Category: Venus Flytrap

The Venus flytrap is the best known carnivorous plant out there. It has been featured in countless science fiction movies, series, and books. Since its discovery, it has amazed scientists and aficionados alike. Charles Darwin even described it as the “most wonderful plant in the world.”

I have grown Venus flytraps and other carnivorous plants in my home for several years, and I always like learning more about them. Today, I have put together some very curious and unique facts about these amazing plants.

Even though most people have heard about Venus flytraps, very few actually know some facts about these fascinating plants. With this in mind, I have created a list of some curious Venus flytraps facts:

1. Venus flytraps are an endangered species
2. Venus flytrap can digest meat
3. They are native to North and South Carolina
4. Red Venus flytraps exist, and they are beautiful
5. Their most common meal is not flies
6. They are the state carnivorous plant for North Carolina
7. Venus flytrap produce white flowers
8. Venus flytraps do not consume pollinators
9. There are over 50 varieties of Venus flytrap
10. Venus flytraps choose their prey carefully
11. Prey trapped inside a Venus flytrap dies by drowning
12. Venus flytraps can make great indoor plants
13. Venus flytraps lure prey with sweet nectar and bright colors
14. Tap water kills Venus flytraps
15. Venus flytraps do not need bugs to survive
16. Their trapping mechanism is extremely advanced
17. Fertilizers can kill Venus flytraps
18. Venus flytraps can reduce bug populations indoors
19. Venus flytraps are harmless to humans
20. They change colors according to their needs
21. Venus fly traps can propagate through 5 different paths
22. They open their traps in a concave or convex shape (and it has a meaning)
23. Poaching is the biggest threat for Venus flytraps

Learn more about each fact with this complete list

1- Venus flytrap can digest meat

Venus flytraps are carnivorous plants, not insectivorous plants. They can consume meat. Even though it is unusual, large plants can capture small birds, rodents, or frogs. In the wild, any animal small enough to fit inside a trap can be a potential victim. For example, mature traps surpass a length of one inch and dozens of tiny frog species can fit in that space.

The digestion process for Venus flytraps is very slow. They take several days or even weeks to digest a single bug. When this plant attempt to digest more complex organism, such as frogs, the digestion process is more challenging. The plant will have the capacity to break up the soft parts of the victim but will leave the skeleton behind.

2- Red Venus flytraps exist, and they are beautiful

Red Venus flytraps are known as Akai Ryu, which means “Red Dragon” in Japanese. This Venus flytrap variation has a unique color. The inside and outside of the leaves are maroon or purplish-red.

Akai Ryu is a Venus flytrap cultivar. Which means, this variation of Venus flytraps does not grow in the wild, humans have developed it.

“Through breeding efforts in the support greenhouses of the Atlanta Botanical Garden, a new all red form of the Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) has been created.” (Ron Gagliardo, A New Cultivar of Dionaea muscipula Ellis, Carnivorous Plant Newsletter)

3- Venus flytraps are native to North Carolina and South Carolina.

Some might imagine Venus flytraps growing in tropical jungles or savannahs. But, Venus flytraps are only native to two states in the United States: South Carolina and North Carolina. There, these plants grow with an abundance of sunlight in very humid and nutrient-free terrain. Also, Venus flytraps are resilient plants, in the Carolinas they can withstand hot summers that commonly surpass 90 F and temperatures below freezing in the winter. Besides, these plants require a temperature change through the seasons. During the winter, they experience dormancy through the cold season and they reflourish in the spring.

4- The most common meal for Venus flytraps is NOT flies

Venus flytraps eat several different types of insects and arachnids. They consume, for example, crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, spiders, slugs, ants, worms, and of course, flies. As long as the bug is small enough to fit in a trap, the Venus flytrap will most likely be able to capture it.

The popular belief that Venus flytraps are solely designed to capture flies is incorrect. Actually, in the wild, Venus flytraps not only enjoy a varied diet, but their main victims are usually ants and crawling insects.

5- Venus flytraps are an endangered species

A few years ago, the Venus flytrap was added to the endangered species list. Their original habitat has been changing due to an increase in urbanization and agricultural development. Also, the presence of poachers has reduced the plant population living in the wild. Poachers extract Venus flytraps from their habitat and sell them for profit.

If you ever encounter a Venus flytrap outdoors, do not attempt to remove it. Also, if you are planning to buy one, make sure you are buying from a responsible nursery or vendor. We must all wok together in preserving this fascinating specie of carnivorous plants.

6- North Carolina selected the Venus flytrap as its state carnivorous plant

North Carolina is the first and only state in the United States to select a state carnivorous plant. Since 2005, their state carnivorous plant is the Venus flytrap. This initiative aims to promote the conservation of the species.

Also, since 2014 poaching Venus flytraps have evolved to been considered a misdemeanor to a felony in the state of North Carolina. It is a serious crime to harm the species.

7- Venus flytraps produce flowers

Most people have heard about the Venus flytrap and are familiar with the traps. Yet, very few are aware that Venus flytraps grow flowers. The traps in Venus flytraps are not flowers, they are simply modified leaves that evolve to capture bugs.

During spring, Venus flytraps produce several flower stalks. The flower stalks grow to become flower bunches.

The flowers are white, and they have green veins running through the petals. The flowers are not very impressive. Still, Venus flytrap growers can fertilize them and harvest seeds.

8- Venus flytrap do not consume bug pollinators

Venus flytrap employs a smart mechanism to avoid consuming pollinators. Venus flytrap flowers grow over their traps. As shown in the picture below, the leaves extend only a few inches above the ground, but the flowers grow a lot higher. Venus flytraps evolved to keep prey and pollinators at two different levels.

“Of the roughly 100 different species that visited the plants, only a few were effective pollinators. These included green sweat bees, checkered beetles, and notch-tipped flower longhorn beetles, all of which were found on the plants but not in their traps.” Venus Flytraps Have Surprising Pollinators … and They Don’t Eat Them, Elaina Zachos, National Geographic

9- Over 50 Venus flytrap variations exist

Scientists and experience carnivorous plant growers have experimented with Venus flytraps for decades. At this time, they have created dozens of different variations of Venus flytraps. The Akai Ryu variation explained above is not the only one. Here are some famous Venus flytrap cultivars:

• Dionaea Green Dragon: These plants look very similar to the red Venus flytrap. but they are not completely red. The edges of the lobes exhibit a bright green color.
• Dionaea Sawtooth: This Venus flytrap exhibits short cilia in the traps. The cilia is usually compared to a saw or shark teeth.
• Dionaea Gremlin: This variation is a completely green Venus flytrap. There are no signs of red coloring inside the lobes.
• Dionaea Ginormous: This cultivar is one of the largest Venus flytrap specimens. The traps can surpass the two inches long.
• B-52 Giant Venus flytrap: Another large specimen of Venus flytrap.

This variations, do not grow in the wild, they have been produced in a controlled environment and can be sold commercially for recreational purposes. I personally own the B-52 Venus flytrap clone. In overall dimensions the plant is still not huge. But the traps are massive compared to standard Venus flytraps.

10- Venus flytraps choose their prey carefully

The process of catching and digesting prey takes significant amounts of energy from the plant. Therefore, Venus flytraps must choose victims carefully before starting the process.

First, the plant must verify it has caught live prey. Venus flytraps detect motion through trigger hairs inside their traps. If the plant can’t detect movement after it has caught prey, it will reopen. A leaf, stick, or any other inanimate object could have activated the trapping mechanism.

Also, Venus flytraps test the size of the prey they caught before they consume it. When the trap closes, it doesn’t do it in one single stage [1]. First, it goes into a semi-close stage. If the victim is a tiny insect, it will be able to scape at this moment. During the second stage, the trap will close shut and start the digestion process.

“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 (…) ” Understanding the Venus flytrap through mathematical modelling, Sami Lehtinen

11- The prey trapped inside a Venus flytrap dies by drowning

Venus flytraps digest their prey by secreting enzymes inside the trap. Once the plant has caught a bug in one of its traps, the trap will close hermetically. Then, special glands will produce enzymes that fill the trap and cause the victim to drown.

Digestion for Venus flytraps is a very long process. The plant takes several days or even weeks to consume a single insect.

12- Venus flytraps can make great indoor plants

You can be a Venus flytrap owner in no time! Regardless of where you live and the weather considerations, you can own a Venus flytrap, because these plants are fine indoor plants.

Venus flytraps need plenty of water, tons of light, and nutrient-free soil to live. Building a good environment to grow Venus flytraps indoors in reasonably easy. The only element that could be a challenge indoors is lighting. Venus flytraps require 4-12 hours of light a day.

It is not rare that homes or apartments lack a spot with good sunlight. Yet, there is an easy fix. You can buy a high output fluorescent plant light. Even without any windows, you can grow Venus flytraps indoors, thanks to artificial lighting.

13- Venus flytraps lure prey with sweet nectar and bright colors

Nectar secreting glands inside the traps produce sweet nectar to attract prey. Insects are attracted to the nectar and the bright red color inside the traps. Bugs get confused and believe the red interior of the trap and the nectar scents are the clear signs of a flower.

Flying and crawling mechanisms are commonly attracted by Venus flytraps. However, the plant has a better success rate with crawling insects that walk inside the trap consuming the nectar.

14- Tap water is poison for Venus flytraps

In the wild, Venus flytraps live in a nutrient-free environment. These plants have evolved to survive without substantial nutrients from water or the soil. As a result, they can’t handle nutrients in the ground or water.

Venus flytrap owners can’t water their plant with tap water. Tap water has minerals and added elements. Instead, they can use distilled water, reverse osmosis water, or rainwater. Bottled water is also unsuitable for carnivorous plants, as it contains minerals for flavor.

You can learn more information about the plant watering requirements and other care considerations by reading this article: Venus Flytrap Care Guide. The content is very useful for prospective Venus flytrap owners and novice growers.

15- Venus flytraps do not need bugs to survive

One unique characteristic of plants is that they can produce their own food. They make their food through photosynthesis. And, the Venus flytrap is not an exception.

During photosynthesis, plants utilize sunlight to synthesize food from carbon and water. Venus flytraps catch bugs with their traps and digest them with enzymes, but they consume insects as a supplement to their diet (due to the lack of nutrients in their habitat).

Venus flytraps live thanks to photosynthesis. Yet, the Venus flytrap’s habitat lacks nutrients. Without crucial nutrients in the soil, their diet is not balanced. Venus flytraps consume bugs to extract elements such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. These elements supplement their diet. Still, photosynthesis produces its source of fuel. Venus flytraps can survive without bugs. Yet, the plant won’t thrive without catching an occasional insect.

You can find a more in-depth explanation about the feeding requirement and effects in this article.

16- The trapping mechanism in Venus flytraps is one of the most advanced in the plant kingdom

There are several different types of carnivorous plants, such as pitcher plants, sticky leaf plants, and snap traps. The snap trap mechanism is a living proof of successful evolution.

The environment where Venus flytraps grow is very poor in nutrients. Very few plants are able to survive in that environment. The Venus flytrap was able to thrive in such a habitat thanks to becoming a successful predator. Here are a few interesting details about the mechanism:

• Double stimuli mechanism: The lobes in each trap contain trigger hairs. The trap only closes if the hairs receive stimuli twice within a short period. The dual stimuli mechanism prevents the plant from closing due to rain, dust, leaves, or any inanimate object.
• The trap can reopen: When the plant has capture prey, the leaves do not close airtight right away. First, they go into a semi-closed state. The plant needs to confirm it has caught live prey before it starts digestion.
• The traps close fast: The trapping mechanism of Venus flytraps is one of the fastest movements observed in the plant kingdom. At a resting stage, the lobes within the trap are in a convex position. After appropriate stimuli, they flip to a concave position. This method allows the plant to close its traps in a fast and decisive manner.

17- Fertilizers are gold for most plants, but they weaken Venus flytraps

Fertilizing is a must for most plants. But, Venus flytraps are a curious exception. Venus flytraps struggle synthesizing minerals and nutrients from the environment. Fertilizing a Venus flytrap can end up killing, especially if applied to a young plant or a seedling.

Expert carnivorous plant growers can experiment with weak foliar fertilizers. But amateur growers stay away from fertilizers at all time. Feeding bugs to a Venus flytrap is analogous to fertilizing. So, most people just focus on feeding the plant rather then fertilizers.

18- Venus flytraps can control the bug populations indoors

One of the big pros of owning a Venus flytrap and placing it in your home is that it can help you control the bug population. Depending on the size of the plant, Venus flytrap can consume small insects such as gnats and ant, att the way to crickets and caterpillars.

A single Venus flytrap can not help you exterminate a plague at home. But will definitely help you get rid of the occasional bug rooming around. Venus flytraps are small plants and they usually have 5-10 leaves at a time, which means it can catch five bugs at a time.

Other carnivorous plants are also as effective or even more effective in controlling the insect population. For example, carnivorous plant adhesive traps are highly effective. The butterworts and sundews are some examples of such carnivorous plants.

19- Venus flytraps are harmless to humans and they are even edible!

Venus flytraps can’t harm humans with their traps. Venus flytraps have evolved to capture insects, but not larger animals. Due to their size, the closing leaves in Venus flytraps, can’t harm humans, even if you stick your pinky in. The real truth is that a human will barely feel the pressure of a Venus flytrap closing in their fingers. In the end, Venus flytraps do not use their trapping mechanism to chew on their victims, but to entrap them.

Also, as a parent or a pet owner, you might be wondering if such an exotic plant like Venus flytrap is dangerous. Venus flytraps are not poisonous to humans or some of our beloved pets such as cats and dogs. The plant is considered to be edible and does not possess any risk to own. If a curious pet or children decides to experiment with the plant, the Venus flytrap won’t harm them.

Technically, Venus flytraps are an edible plant for humans, as they do not produce harmful toxins. Still, I am sure you can find a better source of food!

