How to Keep a Venus Fly Trap Alive
Venus flytraps, or Dionaea muscipula, have specialized carnivorous leaves that form a jaw-like contraption to eat insects. Venus flytraps, which are native to North and South Carolina, are dwindling in nature. However, new cultivars are created in greenhouses. Venus flytraps have long lives if cared for properly, and can live up to 20 years. A little knowledge and care will keep these carnivorous plants alive and well in the household. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Potted Venus fly trap plant
- Saucer to fit under pot
- Small watering pot or paper cup
- Distilled water or collected rain
- Optional: flourescent lighting
Instructions
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Place the Venus fly trap where the plant will receive eight hours of sun, such as a sunny, south-facing window. Flourescent lighting can be used to supplement natural light, if a suitable location is not available in the house.
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Water the plant with distilled water or collected rainwater frequently. Check the potting mix around the plant daily, making sure it does not dry out. In nature, Venus flytraps grow in bogs, and require a consistent supply of moisture. Do not use bottled water or tap water, as the mineral content tends to be too rich for the plant and will cause it to die.
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Feed the plant with an insect, such as a living ant or a fly, once or twice a month. Avoid overfeeding the plant with insects. Never give the plant meat of any kind, as it will kill the plant. The occasional insect is a natural supplement to nutrients obtained from the soil. The plant's leaves are designed with the trap to complement the root system. Each trap, or leaf, will close and reopen only a handful of times before the leaf will die.
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Move the plant to a cooler area when the plant dies back and enters its dormant stage. Venus flytraps go dormant over the winter months in its native habitat. Allow the soil to dry periodically during this stage. When spring arrives, bring the plant back to its sunny window and resume maintaining moist soil.
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Tips & Warnings
Venus flytraps rarely need to be repotted. If yours multiplies and fills the pot, either separate into multiple small pots or place the clump in a larger pot. Use equal parts peat moss and vermiculite, with a small amount of compost instead of potting soil.
Pick off any dead or dying leaves.
Do not apply plant food of any kind to your Venus flytrap. This plant thrives in conditions that other plants can not tolerate. They live in soil that is air deprived and do not process nitrogen, unlike other house plants.
