How to grow Venus flytrap as a houseplant

This carnivorous plant is fun to grow, but requires a little special care. These tips will help you keep yours happy on the inside.

When I was a kid I thought Venus fly traps really came from the planet Venus. Their little bending jaws with pointed, fringed "teeth" looked quite odd, but when an insect landed on that attractive pink center and the trap closed around the victim, well, it was completely out of hand. this world! These carnivorous plants are quite fascinating and can be fun to grow indoors. Fortunately, this isn't too hard to do, as long as you don't mind munching on a few bug snacks every now and then. Unusual plants need a little different care than other houseplants you are probably used to growing, but if you provide the right conditions, your Venus flycatcher will soon become your new favorite plant.

Venus Flytrap Plant at Home

Where do Venus fly traps grow

Rather than originating from a planet on Earth, Venus fly traps (Dionaea muscipula) are perennials native to coastal wetlands in North and South Carolina. They grow in moist, acidic soils in full sun, but only survive the winter outdoors in zones 8 through 10. Gardeners in colder winter climates should grow Venus fly traps in a humid environment, such as a terrarium, which can go indoors during the winter.

Venus flytrap croissant

Venus flytrap thrives in poor, acidic soils that remain moist but still have good drainage. Avoid planting it in regular potting soil - a mixture of one-third of sand and two-thirds of sphagnum peat moss provides the best drainage and moisture retention. Do not add lime to the soil and never add fertilizer.

Venus fly traps work best in bright but indirect light. It is especially important to avoid exposing them to direct sunlight in summer, as this can get too hot and make the leaves crisp. When growing indoors under artificial lights, keep fly traps 4 to 7 inches from fluorescent lights. If your plant traps don't feature a pinkish interior, or the leaves appear long and thin, provide more light.

For the best care of the Venus fly trap, keep the environment moist and the soil moist, but do not allow the plants to stay in the water constantly. Never feed your plants what comes out of your tap; it is usually too alkaline or may contain too many minerals. Instead, rely on rain or use distilled water. Good air circulation is also important when growing Venus flytrap plants, so turn on a fan in the room where you keep them.

Feeding Venus Flytrap

What do the plants in the Venus fly trap eat? The name says it all: their main diet is flies (or other small insects). The trick is that the prey must be alive when captured. Dead flies will not work to feed the Venus fly traps; the insect must move inside the trap to close and digest it. It should also be small enough that the trap can be tightly closed around it to prevent bacteria from entering.

Feeding Flytrap Plant at Home

If you are growing the plants in a closed terrarium, the easiest feeding method for the Venus Fly Trap is to release small flies into space. Eventually, the insects will be attracted to the traps and will be eaten. Although fly traps are carnivorous, they can go long periods (one to two months) without eating insects. If you grow them outdoors, they will have enough to eat naturally. If you are growing Venus fly traps indoors, you will need to feed them regularly for dinner. If you are feeding your fly trap, do not feed it insects larger than one-third the size of the trap; Live flies can be difficult to feed, but small spiders, beetles, and caterpillars work too.

Winter dormancy of the Venus fly trap

Like many other plants, Venus fly traps need a period of winter dormancy when they appear dead (leaves may die) but are simply resting. Keep the plant between 35 and 50 ° F. Do not allow terrariums to freeze; plants can die and glass can shatter. Around the vernal equinox, when the days begin to lengthen, the heat and light begin to increase.

Varieties of Venus flytrap

Breeders have worked with Venus fly traps and have released some varieties, such as "Akai Ryu", which has large burgundy red traps.