20- Venus flytrap change colors according to their needs

Traditionally Venus flytraps exhibit bright green and maroon colors in theirs leaves. But, sometimes the plants change in color due to the environment. Here are some interesting examples:

• Completely green leaves: When Venus flytraps do not receive enough light. They can lose the red color inside the lobes completely. The change to green is the plants’ mechanism to focus on photosynthesis. The main priority for Venus flytraps is always photosynthesis, then capturing bugs.
• Bright red lobes: The interior of the lobes in Venus flytrap only exhibit bright red colors, when the plant is receiving plenty of light. The reddish colors are a sign that the plant is receiving enough light for photosynthesis and now it is focusing on capturing prey.
• Black leaves: When leaves in a Venus flytrap wither, they turn to a dark black color as they dry up. The black leaves are normal within the plant, as old ones wither and new ones spur. Still, the dark color is quite unique.

21- Venus fly traps can propagate over 5 different paths

You can propagate Venus fly traps through seeds, root divisions, leaf pullings, flower stalk propagation and tissue culture. With a single plant, you can produce dozens of Venus fly trap seedlings.

Personally, my favorite method is leaf pullings. You simply remove leaves from the plant ensuring you include a piece of the root bulb. Then you burry the root area of the pulling. The leaves will eventually grow roots and produce clones of the parent plant.

22- They open their traps in a concave or convex shape

Venus fly traps keep their traps open awaiting any insects to become prey.

When a leaf is young, the trap will have a concave shape with enough space for small insects to fly or crawl in. As the leaf matures and fulfill its duty to capture insects, it will then start to decay.

As part of the leaf aging process, the trap will become convex rather than concave. In many cases, convex shaped traps stop working altogether.

The convex shaped traps are still helpful for photosynthesis but they might be able to capture insects.

23- Poaching is the biggest threat for Venus flytraps

Venus fly traps are an endangered specie. They are only native to a small part of the United States, in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Unfortunately, one of the biggest threads affecting the Venus fly trap development in the wild is poaching. People of groups remove Venus fly traps from their natural habitat and sell them.

Poaching Venus fly traps is punishable by law, still, it is a common practice unfortunately.

Avoid buying poached Venus fly traps by inspecting the soil. Smooth soil is a good sign vs diet full of debris and rocks can be a red flag. Also, look at all the available plants, are they uniform in size? uneven Venus fly traps are another red flag.

Final Thoughts

The Venus flytrap is a fascinating yet mysterious plant. I have shared with you several facts about Venus flytraps. But, still, many aspects of this plant remain a mystery. Scientists are actively studying them to understand better its trapping mechanism, evolutionary trends, and functions.

I hope you enjoyed learning about Venus flytraps! Make sure to comment below with questions or other Venus flytrap facts you would like to share with us.

Sources

• [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3115172/
• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/02/venus-flytrap-pollen-eat-insects-north-carolina-bog-spd/
•  D’Amato, P. (2013). The Savage Garden. Berkeley, Unites States: Ten Speed Press.

Potting a Venus flytrap in the right container can make a huge difference. I have grown Venus flytraps in my home for several years. In this article, I will share the best potting and repotting techniques for Venus flytraps.

The best potting containers for a Venus flytrap have proper drainage and are made up of plastic, glazed ceramic, or Styrofoam. Venus flytraps prefer individual containers with a depth of at least 6 inches. It is beneficial to repot these plants every year to avoid common issues such as ground compression, root rot, or overcrowding.

This guide will take you through the process of potting or repotting your Venus flytrap. I will share some key advice to keep your plants healthy.

Here is a short summary on some important aspects:

Recommended repotting frequency	Transplant your Venus fly trap into fresh soil once a year. Avoid repotting more than once a year.
Best time to transplant	At the end of dormancy, 2-3 weeks before the temperatures start rising
What do you need to plant a Venus fly trap	Carnivorous plant soil, a pot, and pure water
What soil to use	Always use carnivorous plant soil with peat or sphagnum moss
What pot to use	Any tall plastic or glazed ceramic pot that has at least 4 inches in depth and drainage
What water to use	Use distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater exclusively, never use tap or bottle water

Basic Elements for Potting Venus Flytraps

First, let’s start by collecting the basic materials:

• A Pot (these pots are great for Venus flytraps: https://amzn.to/3IYVGKU)
• Carnivorous plant soil (you can make it or buy it online: https://amzn.to/3s0VZSO )
• Your Venus flytrap
• Pure water

Venus flytraps are intolerant to nutrients and minerals. Therefore, we will choose specific pots, soil, and water that is nutrient-free and mineral-free.

The water for carnivorous plants can be tricky. Venus flytrap can only be watered with pure mineral-free water, which can be any of these options:

• Distilled water
• Reverse osmosis water
• Rainwater

Make sure to buy (or collect) a jug of suitable water for your Venus flytrap before you get started. You will need it during the potting process and right after too.

If you already have all the materials, feel free to skip to the later sections.

Venus Flytrap Potting Container

Follow this considerations when selecting a container for your Venus fly trap:

Suitable materials	Glazed ceramic, plastic, glass, styrofoam
Unsuitable materials	Concrete, unglazed ceramic, clay, terra cotta, metal
Diameter	3-6 inches for single plants, 6+ inches for multiple
Depth	4 inches is the minimum recommended depth
Drainage	Must contain drainage holes
Color	Avoid black pots in extremely hot locations
Airflow	Avoid closed containers, such as terrariums and domes, at all costs

Material

You can employ a variety of different pot containers for your Venus flytrap. Here are some common choices:

• Plastic
• Styrofoam
• Glazed ceramic
• Metal
• Glass

The best pot materials for Venus flytraps are plastic, styrofoam, or glazed ceramic pots. These materials provide insulation from the environment, which helps you avoid exposing your plant to extreme heat or cold. Also, they do not leak any type of minerals to the soil. It is not common to find styrofoam plant pots, but some people repurpose styrofoam cups as pots for small plants. They are an inexpensive option and they provide the best insulation.

Metal and glass pots are acceptable containers. They do not leak any type of element to the soil, but insulation can be a challenge. Make sure to avoid extreme temperatures if using metal or glass pots.

Terracotta and unglazed ceramic or clay pots are not suited materials for Venus flytraps. These materials tend to leak minerals to the ground which can harm Venus flytraps. It is possible to use them, but the recommendation is to employ older pots that release less or no minerals due to the previous usage.

If you would like the exact Venus fly trap pot recommendations I use and a guide to select the best containers, check this article.

Drainage

Venus flytraps require a moist environment to live. They need to be watered very often and as a result grow better in pots with drainage.

Make sure the pot has at least one drainage hole or consider adding one of necessary.

The plastic net pot in the images below is a useful option for Venus flytraps. It works best when employing sphagnum moss as the potting media. The net pot can be placed on a shallow water container to provide enough humidity and water the plant from the bottom.

It is possible to grow Venus flytrap is a container without drainage, like a terrarium for example, but it is challenging to do so. As a beginner carnivorous plant grower, I wouldn’t suggest experimenting with terrariums just yet.

Pot Size

Choose a pot that matches the size of the Venus flytrap. The plant can restrict its growth due to a very small container and overly large pots are also not recommended. An adult Venus flytrap growth best in the following dimensions:

• Pot diameter: 4 to 5 inches (10.5cm – 12.7 cm)
• Optimal pot depth: 6 inches (15.24 cm)

Young Venus flytraps that are only 1 to 2 years old can live in 2 to 3 inches in diameter. The depth of the pot, however, should be more than 4 inches.

Potting Soil

Now, let’s select an appropriate potting medium. Venus flytraps can’t grow in standard compost or soil, due to the richness in nutrients. Instead, employ a mixture of these elements:

• Long fibered sphagnum moss
• Peat moss
• Perlite
• Silica sand

To make Venus flytrap soil combines one type of moss with a draining agent (sand or perlite). For example, you can employ a 2:1 ratio of peat moss and perlite. Or a 2:1 ratio of long-fibered sphagnum moss with sand. The ratio depends on personal preference, but a 2:1 or 4:1 ratio are common choices.

It is acceptable to employ pure peat or sphagnum moss as the ground for Venus flytrap. However, it is encourage to add sand or perlite to provide better drainage and aeration.

Important Consideration: When you buy any of the materials above, make sure they are pure. Some suppliers (like miracle grow) offer enriched peat moss instead of pure peat moss. Any enriched version will bring too many nutrients to your plant.

Where to buy Venus flytrap soil?

Sometimes it is difficult to buy pure moss in standard gardening stores or nurseries. As an option, you can buy carnivorous plant soil online. It usually contains exactly the same elements I outlined in this section, but they go through the trouble of mixing it and ensuring the lack of nutrients. Search for carnivorous plant soil in Amazon or Etsy to find some good options.

How to Pot a Venus Flytrap

Follow the steps from the video or the instruction list below to pot a Venus flytrap:

1. Collect the appropriate water, soil, and pot we discussed in the previous sections.
2. Place the soil in a container and moisten it with the water until it is almost saturated.
3. Place the soil inside the selected plant pot.
4. Make a vertical hole in the center of the ground. Try to make a hole that is at least 3 inches in depth.
5. Carefully grab the Venus flytrap from the top of the bulb. The image below shows some bare-root Venus flytrap I ordered online. The bulb is the white area of the root. The black roots are strong, but the bulb can be quite delicate, do not picture it or press it too hard.
6. Introduce the roots of the plant in the hole
7. Make sure the center of the bulb will be underground. The bulb is very sensitive to light and extreme temperatures. It should always remain underground.
8. Use your finger to push the soil together and tighten the plant.
9. Water the plant slightly to make sure the soil is moist, but not swamped. You can use a misting bottle to avoid moving the ground.
10. If the plant was shipped to you, it has been in a dark box for a few days. Slowly introduce it to some sunlight. Start with a few hours of light and progress into an optimal amount of 12 hours.
11. In the next weeks, avoid additional stress to your plant. Do not feed it, do not fertilize it, and do not play with the traps. It takes the plant a few weeks to settle in the new environment.
12. You did it! Now, follow all the Venus flytrap care considerations to keep the plant healthy. Here is a complete guide on Venus flytrap care Instructions.

When to Repot a Venus Flytrap

Consider repotting your Venus flytrap once a year to avoid soil compression and promote growth in the brand new soil. Still, do not take this advice as a strict rule. Overall, never attempt to repot a Venus flytrap when it is sick or weak.

Some specific conditions might force you to repot a Venus flytrap. Like for example these:

• You have noticed black spots in the bulb of your plant, which is a clear sign of root rot. Root rot expands through the roots and eventually kills the plant. In this case, repotting is mandatory. Also, it is necessary to extract the rotting portion of the root.
• You have used the improper water type, such as tap water or bottled water. Unfortunately, once you used the wrong water source, the soil will hold the extra minerals for several weeks. During that timeframe, the Venus flytrap will lose leaves due to mineral-burn and can die.
• The soil has nutrients, and it is killing your plant. It is impossible to keep a Venus flytrap in standard plant-soil without killing it. It is crucial to change the potting medium immediately.
• Fungus or mold are growing in the potting media

Pro Tip: An optimal time for repotting is at the end of dormancy. Venus flytraps undergo dormancy during the winter. And it lasts 2-3 months. Consider repotting your plant during the last month of dormancy. Then, the plant will exit dormancy and start to flourish in brand new soil.

How to Repot a Venus Flytrap

Follow these steps to repot a Venus flytrap:

1. Gather fresh soil and water
2. Take your plant (still in the pot) and water the soil lightly to loosen it up
3. Carefully break up the soil on the edges of the pot until it is no longer attached.
4. Remove the Venus flytrap from the pot. When the plant is out of the container, you will be able to see the roots with soil attached to them.
5. Patiently remove the soil within the roots and the bulb. You can employ more water if you find it easier to remove moist soil. The roots are delicate, but they can withstand the human touch.
6. Once all the soil is removed, examine the plant, especially the roots. Sometimes a single Venus flytrap divides into multiple plants. In that case, separate the plants and place them in independent containers. Most Venus flytraps only produce 6 to 10 leaves at a time, a plant with more than 10 traps has likely propagated.
7. Use small scissors to trim any dead foliage. When potted, it is difficult to prune Venus flytraps without activating the traps or harming other leaves. Take advantage of this opportunity to prune your plant.
8. Place the new soil in a mixing container.
9. Combine the soil with some water until the soil is humid.
10. Place the humid soil in the same pot or a new one. If using the same container, rinse the pot thoroughly.
11. Make a deep vertical hole in the center of the ground.
12. Grab the Venus flytrap from the top of the bulb and carefully introduce it in the aperture. Try your best to place the roots in a vertical orientation. Also, make sure the bulb is underground.
13. Push the soil surrounding your plant together and tighten the plant in the ground.
14. Add some extra water to the plant and make sure the soil is moist, but not soaking wet. Pour water slowly or use a bottled mister to prevent shifting the soil.
15. In the next weeks, please treat the plant with extra care. It takes the plant a few weeks to adapt to a new environment.
16. Finally, continue to follow all the care considerations for Venus flytraps.

What to Expect After Potting and Repotting Venus Flytraps

All plants take some time to adapt to a completely new environment. During the following weeks after potting or repotting a Venus flytrap focus on providing good care. Here are a few key considerations to implement:

• Provide enough water to keep the soil humid at all times.
• Set the plant in a strategic location with enough exposure to sunlight.
• Avoid activating any of the traps. Closing and opening the traps for no reason, waists a significant amount of the plant’s energy
• Skip a few feeding and wait until your plant has fully recovered before feeding.
• Do not fertilize the plant. Generally, fertilizing carnivorous plants is an advanced procedure, it must be done carefully and at the right time.

Even though a Venus flytrap weakens during repotting, it will only be down for a few days or a couple of weeks. But, setting it is fresh soil will bring many benefits, like the following:

Promote growth: When soil is set in a pot for months or years, it compresses, especially if watered from the top. The roots in Venus flytraps struggle to break up the ground and the plant’s growth slows down.

Avoid root rot: Older soil, not only compresses but starts holding more liquid. The increased humidity can ultimately cause root rot. Venus flytraps thrive in moist environments, but they do not benefit from standing water. Without proper drainage, the water stays within the ground for too long and poses the risk of rotting.

Separate multiple plants: Venus flytraps employ multiple methods to reproduce. For example, they produce flowers during the spring, which when pollinated create seeds. Also, Venus flytraps create root bulbs for reproduction. When the conditions are adequate, a Venus flytrap starts dividing and creating more plants. It is not mandatory to separate those plants. But, growing independently gives them more room for growth and development.

