Can You Give Venus Flytraps Tap Water?
Naturally growing in the sandy bogs of the eastern reaches of North and South Carolina, the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) lives on pure rainwater. When grown as a houseplant or part of a temperate garden, these carnivorous plants prosper when given pure water, such as collected rainwater. Tap water rarely meets the needs for long-term health in Venus flytraps, since it comes from wells or municipal sources riddled with salts, chlorine or other impurities. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
-
Tap Water
-
Unless you know your tap water is amazingly pure, do not use tap water on Venus flytrap or any other carnivorous plant. According to John Brittnacher of The International Carnivorous Plant Society, only use tap water if it contains less than 90 parts per million of dissolved solids. Rarely would such clean, naturally pure water occur. Another test for tap water purity is noting if there is any buildup of white- or tan-colored salt rings or deposits on filters, old flower vases or in the shower or bathtub.
Recommended Water Sources
-
Collecting rain water, although a slow and sometimes tedious process, often sustains Venus flytrap plants nicely. Alternatively, collect condensation from air conditioning systems as this is purified water taken from the air. The more convenient way to obtain quality water for carnivorous plants is purchasing or making distilled or reverse-osmosis water. Ineffective water "purification" methods include simply boiling water, resting a bucket of water for 24 hours, or using portable filter systems like a paper coffee filter or clamp-on faucet system, according to Barry Rice on The Carnivorous Plant FAQ website.
-
Obtaining Good Water
-
If you purchase and maintain your own reverse-osmosis system, test the quality of the water so that no more than 50 parts per million of dissolved solids remain after the process. Such clean processed water is appropriate to use on your Venus flytrap. The easier way is to purchase commercially prepared purified water. Make sure the product states on the label that is was either purified by distillation or purified by reverse-osmosis. Bottled drinking or spring water does not count. Specifically look for the words "by distillation" or "by reverse-osmosis."
Watering Venus Flytrap
-
From fall to spring when temperatures are cool and the Venus flytrap is dormant, water only as needed to keep the soil evenly moist. Once new grow appears in early spring, place the container in a shallow basin tray filled with 1 to 2 inches of purified water. This keeps the soil evenly moist during the higher intensity sunlight and hot days of the summer growing season. Never let the Venus flytrap grow in a soggy or bone dry soil.
-
References
- International Camellia Society; Growing Dionaea Muscipula; John Brittnacher
- International Camellia Society; Check List for Growing Dionaea Muscipula; John Brittnacher
- The Carnivorous Plant FAQ; About Making Purified Water; Barry Rice; 2005
- The Carnivorous Plant FAQ; About Buying Purified Water; Barry Rice; 2005
Resources
- Photo Credit carnivores image by Vladdy from Fotolia.com
