing Venus flytraps is a challenge! As a resource, I would like to share a couple of useful articles.

12 Reasons Why a Venus Flytrap is Unhealthy (with solutions): This article will help you identify why your plant might be unhealthy. Proper lighting is not the only consideration. Many other factors can weaken or kill your plant.

Ultimate Venus Flytrap Care Guide – Free Care Sheet Included: Venus flytraps are peculiar plants. In this article, you will learn everything about Venus flytrap care. Also, you can download a free care sheet for your reference.

Drosera Spatulata Care Instructions (with care sheet)

Carnivorous plants require specific care instructions. This article covers all you need to know to grow Drosera Spatulata also known as Spoonleaf Sundew.

Care ConsiderationRecommendation
Lighting Requirement:13-16 hours of light exposure through natural or artificial light.
Water:Keep the soil moist at all times, but do not create swamp-like conditions.
The water tray method is optimal.
Temperature:45 – 90 F (7-32 C)
Trimming:Occasionally trim dead leaves.
Feeding:Place the plant where there is access to live feed or feed it manually. Flies, bloodworms, mealworms, and gnats are excellent food options.
Fertilizers:Not required.
Propagation:Seeds, leaf pullings, root cuttings.
Pots:Employ plastic, glazed ceramic or glass pots with drainage.
Repotting:No need to repot frequently.
Dormancy:No required.
Outdoor vs Indoor growth:Indoor growing is preferred to secure the lighting and temperature requirements.

This list is a quick summary of the Drosera Spatulata care instructions. You can download this information in a PDF format by following this link. The section below includes a detailed overview of all the items in the summary. Keep reading to get the whole picture.

Follow this link for a complete overview on carnivorous plant care. The article contains tons of information on several types of carnivorous plants.

Drosera Spatulata Care Guide

Drosera spatulata is a carnivorous plant that widely grows in areas that have moderate or cold temperatures such as Australia, China, Japan, New Guinea, New Zealand, Micronesia, and Tasmania. This plant’s most distinguishing characteristics are its rosette-like structure and multicolored leaves and flowers.

spatulata sundew drosera

Some people refer to Drosera spatulata as Spoonleaf sundew. This is due to its spoon-shaped leaves or tentacles as others like to call them. Because of its striking color and shape, many are growing this Spoonleaf sundew as an indoor plant for houses, offices, pubs, and other establishments.

Botanists recommend that beginners should opt to grow Drosera spatulata if they wish to learn how to grow sundews. Growing this plant is very easy.

In this article, I’ll be giving you all the essential knowledge for growing Drosera spatulata successfully.

Soil and Pot Requirements

The spoon leaf sundew is a very curious plant. It doesn’t grow well in nutrient-rich soil but prefer’s a barren one instead. 50% silica sand and 50% sphagnum moss is suitable potting media. You can also try employing only sphagnum moss if silica sand isn’t available. Another option is employing peat moss and perlite.

You can buy carnivorous plant soil online, like this one I use. It usually costs less than 10 dollars for a quart. Follow the link to confirm the price on Amazon.

Spoonleaf sundew can grow in any pot as long as it’s not cramped. However, try using moderately sized pots for the best results. I recommend that you use a pot with an opening that measures 9 centimeters, a height of 8 centimeters, and a base of 6 centimeters.

Aside from pots, you can also opt to grow the Spoonleaf sundew using trays. Some botanists love to use trays instead of pots because they’re more spacious. Thus, they don’t risk the Spoonleaf sundew to restricted growth. All trays will do so long as they’re durable. If you’re planning to raise 5 or more Spoonleaf sundews at once, I suggest that you grow them on a tray instead of a pot.

These pots are some good examples of suitable containers for Venus flytraps. Follow the links below to check their specs and their current price on Amazon.

Watering Process

The nutrition of the Spoonleaf sundew mostly come from insects. However, the water that’s crucial for its growth comes from the soil where it growing. This is one of the reasons why the soil for Spoonleaf sundew needs to be a bit sandy. Sandy soil absorbs water well. However, it doesn’t retain it for too long. Thus, it supplies the Spoonleaf sundew with enough water without making things too moist.