Summary: Potting and Repotting Tips

I hope this guide has provided enough insight and detailed instructions to guide you through the potting and repotting process of Venus flytraps. Venus flytraps are beautiful and fascinating plants. But, they do have some strict growing requirements. Just in case you missed one of the highlights, here is a summary of the main takeaways from this article:

• Employ plastic, styrofoam or glazed ceramic pots
• Pots with drainage holes are the best option
• Do not employ standard soil. Venus flytraps can only live in a nutrient-free medium.
• Have distilled, reverse osmosis or rainwater for potting. And always water Venus flytraps exclusively with these types of water.
• Only repot a Venus flytrap when it is healthy. The strain from repotting can kill a weak Venus flytrap.
• Repot the plant immediately if it is at risk of dying due to root rot, improper soil, or water source.
• The best time to repot a Venus flytrap is at the end of dormancy. Follow the link to learn more about the dormant period.
• Avoid triggering the traps while handling a Venus flytrap

Feeding a Venus flytrap is a unique and fun experience. Venus flytrap benefits from capturing prey and consuming bugs. In this article, I would like to share what I have learned about feeding Venus flytraps, including food options and the feeding method.

Venus flytraps capture and consume insects and arachnids to extract critical nutrients and supplement their diet. Venus flytraps can consume a variety of arthropods, such as flies, crickets, spiders, worms, ants, beetles, and slugs.

Now, let’s choose which food option is the most viable for you and continue with an overview of the feeding process. Feeding Venus flytraps is not very hard, but improper procedures can harm your plant. The instructions below will guide you through the process.

Venus Fly trap Feeding Fact Summary

Suitable food options	Live or dead bugs, such as spiders, worms, flies, bloodworms, mealworms, crickets, beetles, gnats, ants
Harmful food options	Human food: meat, chicken, sausage, fruit, candy, etc
Feeding requirement	Feeding is not a requirement for survival, but can offer some benefits.
Feeding frequency	Feed 1-2 times a month for indoor plants and 0 for outdoor plants as they capture their own food
Food size	Select bugs that are no larger than 1/3 of the size of the trap you intend to feed
Food livelihood	Bugs can be dead or alive for feeding, however, the process will vary depending on their state

Venus Flytrap Food Options

Venus flytraps are native to the wetlands of South Carolina and North Carolina in the United States. There, they grow in inferior soil, with no access to nutrients. Over the years, Venus flytraps have evolved to be successful predatory plants.

Venus fly traps consume bugs to extract key nutrients and supplement their diet. However, feeding them is not a requirement; It is just a supplement. You can choose to never feef your plant or just grow it outdoors where it can capture its own food.

In terms of food options, you must pick an appropriate meal in terms of size and decide if you prefer to employ live or dead feed.

Venus flytraps are not picky eaters. They can consume almost any type of insect or spider that is dead or alive and fits inside their traps.

Venus flytrap can only consume bugs that fit inside their traps. Usually, a bug that is about 1/3 of the size of the trap should fit completely in it. Depending on the size of your venus flytrap you can consider the options below. You must also decide between live and dead feed.

Store Bought Options

• Freeze-dried Mealworms (link to buy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3P5vNiE)
• Freeze-dried Bloodworms (link to buy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/45TXtgn)
• Dried crickets
• Live crickets
• Live fruit flies
• Live worms

You do not have to capture bugs for your Venus flytrap. It is very easy and inexpensive to buy feed in pet stores. The items in the store-bought list are very common items in pet shops as they are used to feed reptiles and fish.

The first three options: dried crickets, freeze-dried mealworms, and bloodworms, are all dead feed. They have been dried up and dehydrated. Before feeding to a Venus flytrap, you must use water to rehydrate the bugs. The convenient thing about these three options is the price and durability. A single package with thousands of worms or crickets costs only 5 to 10 dollars. And it can be stored for several years. Besides, the three options are highly nutritious. You might think dead bugs might provide fewer nutrients, but that is not necessarily true. For example, the mealworms in the picture are made up of about 45% protein.

I buy these freeze-dried bugs in the pet store as they are very affordable, can last you for years, and are extremely nutritious. The link will take you to Amazon to review the prize, they are usually less than $10.

Pet stores also offer live feed options, as some pets won’t eat dead bugs. Consider buying live crickets, fruit flies, or worms to feed your Venus flytrap. They cost about 5 to 12 dollars. Keep in mind live bugs have a limited life expectancy. So, you must buy them when you are ready to feed your plant.

Other Food Options

• Flies
• Ants
• Gnats
• Caterpillars
• Spiders
• Beetles
• Slugs
• Grasshoppers
• Worms
• Crickets

Against popular belief, Venus flytraps not only consume flies, but also other types of insects. You can experiment with different types of feed with your plant. Any of these options will provide good nutritional values. Some bugs are more difficult to use as carnivorous plant food than others. Here are a few considerations:

Ants and Gnats: They are great candidates for young Venus flytrap due to their size. But, feeding ants or gnats to large Venus flytrap can be a challenge. Sometimes these bugs are too small to activate the traps or they might escape before the lobes are fully close.

Slugs and Caterpillars: Be aware that these insects can give a ferocious fight to escape. Slugs and caterpillars can attempt to eat their way out of the plant.

Crickets and Grasshoppers: These two bugs are difficult to handle when they are alive. Make sure to practice picking them up with a set of tweezers or with your hands.

Dead vs Live Feed

Venus flytraps can consume either dead or live feed. This article I wrote contains a full list of venus flytrap food options. There are no extra nutritional or health benefits to choosing one on top of the other. However, the feeding process varies, and the decision should be based solely on your preferences.

• Personality: Some people enjoy handling live bugs and are excited about feeding them to carnivorous plants. Others are not so interested in live prey.
• Convenience: You can buy dead feed and store them for a few years without having to worry about buying more food for your plant. Buying and storing live food is more expensive and time-consuming.
• Extra skill: Employing live feed takes some skill. You need to be comfortable handling moving insects. And master the technique to avoid losing the bug.
• An extra step in the feeding process: In nature, Venus flytraps only consume live food. When you feed them dead bugs, you will need to follow one extra step to ensure your plant does not lose interest in the dead prey.

The Best Food Options

I have experimented with different types of feed for several years. Some tend to be a lot more effective than others. Here is my recommendation for Venus fly traps:

Live or dried-up mealworms or crickets are some of the best options for Venus fly traps, as they provide an extensive nutritional value, they are easy to digest, and readily available in most pet stores.

Dried up versions provide very similar benefits to live ones, however, the process of feeding dead bugs produces more stress to the plant. Overall, I prefer to go for live bugs when they are available.

The Worst Food Options (Avoid at all costs!)

The vast majority of insects and spiders will work great for Venus fly traps, with very few exceptions like a snail which tends to be difficult to digest. However, there are some food options which you should always avoid.

Never feed human food to Venus fly traps, avoid chicken, meat, candy, or fruits. Venus fly traps are unable to digest human food. Employing it will cause the leaf to die and the food to rot over time attracting possible pests.

Venus Flytrap Feeding Basics

This section will help you master the feeding process with live and dead food. First of all, let’s start by learning some basic tips:

• Outdoor Venus flytraps do not need to be fed: In the outdoors, Venus flytraps capture their own food. They do not need human help to capture bugs.
• The bug size matters: Never focus on feeding large bugs to Venus flytrap. Instead, follow this rule: only feed your plant bugs that fit entirely inside the trap. If the insect is too big, the plant won’t be able to digest it. In terms of nutritional value, even small bugs can provide enough nutrients for a mature plant.
• Only feed one trap at a time: Just a single bug is enough for the whole plant. Select a trap and feed just that trap. You can alternate between feedings, but never attempt to feed multiple traps at a time.
• Avoid overfeeding: Overfeeding a Venus flytrap can be harmful to the plant. The plant can start losing leaves if it gets overwhelmed with all the food. Only feed Venus flytrap once every 2 to 6 weeks. The digestion process can take up to two weeks, so make sure the plant has finished the previous meal before you introduce a new one.
• No need to feed dormant plants: In the winter, Venus flytrap experience dormancy, which is similar to hibernation. During this process, there is no need to feed them.
• Stick to an exclusive bug diet: The previous section contains plenty of food options for Venus flytrap. Stick to those alternatives and other insects or spiders. Do not experiment with human food. Venus flytrap can digest candy, chicken, fruit, hamburgers, or any human food.
• Watch the leaves after feeding: After you feed a leaf, observe it for the next weeks. The plant will at least a week to digest the bug. If the leaf starts dying, in the middle of the digestion process, you might have chosen an excessively large bug.

Venus Flytrap Feeding Procedure

In this section, you will learn how to feed a Venus flytrap. The feeding procedures vary slightly between the dead and live feed options.

Feeding Dead Bugs

Step 1: Prepare the bug

Dead bugs from the pet store usually are dehydrated. Before you feed one to a Venus flytrap, you must rehydrate the bug. Use a few droplets of distilled water to hydrate it. If you are using a dead bug you caught or found, there is no need to hydrate it.

You might consider breaking up the insect into smaller pieces for easier handling. I like to break up mealworms into smaller pieces and hydrate them with water. Then, it is much easier to pick the appropriate amount for a single trap. The image below shows whole dried-freeze mealworms, and slightly broken up and rehydrated worms.

Step 2: Choose the appropriate amount

Now, you must pick the appropriate amount of food to feed a Venus flytrap. A good rule of thumb for bugs is to choose an insect that is no bigger than 1/3 of the size of the trap. When you feed a dead bug, especially if it comes from the pet store, it is better to aim for a smaller amount. Aim for some quantity close to 1/4 of the size of the trap.

Generally, it is much easier to fit larger traps. When you feed very young Venus flytraps, it is a challenge to choose a small enough portion. In that case, it is a good idea to consider breaking up the bug into tiny bits.

Step 3: Place the food inside the trap

After you select the appropriate quantity, pick it up with your hands, or with a tool. I like to use a set of chopsticks.

Place the feed inside the trap. Aim for the center and make sure, the whole meal fits inside the trap. Remember, it is better to choose a smaller meal!

Step 4: Trigger the closing mechanism of the leaves

Sometimes you place the bug inside the trap, and it immediately triggers the closing mechanism of the lobes. On other occasions, you might need to manually trigger the trapping mechanism. Use a small stick like a q-tip of chopsticks and gently touch the trigger hairs inside the trap. You need to touch them twice within a few seconds for the trap to close.

Step 5: Stimulate the plant

After activating the trigger hairs, the trap will close. But, it will not do so immediately. First, it will go into a semi-closed state. This is completely normal. At this point, the plant is evaluating if it caught a live prey. Since it obviously didn’t, we must trick the plant to start the digestion process.

Use your finger or some small tool to massage the sides of the trap. Tap both sides of the trap for a minute or two, until it has completely closed. Once, it is closed shut, continue tapping the sides of the trap 10 to 20 more times to secure the digestion process has started.

These pictures show the initial semi-closed stage and the completely closed stage. In the second picture, the Venus flytrap has started digesting the prey.

Step 6: Wait and verify the plant started digesting the food

Now, you are all done. Keep an eye on the trap during the next hours. It should remain close for several days or even weeks while it digests the prey. If the leaf starts turning black, it is very likely that the feed was too large for the trap. Next time, choose a smaller portion for your plant.

Feeding Live Bugs

Step 1: Select the right size of bug

Do not attempt to overfeed a Venus flytrap. Carefully select a bug that can fit completely in between the two lobes. Follow the 1/3 of the size of the trap sizing rule. If your plant is too small to handle the victim. It is better to skip feeding.

Step 1: Prepare the bug

Live bugs, do not need any extra prep before you feed them to a Venus flytrap. However, here are a few suggestions for handling the insect:

• Use a small tool you feel comfortable with to secure the bug. Tweezers are usually a good option to set a live bug in place.
• Consider placing the bugs in the freezer for a few minutes. The cold will stun them and confuse them.
• Avoid choosing live insects that can fly away. Those are a real challenge

Step 2: Hold the bug and place it inside the trap

1. Use a small tool or your hands to pick up the bug.
2. Carefully set it in the center of the trap.
3. Make sure you touch the trigger hairs inside the Venus flytrap lobes when you place the bug.
4. The leaf should close and keep the bug in place. However, it will only go into a semi-closed stage.
5. The movement of the victim trying to scape will continue to stimulate the trigger hairs inside the trap.

You do not need to stimulate the traps or do anything else. The movement of the bug will ensure the trap closes completely. Once that happens, the plant will drown the insect with enzymes and starts digesting it.

Step 3: Wait and verify the trap is fully closed

Keep an eye on the plant for a few minutes. Some bugs can try to escape from the plant by eating their way out or using brute force. Then, monitor the trap in the next weeks to ensure the feeding was successful.

At the end of the process, the leaf will reopen and expose the exoskeleton and any other remains of the victim.

Related Questions

Why Do Venus Flytrap Consume Bugs?

Venus flytrap capture bugs to supplement their diet. In their natural habitat, Venus flytraps live in very poor soil which lacks nutrients. Some scientists hypothesize Venus flytraps chose such an environment because of the lack of competition for the soil.

Still, the Venus flytrap needed access to key nutrients such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, which were not present in the environment. As a result, Venus flytraps evolved to be successful predators. The traps in a Venus flytrap are modified leaves that have developed a trapping mechanism. When a Venus flytrap captures an insect, it closes and starts producing digestive enzymes inside the trap. The plant digests the bugs and extracts key nutrients to supplement their diet.

Do Venus Flytraps Need Bugs to Survive?

Venus flytraps consume bugs, but do they need them to survive?

Venus flytraps do not need bugs to survive. Like the other plants, Venus flytraps produce their own food through the photosynthesis process. For that reason, Venus flytraps require great amounts of sunlight and water to survive.

Even though the bugs are not required for the plant’s survival, they benefit from capturing prey. The nutrients they extract from their victims supplement their diet and boost their growth, especially when the plant is young.

Why Won’t a Venus Flytrap Eat?

Venus flytraps can start consuming bugs from a very young age. As soon as they are large enough to capture prey, they will start consuming them. In rare scenarios, Venus flytraps do not consume prey. This is not common in the wild, but it can be in other environments.

