Venus flytrap
Also known as
Venus fly trap, Venus's flytrap, Flytrap, Dionaea
Keep this plant’s care guide close at hand.
Get the appAbout Venus flytrap
Dionaea muscipula, commonly known as the Venus flytrap, is a small, perennial, carnivorous plant endemic to the nutrient-poor wetlands of the Carolina coastal plain in the southeastern United States. It forms a ground-hugging rosette of petioles tipped with hinged traps 1–3 inches (2.5–7.5 cm) across, each lined with interlocking marginal cilia (“teeth”). Inside the lobes, two to three sensitive trigger hairs detect struggling prey; when touched twice within ~20 seconds, the trap snaps shut, then seals and digests insects with enzymes over days. The plant’s summer growth produces upright traps; winter induces a cool dormancy with compact leaves. In spring it sends up a tall scape bearing white, nectar-rich flowers, spatially separated from the traps to avoid capturing pollinators. In habitat it grows in open, sunny, fire-maintained savannas with saturated, acidic, sandy-peat soils low in dissolved minerals. Its specialized nutrition strategy allows survival where competitors are limited, but it remains threatened in the wild by habitat loss, poaching, hydrologic alteration, and fire suppression.
Taxonomy
Properties & Requirements
How to care for Venus flytrap
Water
Keep the medium consistently moist using the tray method. Stand the pot in 0.5–1 inch (1–2.5 cm) of rain, distilled, or RO water and allow it to be absorbed; let the tray dry for a day before refilling in summer. Never water with tap water unless measured below ~50 ppm TDS. Avoid overhead watering that repeatedly triggers traps. In winter dormancy, keep the medium just damp—do not let it dry out, but reduce standing water to prevent root rot.
Light
Full sun is best: 6+ hours of direct sunlight outdoors yields sturdy growth and deep red trap interiors. Indoors, place at a south-facing window with 4–6 hours of direct sun, or use high-output LED grow lights providing 300–600 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ for 12–16 hours daily. Gradually acclimate plants moved from low to high light to prevent leaf burn. Shade reduces vigor and trap coloration, and encourages lanky, weak leaves.
Nutrients
Do not fertilize the soil—traditional fertilizers will burn roots and kill Venus flytraps. They derive nutrients from prey. Outdoors, let them catch their own insects. Indoors, feed a trap 1–2 appropriately sized bugs (no larger than 1/3 the trap) every 2–4 weeks during active growth; gently stimulate hairs to trigger a proper seal. Dried bloodworms or mealworms rehydrated work well. Never use slow-release pellets or urea-based products. If experienced, optional foliar feeding at 1/10 strength orchid fertilizer is possible, but unnecessary and risky.
Temperature
During active growth, ideal temperatures are 70–90°F (21–32°C) with good air movement; brief peaks to ~95°F (35°C) are tolerated if the roots stay wet. Provide a cool winter dormancy for 10–14 weeks at 35–50°F (2–10°C) with shorter days. Plants can tolerate light frosts when dormant, but protect from hard freezes below ~25°F (−4°C) in containers. Avoid hot, stagnant indoor air and overheated windowsills; overheating without sufficient water leads to weak, etiolated growth.