What kind of water is best for the Spoonleaf sundew?

Spoonleaf sundews require pure water, such as rainwater, distilled water, and reverse osmosis water. Acidic water isn’t good for this plant because it might affect the growth, color, and durability of leaves and tentacles.

The Spoonleaf sundew doesn’t like watering that’s done haphazardly and forcefully. In the wild, this plant gets water gradually and slowly. Usually, it gets water through light rains and water vapor which moisturize the soil where it grows. The Spoonleaf sundew will be very happy if you can emulate this.

A slow sprinkler best emulates the natural watering process that Spoonleaf sundew experiences in the wild. Small slow sprinklers are available in the market. You can opt to use the manual version or have the automatic one installed. Assuming that you’re Spoonleaf sundew as a hobby, I suggest that you go for the manual version.

You can also opt to use the tray method for watering various Spoonleaf sundews at the same time. The tray method is perhaps the best for watering not only Spoonleaf sundews but other carnivorous plants. This is because it provides moisture gradually and non-excessively. However, note that you can only use the tray method for watering Spoonleaf sundews that are growing on pots.

You only have to do three things to water Spoonleaf sundews with the tray method:

  • Get a large and deep tray and ensure that it doesn’t have holes or cracks that might cause leaking
  • Fill it with water but remember not to put too much ( the amount should be just enough for the pots’ most bottom portion to get submerged)
  • Place the pots which contain the Spoonleaf sundews
water tray method
Water tray method example with carnivorous plant

Though quite good, one thing that I don’t like about the tray method is that it promotes mosquitoes to frequent in the house. It’s because mosquitoes will come to lay their eggs on the water that’s in the tray. This is an issue when the Spoonleaf sundews are still growing. However, this problem becomes minor after the Spoonleaf sundews reach maturity. Then, mosquitoes get trapped in the plant’s tentacles.

How often to water the Spoon leaf sundews depends on the watering method that you decide to follow. If you use the tray method, it’s best to leave the pots that contain the Spoonleaf sundews soaked for at least a day. After that, there’s no need to water for at least a week. For slow sprinklers, you have to water the Spoon leaf sundews at least twice per week (here is a guide on sundew watering). (here is a guide on sundew watering)..

Temperature and Humidity

Drosera spatulata isn’t very picky about temperature. However, you have to try growing it in a setting that emulates the subtropical conditions of its natural habitat. Specifically, this plant grows at temperatures ranging from 45 – 90 F (7-32 C).

Humidity, on the other hand, isn’t an issue. This plant won’t have problems growing even when the environment is moist or wet. Just remember to maintain its soil in pristine condition and keep it watered.

Also, the Drosera spatulata that comes from New Zealand grows better in a cold setting. Therefore, consider giving this lesser lighting and photoperiod. New Zealand’s Drosera spatulata is a bit sensitive to humidity. So you should buy a cheap humidifier for growing it. The recommended humidity for it is 60%

Lighting and Photoperiod

The Spoonleaf sundew grows well under sunlight. However, consider using fluorescent lights if you’re living in an area where the quality of sunlight is poor. Some even prefer using fluorescent light even when sunlight is already adequate. This is because fluorescent light provides more control and allows you to decide how much photoperiod the Spoonleaf sundew gets.

So what’s the best type of florescent lighting for Spoonleaf sundew? If you’re willing to invest, T-8 lights will do. You can also opt to use T5 lights. However, I think that T-8 lights are the best option because they’re not very warm or bright. For choosing between various kinds of T-8 lights. Go for ones that have a minimum capacity of 50-watts or lower

Spoonleaf sundew requires a minimum of 13 hours or a 16-hour photoperiod to grow well. The photoperiod refers to the duration of a plant’s exposure to light. Adequate photoperiod is important because the Spoonleaf sundew needs a lot of active time trapping insects to get nutrition.

Fertilizers

Does Drosera Spatulata need fertilizers? The big answer is no.