Here are a few reasons why a Venus flytrap is not consuming insects:

1. Improper care: if the Venus flytrap is sick, suffering from a pest infestation of not receiving nearly enough light, the traps might not work properly. The plant is focused on surviving, rather than capturing prey.
2. Dormancy: During dormancy, Venus flytraps go into a resting stage. During that period, Venus flytraps do not need to consume prey. They are just focused on resting rather than growing.
3. Dying leaves: venus flytraps are constantly changing old leaves for new ones. A trap might not close because it has started withering. You might notice some black coloring on the edges that will expand through the whole branch. A dying leaf is not useful for capturing and consuming bugs. However, it will still participate in the photosynthesis process.

Should you worry about black leaves in your Venus flytrap? Black leaves appear fairly often, sometimes they are normal and sometimes they are a sign of poor growing conditions.

Leaves in Venus flytraps continuously grow and wither as part of their growth cycle. However, when several traps in a Venus flytrap turn black, it can be a warning sign. An increasing number of dead leaves can be due to improper feeding, poor lighting, stress, or improper watering.

Here are the most common causes for leaves turning black in your Venus flytrap:

• Dormancy
• Natural life cycle
• Insufficient lighting
• Inappropriate feeding
• Wrong soil
• The use of tap water or bottled water
• Poor watering habits
• Unwanted stress
• Extreme temperatures
• Lack of humidity
• Use of fertilizers

In this article, I have made a list of all the most common causes of black leaves in Venus flytrap and I have included simple solutions to resolve them. Read it thoroughly to determine if the dead leaves in your plant are normal or if you should take action and modify your plant’s setup.

Possible Causes of Black Leaves

The leaves in Venus flytraps do not last forever. They sometimes wither. When they do, the leaves turn to a dark black color and dry out. The withering process can take several days or even weeks.

The leaves in a Venus flytrap turn black due to natural causes or due to improper care. Healthy Venus flytraps exhibit bright colors. The exterior of the traps is bright green, and the interior is bright burgundy. However, it is normal to observe black leaves within a healthy plant.

Read below to determine the cause of the status of your plant.

Do not be discouraged if you have made a mistake when caring for your Venus flytrap. We all have! Just be proactive and fix the problem right away. This article also helps you fix common care mistakes.

Venus Flytrap Turning Black Due to Natural Causes

Sometimes, Venus Flytraps turn black under entirely normal conditions. If you have not made any of the care mistakes we explain in the next section, then you might have nothing to worry about.

Leaf Cycle

Venus flytrap’s leaves open and close a limited amount of times before they wither. This process is entirely normal. Each trap might be slightly different, but they can open and close somewhere between five to ten times before they die. When the leaf starts turning black, a new trap should be spurring out.

All the traps in your plant will undergo this process. Do not get stressed about every single black leaf.

Usually, Venus flytraps grow 3 to 8 leaves at a time. I recommend monitoring the overall number of healthy leaves in your plant. It is normal to lose one leaf. But, if you notice several leaves are dying and the plant is not producing enough new ones, there might be a problem.

Dormancy

Venus flytraps undergo a dormancy process every year. In the winter, when temperatures drop, Venus flytraps will go dormant. During dormancy, black leaves are completely normal.

Depending on the time of the year, your plant might be experiencing dormancy. Venus flytraps start dormancy after been exposed to temperatures between 45 F (8 C) and freezing (32 F / 0 C) [1] for two to four weeks.

If you are uncertain if your plant is dormant or dead, the best you can do is wait until the weather warms up and your plant gets out of dormancy (hopefully). Dead Venus flytraps have a mushy texture and might smell. Dormant Venus flytraps on the other hand exhibit several black leaves, but they are not mushy and they shouldn’t smell.

Black Leaves in a Venus Flytrap Due to Care Mistakes

Black leaves can be a warning sign of improper care for Venus flytrap. Review the following items to confirm the black leaves in your Venus flytrap are due to natural causes.

Improper Feeding

It is exciting to feed a Venus flytrap. The feeding process is mutually beneficial for you and for your plant. Venus flytraps get extra nutrients, and humans become amazed by how the trapping mechanism works. However, some Venus flytrap owners get too excited about the feeding and mistakenly start killing the traps.

Improper Food: You can feed your plant with live bugs or dead bugs. Venus flytraps consume a wide variety of insects and arachnids. However, you should abstain from feeding your plant with any human food, such as burgers, raw meat, candy, and fruit.

Venus flytraps have evolved to consume bugs, but they are not able to digest human food. The plant will attempt to digest the human food you give it, but it will be unsuccessful. The Venus flytrap will spend lots of energy trying to digest that food but will give up eventually. When the plant gives up, it lets the trap wither.

Prey Size Mistake: Sometimes, the feed is too big for a Venus flytrap to consume. If the prey is too big, the trap won’t be able to digest it in an acceptable timeframe. Then, the plant will let the trap turn black and wither.

Do not feed your plant with large prey. A good rule of thumb is only to use insects that are 1/3 of the size of the trap. If you can’t find a small enough bug, feed bug pieces to you Venus flytrap.

The insects you feed your plant are just a supplement to boost their diet. You do not need to feed them giant bugs for them to live. Bugs are highly nutritious, and a single ant, for example, can provide enough nutrients for the month.

Feeding Frequency: Only feed one trap at a time and wait the appropriate amount of time between feedings. Feeding a single trap is enough for the whole plant. Once you have fed one of the traps, you can wait several weeks before the next feeding. A reasonable timeframe is to feed your plant once every 2-6 weeks. If you are in doubt if your plant is receiving too much feed, then wait until it has digested all previous bugs before the next meal. Also, during dormancy, avoid feeding your plant at all.

Not feeding your plant will also weaken it. Even though underfeeding won’t kill your plants and will most likely not cause any leaf loss, I recommend feeding your plant when necessary. When placed outdoors, Venus flytraps will feed themselves by catching prey. When placed indoors, your Venus flytrap will need your help! In that case, follow the previous instructions regarding prey size and feeding frequency.

Poor Lighting

Venus flytraps require lots of sunlight to thrive. In optimal conditions, they should receive 12 hours of sun a day. If your plant is receiving less than 4 hours of sunlight, it can be a big problem. Venus flytraps won’t die immediately when they suffer from light starvation, but they will weaken substantially.

When poor lighting occurs, the color of the traps sometimes fades. Also, you might notice some black edges in the leaves.

You can supplement the light requirement with artificial lighting. There is a wide variety of plant light options in the market. High Output fluorescent lights are suitable for Venus flytraps. Also, you can employ high power LED plant lights.

These are the grow lights I use to grow Venus flytraps. sundews, and pitcher plants indoors:

• Small plant light for 1-4 plants: https://amzn.to/2RsGlxr
• T8 LED light fixture for multiple plants (6500k Cool White): https://amzn.to/3uWoeh2

Wrong Water Source or Quantity

Venus flytraps require a lot of watering. The soil needs to be moist at all times. Also, you can’t water your plant with tap water or bottled water. Instead, use rainwater, reverse osmosis, or distilled water.

Using the wrong water or not watering enough will dry out the leaves. These mistakes can turn traps black and kill your plant very quickly.

If you used the incorrect water, repot immediately. Use new soil and make sure to use the correct type of water from now on. The minerals contained in standard tap water burn the roots of Venus flytraps.

Since Venus flytraps require a moist environment, I recommend using a saucer or plate to hold extra water. Like the image above, you can place the plant pot (with a drainage hole) in a shallow container filled with water. With this method, you always have a water reserve.

Wrong Soil

Improper soil can kill your plants very fast too. It might be counter-intuitive when you compare it with any other plants, but Venus flytrap needs nutrient-free soil. In the wild, they live in very poor soil. Therefore, they can’t handle any added nutrients or minerals.

Do not use standard soil; Venus flytraps can’t handle the nutrients. The plant will weaken and eventually die with the improper ground.

Employ carnivorous plant soil for Venus flytraps. Most growers use a combination of a type of moss, like Long-fibered sphagnum moss or sphagnum peat moss with a draining agent such as sand or perlite. The goal is to use a soil that does not contain any added elements.

If you have potted your Venus flytrap in the ground type of ground, remove it immediately. Employ the appropriate soil and water only with distilled water, reverse osmosis water or rain water.

Unwanted Stress

This Venus flytrap care consideration is often forgotten. Sometimes leaves turn black due to stress. The stress can be caused by people or by the environment.

Place your plant in a tranquil area without constant movement. Avoid spots where there is a flowing curtain or a strong fan. Motion can produce strain and ultimately cause your plant to lose leaves.

Also, do not touch your plant if it is not necessary. Avoid playing around with the traps and handling too much. Humans can also cause stress to the plant.

Use of Fertilizers

Excessive fertilizers can produce black leaves in most plants due to excessive salts in the ground. Venus flytraps have a low tolerance for fertilizers. Any type of fertilizing can make them lose leaves.

As a beginner carnivorous plant grower, it is best to avoid fertilizing Venus flytrap completely. Instead, you can feed your plant to provide additional nutrients. As an experienced grower, you can fertilize your plant by following these basic rules:

• Venus flytraps only need fertilizing during the growing season
• Avoid fertilizing if the plant has plenty of access to feed
• Fertilize Venus flytrap plants with weak foliar sprays

Extreme Temperatures

Venus flytraps are very resilient plants. However, extreme temperatures can make your plant lose leaves.

Cold Winters

Venus flytraps can live through cold winters close to freezing temperatures. However, the plant must not freeze completely. Avoid temperatures below 20 F.

Hot Summers

Temperatures over 100F can dry up Venus flytraps plants very quickly and cause leaves to turn black. During extreme summers you can:

• Bring your plants indoors
• Place them under partial shade, maybe under a shade cloth
• Limit their exposure to direct sunlight

Lack of humidity

In the wild, Venus flytraps live in mid to high humidity levels throughout the whole year. However, these plants can adapt to lower temperature indexes. If you live in an area that provides a regular 50% humidity in the environment, your Venus flytrap will have no issues adapting.

In arid climates, the lack of humidity can cause black leaves. Consider misting your plants to increase humidity and slowly reduce the misting over time.

Should You Cut Off Black Leaves in a Venus Flytrap?

You can certainly remove black leaves from your Venus flytrap. The black color from one leaf won’t expand into the next. But, dead leaves cause strain to the plant in the long term.

When to Cut the Black Leaves?

Venus flytraps, like other plants, can generate their food through the photosynthesis process. When a leaf starts turning black, it might be unable to capture prey. However, it is still able to help in the photosynthesis process.

In the beginning you might observe black spot in the edges of a trap or starting in the leaf base. Be patient, and do not remove the leaf right away. Instead, wait until they have wholly withered to take action. Once they have died, then you can trim them out.

The only exception to this rule, is when there is a dead bug inside a trap. Sometimes, due to improper feeding or maybe due to natural causes, a leaves starts dying while holding a bug. You can trim that leaves once it has start withering. Because the dead insect can attract bacteria or mold to your plant. Also, since the dead bug is still decomposing, it might emit unpleasant smells.

How to Prune a Venus Flytrap?

Use a sharp scissor to remove the black leaves. Follow these considerations to do it properly:

Benefits of Pruning Venus Flytraps

Remember, trimming your Venus flytrap is completely optional. In the wild, Venus flytraps produce black leaves fairly often and it doesn’t cause any problem. There, the black leaves decompose naturally over long periods. Still, pruning your plant can bring several benefits:

• Increase growth: dead leaves cause a strain in your plant. Remove the black leaves to let your plant focus on growing larger and increasing the number of healthy traps.
• Prevent Mold, Rooting, and Pests: Large quantities of dead foliage can increase the change of mold (this is how you can get rid mold) or bacteria .
• Clean Looks: Most people get very concerned when they spot black leaves in a Venus flytrap. In the end, black leaves do not look very appealing. Groom your plant now and then to give it a clean look and highlight the traps.
• Avoid Overcrowding: In the wild, dead leaves decompose a lot faster than at home or in a garden, due to more exposure to microorganisms. In a pot, dead leaves take months to decompose naturally. And besides the strain in the plant. The dead foliage can take up space and prevent new leaves from growing correctly.

Black Leaves vs Yellow Leaves in Venus Flytraps

Not all leaves turn black when they wither. Sometimes Venus flytraps exhibit yellow or brown leaves. Black leaves are in many cases harmless as they are due to natural causes. Yellow leaves, on the other hand, are a common warning sign or improper growing conditions. Yellow leaves eventually wither and turn black, but in the beginning, they start to decay by exhibiting a yellow or light brown coloration.

Similarly to black leaves, if you only spot one yellow leave in your whole plant. It might be insignificant. Instead, worry if you notice a pattern of yellowing leaves. Yellow leaves can be caused by improper soil, overwatering, root rot, and wrong water source.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes it can be stressful to be a beginner Venus flytrap grower. Venus flytraps are beautiful carnivorous plants, but they have very specific care requirements. Changes in growing conditions can affect these plants’ health and livelihood.

Generally, a new trap should grow for every dead one. Start to worry or take action if you notice an increase in black leaves on your Venus flytrap. The only exception is the dormancy period.

I hope you were able to identify the cause of the black leaves in your plant. If you are still unsure, consult our Complete Venus Flytrap Care Instructions. Verify your growth setup is optimum and continue improving it over time. Best of luck!

Complete Venus Flytrap Care Instructions

Sources

• [1] https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/chiwonlee/plsc211/student%20papers/articles02/dhodgson/dhodgson.html
• D’Amato, P. (2013). The Savage Garden. Berkeley, Unites States: Ten Speed Press.

When I first got a Venus flytrap I struggled to figure out the optimal watering procedure and frequency. After some research, I learned a lot about Venus flytrap care and their unique requirements. In this article, I would like to share what I learned about watering Venus flytraps.

Venus flytraps can only be watered with distilled water (here is a guide on how to make distilled water), reverse osmosis water, or rainwater. The ground should always remain moist, but not wet. During dormancy, the watering requirement for Venus flytraps lowers significantly.

Employing the incorrect water source, under-watering or over-watering can kill Venus flytrap very easily. Follow the tips on this article to care for your plant properly.

Venus Flytrap Watering Procedure

Water Source

First, before you start watering your plant. You must purchase the correct water source. Venus flytraps can’t be watered with liquids that contain minerals, salts, or any type of nutrients. You can employ:

• Distilled water
• Reverse osmosis water
• Rainwater

Bottled water will kill your plant quickly as it contains other minerals for flavor and Venus flytraps can’t handle minerals. In most cases, tap water is unsuitable for Venus flytraps. However, it really depends on the number of elements contained in the water. The tap water quality and composition vary across cities and sometimes neighborhoods. In the US, tap water commonly contains elements such as copper, calcium, magnesium, and sodium.

You can employ tap water as long as it contains less than 50 parts per million (ppm) of dissolved solids. The only way you can test the ppm quantity is by employing a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) meter. You can buy a TDS meter for under $20 (here are some examples) and verify the ppm readings. The lower the number the better it will be for your plant. It is recommended to measure the ppm every time you collect water.

Where to buy water for Venus flytraps?

You can buy distilled water or reverse osmosis water in grocery stores, gas stations, or water and ice stores. Generally, it costs about $1 a gallon in grocery stores and about 25-50 cents per gallon in water stores (where you bring your own jug).

If you buy distilled water in the grocery store, make sure to read the label. Some brands add minerals to distilled water to improve the flavor. You should always purchase pure distilled water or reverse osmosis water, with nothing added. Also, you can collect rainwater for free.

Frequency

It is difficult to give an exact watering frequency for Venus flytrap since their needs vary across multiple factors such as seasons, weather, and plant size. The general rule is to keep the plant’s soil moist or humid at all times. However, you must always avoid flooding or completely saturating the soil.

The best rule of thumb is to water the soil until it has absorbed water throughout. Then, use your finger to press the ground on the surface. Your finger should feel moist soil, but it should not get wet.

If you follow this technique and realize you have over-watered your plant. Don’t worry! Unless is a flooding situation, your plant can handle a little extra water as long as you perfect your technique. Next time, slowly water your plant and feel the ground before you continue to poor.

After watering, you can let your plant be for a few days pr several weeks depending on the season. Once the soil is almost dry, but it hasn’t dried out completely, you can water your plant again.

Watering During Venus Flytrap Dormancy

Every year, in the winter, Venus flytraps should experience a period of dormancy. Dormancy for plants is very similar to hibernation in animals. The plant remains in a resting stage for several weeks (usually 8 to 12 weeks).

During this period, your plant requires less water and less exposure to light. If your plant is dormant, space out your watering routine. Keep in mind that the colder weather will keep the soil humid for longer periods.

How do I know if my plant is dormant? Venus flytraps experience dormancy if they are exposed to temperatures below 45 F for several weeks. When they go dormant Venus flytraps undergo some noticeable changes. The plant loses several leaves and in some cases, it reduces in size. Generally, the plant looks down for as long as the dormancy lasts.

During dormancy, you should never fertilize your plant, feed it, or over-water it.

Watering During Summer

It is a challenge to water Venus flytraps during hot weather. Keeping the soil moist during hot summer days means watering every few days without fault. Venus flytraps are resilient plants, they can handle high temperatures of up to the recommended 95F (32C), but they can only do so if they remain in a humid environment. Otherwise, Venus flytraps can dry out and die.

During summer, you must be especially careful about your plant’s exposure to extremely hot weather. Consider placing your plant indoor if necessary or implementing some shading mechanism such as a shade cloth. Also, you can employ the water tray method to secure enough humidity and water for your plant.

In the water tray method, you place a Venus flytrap pot with drainage halls on top of a plate or shallow container. Then, you add some water to the plate to keep the soil of your plant moist at all times. It is not recommended to leave Venus flytraps living in standing water. However, as long as you do not overfill the container, you won’t harm your plant. Keep the water level below an inch of depth.

During the winter, or when a Venus flytrap is placed indoors, it is very rare that it will need the additional water in the tray. This method is mostly recommended for the hot summer season or during vacation periods.

You can employ this method when you have to be away for several days or weeks. Your plant might not need all the water, but the chances of harming your plant for slightly over-watering once are very slim.

How to Save Your Venus Flytrap -Improper Watering

Wrong Water Source

Using the wrong water source can kill Venus flytraps very quickly. The minerals in tap water or bottled water contaminate the soil and burn your plant. The plant’s leaves start turning yellow before they blacken. Still, in many cases, you can salvage the plant.

If you used any other type of water other than distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater, you must act quickly to save your plant. Follow these steps:

1. Get new soil for your plant and bug a jug of distilled water or reverse osmosis water, which will be the only water for your Venus flytrap.
2. Remove your plant from its pot by gently removing part of the soil and separating the roots from the dirt.
3. Use the venus flytrap water to clean the roots of your plant. Rinse thoroughly.
4. Toss the old soil from the pot.
5. Clean the pot.
6. Grab the new soil and water it with the Venus flytrap water.
7. Place the new soil (already moisten) inside the pot.
8. Use your fingers or a longish tube to make a vertical hole in the ground
9. Place your plant’s roots inside the whole until the bulb is underground.
10. Finish closing the soil to secure your plant (without over compressing).
11. Add a bit more water to the soil.
12. Wait patiently.

Your plant can take several weeks to recover. Still, after using the wrong water source, the best reaction is to repot with new soil and employ the appropriate water.

Root Rot Due to Over-watering

It is difficult to identify a Venus flytrap that has been over-watered. There are usually no physical signs within the plant unless the over-watering has caused root rot.

An environment with excessive moisture together with the presence of bacteria or fungus cause root rot. The root of the plant starts rotting or decomposing until the plant dies completely.

Checking for root rot in Venus flytraps is very easy. The only thing you have to do is observe the bulb of the plant. The bulb is underground, so you will have to dig around the base of the plant or remove it completely from the ground. A healthy bulb is white or light pink in color. Sick bulbs exhibit black spots, a mushy texture, and an unpleasant smell.

If your plant is suffering from root rot, follow these steps to save your plant:

1. Remove the plant from the soil.
2. Rinse the plant roots and bulb with distilled water.
3. Identify the affected area within the plant’s bulb
4. Use small scissors to remove the rotting part of the Venus flytrap.
5. Remove any affected leaves too.
6. Rinse the plant again with distilled water and verify all the unhealthy matter was removed.
7. Toss the old soil.
8. Rinse the pot thoroughly.
9. Use new soil to fill the pot.
10. Water the soil until is it moist, but not wet.
11. Make a deep vertical hole in the center of the pot.
12. Carefully repot the Venus flytrap.
13. Wait patiently.

In new soil and without the unhealthy part of its bulb, your Venus flytrap has good chances to survive. Ignoring the root rot will definitely kill the plant.

Misting vs Watering Venus Flytraps

Misting and watering cover two different care considerations for Venus flytraps. The watering requirements for this plant are very specific. However, misting is not usually necessary.

When Venus flytraps are watered properly, the soil is humid and provides enough humidity in the environment for the plant to develop properly. However, in some extreme conditions, Venus flytraps can benefit from higher humidity indexes, and misting is beneficial.

Venus flytraps only grow in a very specific region of the United States, in the states of South Carolina and North Carolina. In their natural habitat, they are exposed to high humidity year-round, which exceeds 50%.

When living in an arid environment, like me (I live in Arizona), you should consider misting your plant manually with a spray. You do not need to do it every single day, but a sporadic misting can help our plant adequate for the environment. Also, some growers place open water containers close to their plant to increase the humidity levels in the environment.

Related Care Considerations

Carnivorous Plant Soil

The choice of soil and watering are key care considerations for Venus flytrap. Choosing the appropriate soil can help you avoid overwatering. Also, it can give your plant a better growing environment.

Venus flytraps require nutrient-free soil. Many people employ pure long-fibered sphagnum moss or peat moss as soil options. Those two are fine selections. However, adding one extra ingredient in the soil can benefit Venus flytrap. It is very useful to add perlite or sand and mix it with the selected moss. You can employ a 2:1, 4:1, 5:1 moss to perlite ratio (just to give a few examples).

The perlite or sand will serve two main functions: drainage and aeration. As draining agents they prevent the soil from holding water for long periods of time. Overall, better drainage will lower the chances of root rot.

Also, perlite and sand help keep the ground loose and uncompacted. Venus flytraps have difficulty growing and expanding their roots in firmly compacted grounds.

Growing Venus Flytraps in a Terrarium

Venus flytraps can be grown in terrariums, however, it is not always recommended. Enclosed terrariums provide a humid environment for Venus flytraps, which is a great fit. Also, fully enclosed terrariums do not require constant watering. Yet, in inclosed terrariums, Venus flytraps can not experience dormancy or catch prey.

The best terrariums for Venus fly traps are the greenhouse terrariums. In these terrariums, each plant is placed in its specific pot. In the case of Venus flytrap, the pot contains nutrient-free soil and the plant is only watered with pure water. You will still need to water your plant when placed in the terrarium as it won’t be a completely closed system.

Why Can’t Venus Flytraps Handle Minerals or Salts in the Water?

First of all, Venus flytraps require a nutrient-free environment to survive. They need a mineral-free nutrient-free soil and water. It is not only about, the water, but also about the soil.

In the wild, Venus flytraps grow in very poor soil. The soil lacks the nutrients most plants need to survive. As a result of these conditions, Venus flytraps have little to no tolerance to any type of nutrients in the ground or in the water. For that same reason, it is not recommended to fertilize these plants. Most plants thrive with fertilizer or plant food. Venus flytraps die if they are fertilized too often.

Since Venus flytraps can’t absorb nutrients from the soil, they have evolved to be successful predators. Their modified leaves are trapping mechanisms that lure and capture victims. Venus flytraps catch and consume bug to supplement their diet and obtain elements such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium.

The best way to boost the growth if Venus flytraps is to water appropriately, provide plenty of sunlight and feed your plant to supplement their diet.

Venus Flytrap Care Tips

• Venus flytraps require a continuously moist environment. Never let the soil of your plant dry out completely. You can employ the water tray method to keep your plant’s environment moist at all times.
• Consider misting your plant periodically if you live in an arid climate. Misting increases the humidity in the environment, which is beneficial for Venus flytrap.
• Venus flytraps do not emit any smell. If you notice an unpleasant odor coming from your plant, it is not normal. It can be a clear sign of root rot.
• Black leaves in Venus flytraps are normal. However, yellow leaves or half yellow half black leaves are a warning sign. Root rot or over-watering cause the yellowing of leaves.
• Repot your Venus flytrap every year to prevent soil compression and ensure proper drainage. Good drainage prevents waterlogged conditions.
• It is much easier to underwater Venus flytraps than to overwatering. Your plant will only suffer due to too much water if the soil has a swamp-like consistency. Otherwise, Venus flytraps can receive lots of water!

The color of Venus flytraps can be associated with the health of the plant. I would like to share what I have learned while growing Venus flytraps on how certain color changes are great signs, and others are a warning.

Healthy Venus flytraps exhibit bright green colors in the leaves and burgundy or reddish colors inside the traps. It is not uncommon to spot black leaves within the plant as they are part of the plant’s life cycle. Also, poor growing conditions can turn leaves yellow or light brown.

However, not all color changes are strict indications of your plant’s health. Keep on reading to determine what do color changes in Venus flytraps mean and how to follow proper care instructions.

Venus Flytrap Color Change	Effect	Possible Causes
Bright red color inside the traps	Positive	The plant is receiving enough lighting.
Black or brown leaves	Neutral	Black or brown leaves are just leaves that have dried up and died. They are usually normal in Venus flytraps, especially during dormancy. Check the plant’s growing conditions if you notice an increase in dead leaves.
Yellow leaves	Negative	A sign of poor growing conditions due to using the wrong water source, overwatering or employing the incorrect soil.
Black spots in the plant’s bulb	Negative	The Venus flytrap is likely suffering from root rot. Act quickly to save your plant.
Red spots in the leaf base	Negative	The plant has been exposed to extremely high heat and it has gotten burnt. Temperatures above 95F can dry out and burn Venus flytraps.
Purple coloring	Neutral	Some varieties of Venus fly trap characterize with deep Burgundy colors which often look close to purple, like the Akai Ryu variety. Follow the link to learn more about fully red plants.
Blue coloring	Negative	Blue Venus fly traps do not exist. They are often advertised by scammers.

Venus Flytrap Colors

The Venus flytrap characterizes with bright green and bright red colors. However, not all varieties of Venus flytraps exhibit the green and red combination.

Some variations are fully red (all around) and some others are completely green (no sign of red). For example, the Akai Ryu cultivar of Venus flytrap is deep burgundy in color. Sometimes, you can spot some green in the border of the traps, but the majority of the plant is marron.

In this article we will focus on the standard varieties of Venus flytraps. Like this one shown in this image:

Lack of Red Coloring

Sometimes Venus flytraps lose the red coloration inside the traps, or the color starts fading. The lack of red coloring in the traps is due to light starvation or lack of enough lighting.

The primary food source of Venus flytraps is photosynthesis. When the plant does not receive enough light, then it abandons other efforts, such as catching prey to focus on photosynthesis. As a self-defense mechanism, the plant grows completely green leaves without the red color inside the traps.

When a plant loses the red inside the traps, it is a clear sign that it needs more lighting. The fix is usually very easy. You can place your plant in a better spot with more access to sunlight.

Twelve hours of light is optimal for Venus fly traps.

When you move the plant around and the lighting level changes, try to make a step-by-step transition. Slowly introduce your plant to more and more lighting. Besides sunlight, you can consider employing artificial lighting to supplement your plant’s needs This solution is practical and cheap.

I use this LED plant light for some of the Venus flytraps I own and my plants are thriving. The plant light has the appropriate lumen level (1500 lumens) and color spectrum (6500K cool white). Also, it comes with a built-in timer to turn on/off automatically.

Venus flytraps won’t die immediately if they do not receive proper, but the plant will start to weaken and can eventually die.

Bright Red Color

A bright red color inside the traps is a sign of good health. It means your plant is receiving all the lighting it needs. The red color inside the traps helps the Venus flytrap capture prey.

The plant attracts prey with sweet nectar and bright colors. The bright red color in the trap mimics a flower. Confused and hungry insects end up inside the traps.