Fertilizers are useless for Drosera Spatulata. The soil plays a very little role in its nutrition. This plant gets most of its nutrients from the insects that get trapped in its tentacles. In fact, putting fertilizers might harm than good. It might make the soil too acidic or too alkaline and thus cause Drosera Spatulata to die.

Instead of using fertilizers, you should ensure that the soil where the Drosera spatulata is growing stays sandy or coarse. Also, avoid making the soil too moist. This plant doesn’t like muddy soil and fine soil. You can avoid this by adjusting the soil composition from time to time.

Feeding Requirement

In most cases, insects get themselves trapped on the leaves of the Spoonleaf sundew. Therefore, there’s no need to catch insects and put them on the leaves yourself. However, it’s another story if you’re growing the Spoonleaf sundew on a location where insects don’t visit often.

You can feed your Sundew manually. Some great food options are mealworms, fruit flies, flies, bloodworms, ants, and gnats.

It takes days for the Spoonleaf sundew to require feeding again. Enzymes that it releases often digest the insect slowly. As a result, the absorption of nutrients doesn’t happen in a flash. You’ll know that the Spoonleaf sundew requires feeding again as soon as one or more of its tentacles are widely opened.

Does Drosera Spatulata Undergo Dormancy?

Drosera Spatulata that comes from China, Japan, Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania, doesn’t undergo dormancy. They don’t grow differently through the winter. Due to their lack of dormancy, this species is considered an excellent plant for first-time carnivorous plant owners.

Pruning

The Spoonleaf sundew is a small plant. After growing fully, it might only reach a maximum width of 1 or 3 inches. As it grows, some of its leaves will wither. You can safely prune the dead leaves. However, you must avoid trimming any healthy leaves. This plant greatly relies on its spoon-shaped tentacles to capture insects. Trimming healthy leaves can kill the plant.

Repotting

Repotting a Sundew isn’t hard. If you decide to transfer a Spoonleaf sundew from a tray to a pot, remember not to put it out of the soil. Instead, you should transfer this plant to the pot with the soil where it’s planted. Repotting doesn’t inflict abnormalities on the growth of Spoonleaf sundew. It will grow as usual after it’s transferred.

Propagation

The Drosera spatulata propagates through different methods, such as seeds, leaf cuttings, and divisions.

Existing Drosera spatula produces seeds through self-pollination. The seeds come from the flowers that it produces. The amount of seeds is relative to the number of flowers. If nutrition is good, Drosera Spatulata produces 10 or 20 flowers that provide several seeds that take 3 weeks to germinate.

If you decide to grow this plant from a seed, avoid burying it deeply. Also, ensure that the soil isn’t too cold or moist for germination to occur.

Do’s and Don’t For Growing Spoonleaf Sundews

Do

  • Plant the Spoonleaf sundew in a pot that contains a soil which is a mix of sand and sphagnum moss
  • Water this plant slowly
  • Provide this plant with a lengthy photoperiod
  • Use fluorescent lighting for growing this Spoonleaf sundew indoors
  • Feed your plant regularly if it does not have access to feed

Don’t

  • Grow Spoonleaf sundew in a location where insects don’t frequent
  • Use acidic water for watering this plant
  • Employ soil with fertilizers
  • Use strong insecticides and fertilizers while growing this plant

Growing Drosera Spatulata Indoors

Drosera Spatulata can be grown outdoors or indoors. However, indoors provide a more controllable environment. Therefore, growing this plant inside is the best option that ensures success. What you need for growing Drosera spatulata indoors are adequate lighting, pots, trays, and a slow sprinkler.

The things that I’ve discussed earlier apply best for growing this plant inside the house or any other building. Aside from control, other reasons that you’ll enjoy when growing this plant indoors are better growth, protection against disease, less sensitivity to environmental conditions, etc.

Drosera spatulata looks very beautiful. Nevertheless, appearance is only one benefit that this plant brings. Drosera spatulata can help with the prevention of insect infestation if you manage to grow lots. That said, this might be what you need for making the indoors look good and insect free.

Besides the Drosera Spatulata, there are many other fascinating carnivorous plants you can own. This article contains a list of 10 carnivorous plants, it gives you a plant overview for each and shows you pictures.