When your plant shows the perfect color combination, then you can focus on feeding it. If you placed your plant outside, it can catch its own bugs. But indoors, Venus flytraps struggle to capture prey. To ensure the plant continues to thrive, I recommend feeding them once every month during the growing season. You can learn how to feed a Venus flytrap with this short guide: Venus Flytrap Feeding Guide.

The plant will conserve the colors as long as the environment does not change and it will have access to more nutrients thanks to the bugs.

For reference, here is an example of a unique variety of Venus fly trap that is almost completely red.

Black Leaves

Generally, black or brown leaves within a Venus flytrap are normal. Each leaf only lives over a certain period. For example, once a trap has closed a handful of times, then that leaf that contains the trap will start to wither and darken.

Many other factors can affect the plant and generate black leaves. When you observe an increasing number of black leaves, then it is a warning sign to take action. This article explains in detail the cause of black leaves and offers easy-to-implement solutions => Why Do Venus Flytraps Turn Black?- Reduce Black Leaves Today

These are the main causes of black leaves in Venus flytraps:

Improper Feeding

Improper feeding can cause black leaves. When the plant is fed with bugs that are too large for the trap or with human food, it will have problems. Human food can be meat, candy, or fruit, anything that is not an insect or a spider.

Venus flytrap will have trouble digesting large bugs or human food. First, the trap will start to digest the content inside its trap. But if unsuccessful after a reasonable amount of time, the plant will decide to abandon its efforts and will let the leaf wither.

It is normal to make mistakes when feeding a Venus flytrap for the first time. For example, selecting the wrong food for your plant is a common mistake. I wrote this article on Venus flytrap feed options to prevent common mistakes.. For example, selecting the wrong food for your plant is a common mistake. I wrote this article on Venus flytrap feed options to prevent common mistakes.. You should start by practicing and then perfect your feeding procedure to avoid hurting the Venus flytrap.

Mechanical Stress

Poking or touching the traps excessively can contribute to an increase in black leaves. Each trap can only open and close a certain number of times before it withers. If a human sets the traps just for being curious, then the plant will waist energy. Besides, the leaf will live for a shorten span. Avoid, exposing your plant to mechanical stress. The least contact with curious fingers or pets the better.

Dormancy

During the winter months, Venus flytraps undergo a dormancy process. During such a period, which usually lasts 2 to 3 months, many leaves turn black and die while the plant reduces in size. The presence of black leaves during dormancy is normal.

The Natural Cycle

Remember, black leaves are usually normal. Only take action when you notice a change in the appearance of your plant. Also, you can always trim the dead leaves of your plant. Trimming Venus flytraps help them have more space and make them picture ready!

Venus Flytrap Leaves Yellowing / Browning

Sometimes leaves in Venus flytraps start to yellow or brown before they blacken. Yellow leaves are common sign of poor growing conditions. If you notice one leaf yellowing, it could just be dying due to natural causes. However, if instead several leaves are yellowing and your plant is down. Then, your plant’s health is at risk.

The most common causes of yellow leaves are:

• Improper soil
• Wrong water source
• Overwatering

Now, let’s go over each item in detail:

Improper Soil

You can’t use standard plant soil for Venus flytraps. Venus flytraps need a mineral-free nutrient-free medium to grow. When you plant Venus flytraps in standard soil you poison the pant with minerals which the plant can’t process.

Incorrect potting media can be the cause of yellow and black leaves. Pot in a mixture of moss (sphagnums or peat moss) with a draining agent such as perlite or sand. You can also pot your Venus flytrap in just sphagnum moss or peat moss, but drainage can be a challenge in the future. When you buy the potting media, make sure no nutrients were added to it.

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 in Amazon.com.

Follow this link to get all the information about Venus flytrap soil, including where to get it: The Best Soil Options for Venus Flytrap

Wrong Water Source

Venus flytraps can only be watered with distilled water, reverse osmosis water, or rainwater. Straight tap water or bottled water can kill your plant. Venus flytraps die very quickly when they receive the wrong water source.

Overwatering

Overwatering can also cause yellow leaves. The ground for Venus flytraps should always remain humid, but you should never flood it. When the plant is struggling with the high amounts of water, some leaves turn yellow, and the roots might start rotting.

When you water Venus flytraps, you can test the humidity level by merely pressing the soil with your bare finger. The soil should be humid, but your finger should never get wet by simply pressing the ground. If you believe you have been over-watering your plant space out your watering routine.

To prevent making mistakes when watering a Venus flytrap, read this article where I teach all I know about watering: Venus Flytrap Watering Procedure: Source, Frequency and Tips

Red Coloring in Leaf Base

The Leaves of Venus flytrap should exhibit bright green colors. Any type of red coloring in the leaf base is a warning sign. It is usually caused by high heat exposure.

Red spots in your plant can be sunburn, which might be caused by natural or artificial lighting.

Venus flytraps are resilient plants, they can withstand heat over 95 F or 35 C without a problem, but temperatures exceeding those boundaries can dry out and burn your plant.

When you spot red coloring in the leaf base, you should consider moving your plant away from extreme temperatures.

I live in Arizona, and during summer season it is impossible to place my Venus flytraps outdoors without any type of shade. I have made the mistake before and lost a plant after just one day of heat exposure (it was 115 F / 46 C).

Avoid drying out your plant and burning it by follow these advise:

• I recommend changing the artificial lighting if you are using one to a cool color which does not emanate high temperatures. Recommended: High output fluorescent lights or high power LEDs.
• Avoid extremely sunny windows that intensify the intensity of the sun
• Consider misting your plant to increase humidity
• Use a gardening shade cloth or place your plant in partial shade if the temperatures exceed 90 F

Black Spots in Bulb

Black spots in the root bulb of your Venus flytrap are clear signs of root rot. First, if you can observe the root rot while your plant is potted. That is a problem, the bulb should always be underground.

The rot is usually caused by a combination of excessive moisture and the presence of fungus or bacteria. Besides the color changes on the bulb, you might also notice an unpleasant smell within your plant and a change of texture in the bulb.

How to Fix

Root rot can spread through your plant and kill it quickly. Follow these instructions to save your plant:

1. Remove the plant from the pot.
2. Rinse the roots and bulb with distilled water.
3. Use a sharp knife or scissors to remove the affected area of the root and leaves.
4. Rinse the plant again.
5. Ensure there is no root rot left in the bulb.
6. Empty the soil in the pot and clean it thoroughly. You need to remove any leftover fungus or bacteria.
7. Place the new soil in the pot.
8. Plant your Venus flytrap in the clean pot with brand new soil.
9. Water your plant until the soil is moist all around.
10. Monitor your Venus flytrap until it recovers. It will probably appear weak for several weeks. The spur of new leaves is always a good sign.

To prevent harming the bulb of your plant, in the future, avoid overwatering your plant. Many new owners believe Venus flytraps grow in swamps, and they tend to water too much. Venus flytraps do need a continuously moist environment, but the soil should never be damped.

Read the complete guide to prevent and eliminate Venus flytrap root rot.

Venus Fly Trap Care

Here is a quick overview on overall care that summarizes what was covered in the article and a lot more!

Light: Optimally they should receive 12 hours of sunlight, and the minimum is 6 hours of light. The light source might be natural light or artificial lighting (plant lights)
Water: Venus flytraps must be watered with pure water only, such as rainwater, distilled water, and reverse osmosis water. Tap water and bottled water kill carnivorous plants. 
The soil of the plant must always remain moist. Always keep the ground humid, but do not flood. Venus flytraps do not grow in swamps.
Soil: Employ nutrient-free soil for carnivorous plants. Never employ enriched soil, full of fertilizers. This article covers many soil options for Venus flytraps.
Feeding: Venus flytraps do not need to capture insects to survive, but they benefit from them greatly. Place Venus flytraps outdoors, and they will have plenty of access to food. Also, consider feeding your plant to provide extra nutrients.
Fertilizers: Do not fertilize Venus flytraps. The chemicals in the fertilizers can hurt the plant
Flowers: After reaching maturity, Venus flytraps start producing flowers every spring. Skipping it allows for further growth and development.
Dormancy: Venus flytraps must undergo a dormancy period for 2-3 months during the winter. Ensure your plant will experience this resting period by placing them in a cold location. For example, outdoors, in a cold garage, or porch.

Venus flytraps have evolved to be successful predators to survive in very challenging habitats. The different parts of this plant fulfill particular functions such as photosynthesis, mechanical support, reproduction, or feeding.

The main parts of the Venus flytrap are the leaf base, trigger hairs, traps, roots, nectar-secreting glands, special glands, and flowers. The trapping mechanism is one of the most impressive characteristics of the Venus flytrap. There, the trap and trigger hairs play a crucial role in successfully catching prey.

The Venus flytrap or Dionaea muscipula (scientific name) is the most identifiable and better known carnivorous plant. Yet, most people do not know much about them. Today, we will explore the different parts of the Venus flytrap.

Keep on reading to view the Venus flytrap diagram and read an overview on each part of the plant:

1. Leaf base
2. Trap
3. Nectar secreting glands
4. Trigger hairs
5. Flower
6. Special Glands
7. Root

If you would like to learn about carnivorous plant care, read this free Venus flytrap care guide where I share how I grow healthy Venus flytraps.

Venus Flytrap Parts Diagram

The diagram below illustrates some very characteristic parts of the Venus flytrap. The image shows some open traps ready to capture prey and some closed ones that are already consuming bugs. Also, it shows a Venus flytrap during the flowering season. Venus flytraps only flower during the spring.

Venus Flytrap Parts

Leaves

Mature Venus flytraps produce three to ten leaves at a time. Each leaf has two concrete parts: the trap and the leaf blade. Inside the trap, we find trigger hairs, nectar-secreting glands, and special glands.

The leaves of a Venus flytrap do not last long periods of time. The traps can be activated a handful of times before the whole leaf starts to wither. But, this is a normal process, as soon as a leaf starts to dry out a new one should spur from the center of the plant. Therefore, it is pretty common to observe dead leaves that have blackened slowly decomposing in the inferior area of the plant.

1.-Leaf Base

2.-Trap

Adult Venus flytraps have traps of about 1 inch in length. The trap is made up of two lobes. The exterior of the trap is bright green, and the interior characterizes by a deep burgundy color. Color fading in the traps is usually a warning sign to poor growing conditions. Also, some variations of the plant might not exhibit any red coloring at all.

The closing mechanism of the traps in Venus flytraps exhibit one of the fastest movements in the plant kingdom. It can catch off guard any potential victim that is lured by sweet nectar. The red color inside the traps also helps the plant lure insects as they confuse the traps with flowers.

In contrary to popular belief, the traps function is not only to capture prey but also to assist in photosynthesis. The Venus flytrap captures prey to supplement their diet, but it is not an essential function. Most of the time the traps will act as standard leaves and help with photosynthesis. In their natural habitat (South Carolina and North Carolina), Venus flytraps are exposed to more than 10 hours of sunlight most of the year.

Fun fact: Scientists are still studying the Venus flytrap trapping mechanism very actively as it exhibits a very unique behavior.

You can learn how to properly feed a Venus flytrap by reading this article: How to Feed a Venus Flytrap.

3.-Nectar-secreting Glands

Venus flytraps have nectar-secreting glands inside their traps. The interior part of the lobes is cover with sweet nectar to attract prey. Venus flytraps lure their prey with sweet nectar and wait patiently.

Insects get confused and believe the red interior of the trap together with the nectar scent are signs of a flower. Then, once a being is inside the trap, the bug will get distracted by consuming the nectar. Meanwhile, the lobes are ready to close as soon as they receive a signal from the trigger hairs.

4-Trigger Hairs

Each trap is made up of two lobes. Each lobe has three hair cells arranged in a triangular pattern [1]. The image below shows the hair cells clearly in the lobes. They are thin and highly sensitive filaments.

The hair cells are commonly called trigger hairs as they instruct the trap triggering mechanism. The trap only closes when something has touched the trigger hairs two consecutive times within 20 seconds.

The plant developed the double stimuli to avoid closing due to inanimate objects such as rain, a falling branch, or dirt. Venus flytraps spend a significant amount of energy controlling those traps, and they should always try to use their resources efficiently.

You can set the traps by introducing your finger or another object inside the traps. If you stimulate the trigger hairs, the trap will close. Yet, the plant will notice it hasn’t caught prey as the trigger hairs won’t receive any further stimuli once closed. Then, the plant will reopen.

5.-Special Glands

The trigger hairs activate the trapping mechanism to capture the prey. Then, the Venus flytrap secretes enzymes to digest the victim.

“Any mechanical contact with the hairs triggers an electrical signal that spreads across the trap in waves. From the third signal, the plant produces the hormone jasmonate; after the fifth signal, the digestive glands that line the inside of the traps like turf are activated.”- How Venus flytrap triggers digestion, University of Würzburg, Science Daily

The glands secrete enzymes, causing the victim to drown. Digestion is a very long process; it can take several days or even weeks to consume a bug completely. Once digestion is complete, the trap opens up again and exposes the skeleton of the victim. The plant can process the soft parts of the insect, but it won’t be able to digest the rest.

During the digestion process, Venus flytrap extract key nutrients from the prey. They obtain Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and other elements to supplement their diet. These elements are essential because Venus flytraps grow in inferior soil that lacks nutrients.

On rare occasions, Venus flytraps can consume animals other than insects and arachnids. For example, they can catch a tiny frog or very small rodents. Venus flytraps can consume these animals. However, they are difficult to capture due to their size and strength.

6.-Flowers

Venus flytraps are perennial plants; and they bloom every year. Venus flytraps undergo dormancy during the winter. After, they return to their original state and start to flourish in the spring.

Venus flytrap flowers are white, and the petals exhibit green veins. The flowers grow as thick cylindrical stalks that end in flower bunches. A single Venus flytrap produces several flower stalks every spring.

Venus flytrap flowers grow a lot taller than their traps. As shown in the picture below, the leaves extend only a few inches above the ground, but the flowers grow a lot higher. Venus flytraps evolved to keep prey and pollinators at two different levels.

The Venus flytrap flowers “adorn the tops of tall stalks that extend beyond the leaves, which prevents pollinators from being trapped and eaten by the plant. (Venus flytraps also have fruit, which comes in the form of round, green pods containing shiny black seeds.)” – Venus Flytraps Have Surprising Pollinators … and They Don’t Eat Them, Elaina Zachos, National Geographic

The Venus flytrap spends a significant amount of energy producing the flowers with the hope of reproduction. Owners sometimes opt to cut off the flower stalks before they flourish to save their plant’s energy. Also, some owners decide to manually pollinate their plant and harvest seeds.

You can learn more about Venus flytrap flowers and how to produce seeds with this guide: Venus Flytrap Flower Guide.

Also, there is a unique way to propagate Venus flytraps through flower stalks (learn how it works!).

7.-Roots

The leaves of Venus flytraps spur from a thick rhizome. The rhizome is a horizontal underground stem. Then, the roots extend from the rhizome to several centimeters underground (10-15 cm). They fixate the plant in the humid terrain.

The bulb of the plant is white or pinkish in color and should remain underground. It is very delicate and exposure to sunlight could damage it. Also, the presence of dark spots in the bulb is clear signs of root rot which is caused by fungus or bacteria.

The image below shows several young Venus flytrap before they were potted. All of the bulbs exhibit a healthy white color, and the roots extend through several inches (longer than the plant’s leaves).

Sometimes Venus flytraps grow substantially and exhibit more than a dozen leaves. Once the plant has acceded the maximum expected number of leaves, then it might be two plants instead of one. The roots of the Venus flytrap can extend in the soil and create a bulb root. Then, a new Venus flytrap grows from the bulb.

Seeds

The seeds are not a part of Venus flytraps, but a life-cycle stage. Still, I thought it would be worth mentioning the seeds for completeness

Venus flytraps produce seeds for reproduction. These plants can reproduce sexually through pollination and asexually via its rhizome. The Venus flytrap can self-pollinate, which means you only need a single plant to produce seeds. However, most growers prefer cross-pollination as the process produces more resilient plants.

During pollination, a pollinating agent (i.e., insect, water, the air, human) transfers pollen from the anther to the stigma of the flower. Then, the fertilized flowers produce seeds to reproduce.

When a flower is pollinated, it withers and it leaves behind the encapsulated seeds. Each flower can produce dozens of seeds. The seeds are tiny and of black color.

Overall Plant Dimensions

Venus flytraps are small plants. To get some perspective of the scale, these are the dimensions of some Venus flytrap parts:

• Horizontally, a Venus flytrap can grow 5 inches in diameter
• The traps can extend upward to about 1 foot
• The trap size for an adult plant is 1 inch

More About Venus Flytraps

Most people associate Venus flytraps to tropical habitats; however, Venus flytraps are native to the wetlands on the East Coast of the United States. There, they are only found in two states: South Carolina and North Carolina.

The most well-known characteristic of Venus flytraps is their trapping mechanism. Venus flytraps do not consume flies exclusively. They can feed themself with any bug attracted by the nectar that is small enough to fit inside a trap.

Some scientists and hobbyists have observed Venus flytraps consuming small frogs or rodents. However, those scenarios are very uncommon. The trapping mechanism is designed to capture bugs, not other animals.

Here are some interesting facts about Venus flytraps:

• Venus flytraps are an endangered species: An increase in poaching practices and urbanization is threatening the specie
• Venus flytraps undergo dormancy every year, which is similar to hibernation in animals.
• You can grow Venus flytrap indoors: The plant develops better in the outdoors, but can easily grow in an indoor setting.
• Most Venus flytraps are green and red, but one variation of Venus flytraps exhibits bright marron colors all around: Akai Ryu (red dragon)
• Venus flytrap require an abundance of sunlight to survive: Optimally they should receive 12 hours of exposure to light

Final Thoughts: Venus Flytrap Parts and Functions

Venus flytraps are fascinating creatures. They have evolved to be successful predators. Thanks to their trapping mechanism adaptation, they have thrived for years in a nutrient-free, poor soil environment.

Even though you might be most impressed by the carnivorous nature of this plant, remember that photosynthesis is still their primary source of energy. Venus flytraps produce their food through photosynthesis. They can survive without catching prey for months or even years because the nutrients they get from insects are only a supplement.

I hope you enjoyed learning about Venus flytraps. And maybe you are even considering growing one at home. I would totally recommend the experience of growing Venus flytraps. You can grow them outdoors if the weather permits or indoors. Make sure to read this guide before you get started. Good luck!

Read the Venus Flytrap Care Guide (with downloadable care sheet) HERE.

Sources

• [1] http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/146/2/694
• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170421103741.htm#:~:text=The%20Venus%20flytrap%20digests%20its%20prey%20using%20enzymes%20produced%20by%20special%20glands.&text=Catching%20its%20prey%2C%20mainly%20insects,take%20up%20the%20nutrients%20released.

Many different factors can affect Venus flytraps’ health and threaten their livelihood. Unhealthy Venus flytraps usually show some key indicators that help us take action. I have grown Venus flytraps for several years and would like to share what I have learned so far, especially how to save an unhealthy Venus flytrap.

Unhealthy Venus flytrap exhibit faded colors, deformed leaves, an increase of black leaves, or unwanted odor. Owners should review their plant’s environment, especially the water source, water frequency, exposure to sunlight, and presence of pests.

In the next section, you can learn about the main reasons Venus flytrap look down or unhealthy. Also, I have included a brief explanation for each one on how to fix it.

12 Reasons Why Your Venus Flytrap is Unhealthy

1. The Soil is Poisoning Your Plant

The Venus flytrap needs nutrient-free mineral-free soil to survive. Any other type of soil (the regular kind) will kill your plant. It might be counter-intuitive, but the soil for Venus flytrap has to lack all nutrients.

Venus flytrap plants grow well in ground that contains either sphagnums or peat moss and a draining agent such as sand or perlite. You can mix the ingredients as a 4:1 or 2:1 depending on your preference. Also, some companies sell their own carnivorous soil mix, but in most cases is cheaper and easier to make it yourself.

Read this article to get all the details on soil for Venus flytraps: The Best Soil for Venus Fly Traps. Also, you can buy carnivorous plant soil online, like this one I use. Follow the link to confirm the price in Amazon.com.

If you used standard soil, you must fix this issue immediately. Venus flytraps die very quickly when exposed to nutrients. Follow these steps to save your plant:

1. Buy new soil for your plant. Follow the recommendations above to choose the right elements for the ground
2. Make sure to have distilled water on hand
3. carefully, remove your plant from the old soil
4. Clean your plant’s roots with distilled water, until all the first is out
5. Toss the old soil, or save it for other types of plants
6. Clean the pot, and do not miss any spot.
7. Soak your new soil with distilled water until it is very humid
8. Place the new land in the pot (should be moist)
9. Make a hole with your fingers in the middle of the pot
10. Carefully, introduce your plant’s roots and bulb underground and set with more dirt
11. You are all set!

Besides choosing the appropriate soil, pay attention to the pot you use. Some materials leach minerals into the ground. Here are my Venus fly trap pot recommendations.

2. The Water is NOT Mineral-Free

Using the improper water source can poison your pant, as Venus flytraps can’t process nutrients. You should only employ distilled water, reverse osmosis water, or rainwater for Venus flytraps. No other water source is acceptable, not even bottled water.

Make sure you water your plant properly, as it is a critical factor in your plant’s health. This guide can help you master the process: Venus Flytrap Watering Procedure.

Using the wrong water can kill your plant quickly, also that water will leave behind minerals in the soil. I recommend to follow this procedure to save your plant:

1. Make sure you have extra carnivorous plant soil
2. Buy distilled water, reverse osmosis water (collecting rainwater will take too long in these circumstances)
3. Remove your plant from the soil
4. rinse your plant’s roots with distilled or reverse osmosis water
5. Toss the old soil
6. Clean the pot
7. Make the fresh soil moist with the correct water source (distilled water, reverse osmosis water, rainwater)
8. Set the new soil in the pot
9. Make a hole for your plant in the ground.
10. Repot your plant in the new soil
11. Water a bit more to ensure the soil is humid
12. Never again water your plant with anything other than distilled water, reverse osmosis water, or rainwater

Tip: Buy a large water jug (3-5 Gallons) and refill it at water stores or grocery stores that sell distilled or reverse osmosis water. Each gallon doesn’t cost more than 20 cents, and it will last you for a while. Also, consider collecting rainwater, it is free!

3. You Need More Light

In the wild, Venus flytraps have access to plenty of lighting. They need that much light to grow and develop properly. Venus flytraps can grow weaker and weaker until they finally die from light starvation.

Some clear signs of light starvation are:

• Lack of read coloring inside the lobes of the trap
• Deformed traps: the leaves grow , but the traps never develop

Venus flytrap must receive at least 6 hours of indirect sunlight. In the perfect scenario, they should receive 12 hours of direct sunlight. the lack of light exposure won’t kill your plant immediately but will weaken it until it dies.

To resolve this issue you can find a better outdoor spot to place your plant. A safe bet is to find a placement where your plant gets 6 hours of direct sunlight, plus some indirect sunlight, it is not the optimum scenario, but a safe place to grow your plant way above the minimums.

Also, you should consider supplemental lighting. You can employ artificial plant light to give appropriate lighting to your plants. I recommend the following specifications:

• High output fluorescent lights or high power LEDs.
• Cool colors that do not overheat your plant
• 6+ hour automatic timer that can automatically turn on and off

I use this LED plant light for some of the Venus flytraps I own and my plants are thriving. It has the appropriate lumen level and color spectrum. Also, it comes with a built in timer to turn on/off automatically.

You should observe positive changes just a few weeks after exposing your plant to appropriate lighting. For example, a bright red color inside the traps is always an encouraging sign!

4. Not Enough Water

The soil for your Venus flytrap should always remain humid. Venus flytraps do not develop well in dry or arid land. They need a constant water source.

Water your plant until the ground is moist, but not damp and then leave it alone. Water again when the soil is almost (but not) dry. Many plants can’t handle constant humid soil; Venus flytraps are not like that. If you are in doubt, I would recommend to water them. Under-watering is a far more common mistake than over-watering.

I recommend following a watering routine until you get the hang of it. Also, I employ a water saucer strategy. With this method, you place my plant’s pot on top of a shallow plate. After watering your plant, add an inch of water on the plate. The extra water lets the soil remain humid, but doesn’t saturate it.

5. Too Much Water

There is some misinformation out there that leads new Venus flytrap owners to believe these plants grow in swamps, and they should live in overly watered soil. The soil of Venus flytraps must be moist at all times, but it shouldn’t be saturated.

Sometimes the leaves of Venus flytrap start turning yellow, this can be caused by overwatering. And, an excessively humid environment is the optimal environment for mold and bacterial growth.

If you are in doubt, check for over-watering conditions:

Use your fingers and press against the soil of your Venus flytrap. Ask yourself, does it only feel humid? Or is your finger soaking wet? If you answer “yes” to the second question. Then, you must take action:

Do not water your plant again until the soil is almost dry. Then, water carefully and right after, check if the soil is moist but not soaked with your finger. Repeat this process until you have mastered it!

6. The Feeding is Out of Control

It is not unusual for Venus flytrap owners to harm their plant by feeding. Improper feeding can cause an increased level of black leaves and can even attract bacteria to your plant.

Improper feeding is a cause for black leaves together with bugs that are hard to digest and maybe even too big. Here is a complete list of the most common causes for black leaves plus prevention.

The most common problems when feeding Venus flytrap are the following:

• You are feeding your plant human food: Always stick to an insect and arachnid diet for your plant. Do not experiment with human food. The plant will attempt to consume it, but will likely fail and the leaf will die
• The bugs are too big: Only feed your plant with bugs that can fit completely inside a trap. Do not attempt to stick a bug inside a trap, if it won’t be able to close. A good rule is to choose bugs that are 1/3 of the size of the trap.
• Too much food: Venus flytraps can be fed too often. If they are, the plant will purposefully let some of the traps digesting prey to wither. Only feed your plant one bug at a time and wait for 3 to 6 weeks between each feeding.

Incorrect feeding causes more black leaves. the black leaves won’t affect the whole plant, but the fewer leaves you have the less likely your plant will thrive.

In this article I teach you how to feed a Venus flytrap properly every single time: How to Feed a Venus Flytrap.

7. Extreme Heat Exposure

Extreme heat exposure can affect Venus flytrap. They do require sunlight, but they shouldn’t be in contact with heat surpassing 95 F or 35 C.

Do not leave your plant outside if the temperature is surpassing 95 F (35 C); they will dry out very quickly. And it might even get burnt. Some owners leave their plants under extreme heat during the summer, but very quickly, they notice red coloration in the exterior of the leaves, this is basically a sunburn.

Avoid windows that get too hot. The glass intensifies the intensity of the sun and can also overheat your plant. Before placing a Venus flytrap in a very sunny window, monitor the temperature at that spot.

If your plant has suffered some burns or is slightly dried up, follow these procedures:

1. Remove them from the heat source.
2. Find a spot at home where they can get enough light without burning. Also, consider a plant light of cool colors.
3. Water your plant to hydrate and be especially careful during the next few weeks.
4. Avoid feeding your plant for a few weeks so it can focus on healing

Once your plant has recovered, you can reconsider placing them outdoors . But, this time buy a gardening shade cloth to reduce the temperature. Also, consider increasing the humidity of the environment.

8. Your Plant is Suffering From Stress

When your plant undergoes, it tends to look down and lose leaves. Some common causes of stress are:

• Improper feeding (covered on item 6)
• Constant movement or contact
• The traps are being set for no reason

Avoid placing your plant next to moving objects, such as a curtain or a window. Also, sometimes pets get very curious and try to play with plants. Place your plant in an strategic location so it is not bothered too much.

Finally, avoid touching the traps of your plant. Do not try to activate them for fun. Venus flytraps employ substantial amounts of energy controlling the trapping mechanism. If you use them in vain, your plant will lose energy for no reason. Instead, consider feeding your plant to observe the trapping mechanism.

There is no follow up method for this issue. The only advice is to reduce the amount of stress your plant is receiving to a minimum. More leaves should grow healthy as you make these changes.

9. The Fertilizer is Not Appropriate

It is a misconception that Venus flytraps shouldn’t be fertilize. They can be fertilized, but it has to be done carefully. Exposure to too many chemicals can harm your Venus flytrap.

Light fertilizers give Venus flytrap an extra boost, too much fertilizing can poison it. Go over this checklist to confirm you are fertilizing your Venus flytrap appropriately:

• Only fertilize Venus flytraps during the growing season
• Only plants that do not have access to feed
• Fertilize your plant by lightly misting the leaves
• Employ weak foliar sprays as fertilizers

If you fertilized your plant improperly, quit it immediately. Avoid fertilizing for the next coming months to give your plant time to heal. Once you are ready to fertilize again, follow the instructions above to do it carefully.

10. Your Plant Has No Access to Feed

When plants live indoors, they do not have access to feed. No access to prey won’t kill your plant, but it can weaken it as it doesn’t have access to critical nutrients.

Venus flytraps that do not have access to feed won’t look very unhealthy, but they might look down or not at their prime.

Boost your plant’s growth; you can consider feeding it now and then. Just one bug every month and a half can make a big difference. You can buy dried insects such as cricket or bloodworms to feed your plants or use live feed.

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

11. Pests, Pests, Pests!

Pests can affect Venus flytraps. Check your plant for signs of pests: spots, deformities, color changes, etc. Eradicating pests is not as straightforward, since many different types of diseases can affect your plant. Here are a few examples of pests and solutions:

• Get rid of aphids with pyrethrin insecticide
• Mitigate mites with a miticide
• Eliminate a fungus infection with fungicide based on sulfur

Identify the symptoms within your plant and research for the appropriate fungicides or insecticides.

12. Root Rot

Root rot is caused by overwatering Venus flytrap and exposing them to bacteria or fungus. Root rot can kill your plant as the root starts rotting, and the whole plant gets infected.

When your plant is suffering from root rot. Some clear signs of root rot are:

• A rotting smell coming from the ground and the leaves
• An increasing number of black leaves
• The bulb turns black in certain areas

You must take action immediately if you identify root rot. Follow these instructions to save your plant:

1. Remove your Venus flytrap from the soil: Manually extract your plant from the ground. Then, rinse the roots with distilled water.
2. Remove the affected root area and leaves: Use small scissors to remove the affected area of the bulb. The affected area will be blackened. Remove the whole affected area, including any dead leaves.
3. Repot the plant: Clean the old pot and remove the old soil (do not reuse). Add new ground to the pot and make a hole in the middle of the pot. Finally, repot the plant.
4. Water your plant: Once your plant is repotted, water it thoroughly with distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater.
5. Monitor the plant for the next weeks

You can also explore the complete article in how to save your plant from root rot.

Final Thoughts

I hope you found this article informative. Make sure you review it thoroughly and fix your plant’s setup. Best of luck growing Venus flytrap. Feel free to browse around the site and learn more about carnivorous plants. Enjoy!

Make sure to review the Complete Venus flytrap Care Instructions and the Indoor Care Guide for indoor growing!

I have owned a variety of different houseplants over the years, but the Venus flytrap is by far my favorite. In this article, I will go over the main reasons why Venus flytraps make up great indoor plants.

Venus flytraps can be grown indoors almost anywhere in the world. They are great indoor plants as their care in uncomplicated, they capture bugs inside your home, and they are entertaining. Venus flytrap can thrive with proper lighting, plenty of water, and carnivorous plant soil.

Keep on reading to go over 11 reasons why Venus flytraps are fantastic houseplants. Also, if I convince you to join the club and buy a Venus flytrap, make sure to read the care considerations below.

11 Reasons Why Venus Flytraps are Exceptional Houseplant

1. Venus Flytraps Help You Get Rid of Occasional Bugs

This is a unique feature of carnivorous plants. Some plants attract bugs; others (like the Venus flytrap) help you reduce the population.

Venus flytrap consume insects and arachnids to supplement their diet. Even when placed indoors, Venus flytrap will be waiting patiently to consume the next bug. One single plant can’t solve a whole bug infestation but will reduce the population for sure. So, if you have an occasional fly, spider, or gnat, your Venus flytrap will help you out.

Against popular belief, Venus flytrap not only consume flies, but they are open to any small creature that enters their leaves.

2. You Do Not Need the Spot with Perfect Bright Spot. Artificial Lighting is an Option.

Venus flytraps require plenty of lighting to thrive, but they can even be grown in a dark basement apartment if necessary. You can employ artificial lighting for your Venus flytraps. This solution is practical and economical. I use this small plant light (which cost me less than $30) to grow three very healthy Venus flytraps.

If you have the perfect sunny window spot for your plants, a Venus flytrap will fit right in. You can place them under direct sunlight or partial sunlight, the more, the better. Optimally, they should receive 12 hours of light a day. As long as your plant does get too much heat, it can be exposed to direct sunlight for hours.

When using artificial lighting, make sure you buy a plant light with an automatic timer. Then, the light will turn on automatically every single day for a 6 to 12-hour cycle. When I use artificial light, I always set it to 12 hours.

3. Venus Flytrap Can Survive Through Too Much Love

Have you ever killed a plant because you gave them too much water? With Venus flytrap, you will rarely experience a similar situation. These plants live naturally in South Carolina and in North Carolina, where they grow in very moist soil. Venus flytrap actually needs a continuously wet environment to live. With this plant the general suggestion is to water if you are in doubt as it is a lot more common to underwater than underwater.

On extreme occasions, new owners might give them too much water, but that is rare. A high watering frequency won’t hurt your plant. your only limit is not flooding the pot. You have to keep it moist, but not damp!

4. You Will Have Fun Feeding Venus Flytraps

Venus flytraps do not need to capture bugs to live, but they grow faster and healthier if they can consume an occasional meal. I always recommend owners to start feeding their plants if they can.

You can feed your plant pretty often and enjoy the experience. Do not worry! You don’t have to capture live bugs if you don’t want to, instead you can buy dry crickets or mealworms. Regardless, the experience is very entertaining.

One of the most unique attributes of Venus fly trap is their trapping mechanism. You can poke the traps and make them close, but that hurts the plant. Instead, introduce a bug inside the trap and let your plant capture it. You will observe an exceptionally fast motion for a plant (it takes Venus flytrap less than a second to snap!). Also, you will feel very proud!

If you are interested in learning more about the feeding process go ahead and check out the article below. It will guide you through the whole feeding technique and food options you can find in a pet store.

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

5. The Flowering is Beautiful and a Potential Project

The flowers in Venus flytraps are unique and cute. Observing a Venus flytrap with traps and flowers is definitely a rewarding experience. But, besides the look, the flowering process is an opportunity to propagate your plant.

Venus flytraps can easily be artificially pollinated. With only a q-tip you can fertilize the flowers and wait until they dry out and leave seeds behind. You only need one plant to harvest seeds and once you obtain those seeds you can start seedling and produce a whole family of Venus flytraps. In less than a year you could end up owning half a dozens Venus flytraps!

6. Kids and Adults Are Constantly Amazed by Flytraps

Kids go crazy when they see carnivorous plants in real life. They can be genuinely interested in completing some home projects with the plant such as feeding them or harvesting seeds. Also, adults get very excited too. I have met dozens of adults that claim that owning a Venus flytrap was their childhood dream. Not many people realize they can buy and grow Venus flytraps. They are very surprised when they find out growing them is not that hard and totally doable.

Owning a Venus flytrap is a unique talking point or maybe even a fun fact. You can show your plant to friends and teach them some science facts about venus flytraps if they are interested. At least, that is what I do as a science lover myself.

7. Venus Flytraps Do NOT Smell

Do not be worry about any unwanted smells. Venus flytraps do not produce any smell so that you can place them anywhere in your home.

Some people claim they can smell the sweet nectar Venus flytrap produce to attract bugs, but I haven’t been able to do so myself, so I can’t comment about it. Also, some people believe Venus flytraps attract bugs and might increase the number of bugs in the area. Venus flytraps do attract bugs, but their nectar is not stronger than any other small plant, like a flower. Venus flytraps won’t draw bugs to your home. They will just attempt to capture any insect in close proximity.

If you even do encounter a smell in your Venus flytrap it is most likely due to over-watering. Like most plants, when they are watered too much they can rot, but such experience is very uncommon.

8. Expect Your Pet Flytrap to Last for Years

Venus flytraps are not only easy to care for, but they can last for many many years. their life expectancy is estimated to reach over 20 years! your plant can be an addition to your houseplants for several years.

Do not be discourage by buying a fully-grown adult Venus flytrap. Even if it is a few years old, it will still last for decades. For new owners, I usually recommend adult Venus flytraps as they are already developed and are very resilient. Fully-grown Venus flytraps are easier to feed, as the traps are larger and can fit larger prey.

9. You Won’t Break the Bank… Venus Flytraps Are Very Cheap Plants

Purchasing an exotic plant is not always cheap, but Venus flytraps are an exception. You can buy young or mature Venus flytrap for less than $20. Some companies sell you a pack of several plants as a more economical option. Also, you might be interested in buying seeds and growing a Venus flytrap through the whole cycle. I would definitely recommend the experience! But, before you do so, make sure you do some extra research taking care of seedlings is slightly more involved.

You can buy Venus flytraps online at carnivorous plant shops or at a local nursery. The last section of this article gives you some good recommendations on where to buy Venus flytraps.

10. Venus Flytraps are Tough Against Seasons

Venus flytrap can withstand a wide range of weather conditions and therefore are very resilient. You can place them in balconies or cold basements without worrying too much.

In their natural habitat, they are exposed to very hot and humid summers and cold winters with light snow or frost. As long as you keep Venus flytraps between 30 F to 100 F (0 C to 38 C), your plants will live without any problems. Very sunny windows can be a deathtrap as the direct sunlight through the glass can burn your plant. Before placing your Venus flytrap in a very sunny window, monitor the temperature.

Due to their resilience, Venus flytraps can grow almost anywhere in the world. Still, if your home is exposed to extreme heat or cold, feel free to bring your plants indoors. They are a great indoor plant.

11. The Venus Flytrap is the Perfect Starting Point for All Other Carnivorous Plants

Venus flytraps are not the easiest plant to care for, but with proper instructions, most beginners can master their care. Within carnivorous plants, Venus flytraps are considered to be a beginner plant as they do not require too many unique considerations.

When you buy a Venus flytrap you join a community of carnivorous plant growers. And as you get more into this hobby you might be interested in experimenting with other carnivorous plants. I would encourage you to do so. Venus flytraps are the most popular carnivorous plant, but they are not the only ones out there. Also, many plant care knowledge relates to other species, such as appropriate soil, water source, feeding, etc.

Challenges from Growing Venus Flytrap

I like being objective. Even though Venus flytraps are awesome plants, not everything is perfect when growing them. You might encounter some difficulties. However, these are just minor challenges that you can easily overcome. Still, I just wanted to make you aware of them.

• Venus flytraps can’t be watered with standard tap water: You need to buy nutrient-free mineral-free water, such as distilled water, reverse osmosis water, or rainwater. You can get rainwater for free or buy the appropriate water for very cheap (approximately 20 cents a gallon)
• Venus flytraps should go dormant during the winter: During the winter, Venus flytraps go dormant. If you live where it can get cold (under 45F) for several months, then your plant can’t experience dormancy by leaving outdoors during the winter. Otherwise, you can explore the refrigerator method. This one is a lot more involved, though.
• A big temptation for small children: Small children can get interested in Venus flytraps, but unfortunately, sometimes they have trouble being careful with the plant. Sticking fingers inside the traps is very tempting. And, poking the traps it is not recommended. It won’t kill the plant, but it will weaken it significantly.

Venus Flytraps Indoor Care Considerations

I hope I helped you assess if a Venus flytrap is a good fit for your home. Before you go ahead and purchase one, make sure to read the care considerations below.

• Water: Only use nutrient-free distilled water, reverse osmosis water, or rainwater.
• Water frequency: Keep the soil moist at all times.
• Sunlight: 12 hours of direct sunlight is optional. 6 hours of indirect sunlight is the minimum acceptable level. Use artificial lighting as a supplement if necessary.
• Soil: Use nutrient-free soil with good drainage. A combination of peat or sphagnum moss with sand or perlite is a suitable option.
• Feeding: Feed one trap at a time every 2-6 weeks
• Fertilizing: There is no need to fertilize Venus flytraps
• Trimming: Prune dead leaves after they are completely dry.
• Black leaves: Black leaves are normal in Venus flytraps. Check growing conditions if there is an increase in black leaves.
• Terrariums: Venus flytrap grow well in greenhouse type terrariums.
• Temperatures: Keep the plant above 25 F and below 100 F. Also, avoid hot windows, glass can overheat your plant.
• Flowering: Do not let your plant flower if you are a beginner. Cut the flower stalks as soon as they spur (spring).
• Moisture: Manually mist your plant if you live in arid climates.
• Dormancy: Venus flytraps must experience dormancy once a year.

For more in-depth instructions, read this Complete Guide on Venus flytrap Care Instructions:

Complete Venus Flytrap Care Instructions

Where to Buy Venus Flytraps

It is not hard to buy a Venus flytrap. You can purchase them online or in brick and mortar stores.

Online: Specialized Stores

When looking for a vendor, I recommend specialized carnivorous plant growers. They know a lot about Venus flytraps, and the plants they sell are in excellent condition. You can buy your plant online through several vendors. To save you some time, these are some solid options:

• californiacarnivores.com
• carnivorousplantnursery.com
• petflytrap.com
• predatoryplants.com
• flytrapcare.com/store/

Online: Amazon

Amazon carries almost any product you can imagine. It might come at no surprise that you can find venus flytraps there too. they actually have a good selection and the review system helps you find reliable sellers. Also, read the reviews before you buy.

Plant Nurseries

Nurseries carry wide varieties of plants, and some even offer carnivorous plants. Make sure to call ahead to confirm their availability of Venus flytraps. Then, when you arrive, inspect the plant for any abnormalities. Since the majority of plant nurseries are not specialized in carnivorous plants, you must double-check the state of the plant. Keep an eye for deformed leaves, parched soil, and bad odor coming from the plant.

Avoid Hardware Store Venus Flytraps

Sometimes hardware stores or grocery stores sell Venus flytraps in their garden section. It is not always the case, but it is not uncommon that their Venus flytraps are stored for weeks without proper lighting or water. Experienced carnivorous plant growers might be able to save the plant, but as a new owner, you should aim for a healthy plant.