The Venus Flytrap has to be one of the most exciting houseplants around. Everybody knows about Venus Fly Traps, whether they are a seasoned horticulturist, or whether they just watched cartoons when they were young! As carnivorous plants go, Venus Flytraps are the kings.
They come highly recommended - Charles Darwin described them as "one of the most wonderful plants in the world". You can see why he was fascinated by them from an evolutionary standpoint, and for anyone with even a passing interest in the natural world, they are incredible indoor plants to watch, study or just enjoy.
As a complex species of plant, you could be forgiven for thinking that they require a great deal of care - well this blog is all about establishing whether that is the case, and exactly how to care for a Venus Fly Trap. In a few minutes time, you will know everything you need to know.
Are Venus Fly Traps easy to care for?
There isn't a great deal to worry about when it comes to Venus Fly Trap care, but it has needs that are slightly different to regular house plants, so it's worth taking the time to read up (in a blog like this...) before you buy a Venus Fly Trap.
It won't come as a surprise to learn that the main difference between Venus Fly Traps and other plant is all about feeding. Other than that, and to be honest, that won't take up too much of your time, the Venus Fly Trap is actually pretty straightforward to look after. They are often given to children to look after - nothing ignites a fascination with science better than seeing a plant eat flies! There isn't much to know, but everything that you should know is important.
What are Venus Fly Traps?
Considering their notoriety, you may be surprised to know that the Venus Fly Trap actually has a very small, and specific, natural habitat. They originally grew on the coasts of North and South Carolina, in the boggy areas there. They are actually at risk of extinction in these areas, and it's thought that wild populations of Venus Flytraps grew in many other locations around the world, but habitat destruction has left them extinct there.
They are one of the most recognisable plants in the world, with their 'jaw' and 'teeth', and bold red and green colours. And then there's the whole 'eating insects' thing... They attract live insects inside them with a sweet nectar, and then when they feel movement on their trigger hairs, they quickly close up to seal the trap. Then they produce enzymes that digest the soft tissue of their prey, and absorb those precious nutrients. The whole process takes about a week. Delicious, right...?
People have been keeping Venus Flytraps as a houseplant for centuries, even before Darwin spoke about them so glowingly! It was given the botanical name Dionaea muscipula by John Ellis in 1769, and was acknowledged as utterly fascinating back then.
How to care for a Venus Fly Trap
Okay, now it's time to cover everything you will need to know about Venus Flytrap care. We'll go through everything in detail, before then providing you with our quick-fire summary for your easy reference.
We'll start with water. As they originate from the boggy wetlands of North and South Carolina, they like to stay moist with plenty of water in their soil. Just to make things slightly complicated, though, they are a bit fussy when it comes to what kind of water they like - they are used to nutrient poor soil, and tap water can have too many nutrients for them. Ideally, they would prefer pure water like rainwater. The best way to collect this is to leave a watering can outside to collect the rain, and bring it in to water every now and then.
The best way to water a Venus Flytrap is to leave your pot in the saucer of water and let it absorb from the bottom. When they go into Winter dormancy, they require much less water, so you just need to check every now and then to ensure it's still damp. They also prefer colder conditions in the Winter, so move it to the coolest room in the house.
Now onto light - they love direct sunlight, so make sure they get plenty of bright light. Put them on a windowsill, and you could even move it outside if you are enjoying a sunny spell. They also like humidity, so bathrooms and kitchens are perfect, and they'd benefit from a little spritz of water every now and then.
For soil, again, it's quite fussy. It doesn't like regular soil or compost, you need to use a sphagnum moss and perlite combination, or a mix specifically for carnivorous plants.
Now onto the main event - feeding! They can be self-sufficient when it comes to catching and eating their prey, but if there aren't many insects around, you may need to give it a little help. If you catch an insect you can lay it inside the plant, and let it close by itself - don't force it shut as this will waste the plant's energy.
Never try to feed you Venus Fly Trap meat - it will not be able to digest that. Just to stress again, you shouldn't have to feed your plant - it should be fine fending for itself.
Here's our quick summary:
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Origins: The East coast of America
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How much light: Plenty of bright sunlight
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Water requirements: Keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged during the growing season. Place the pot in a saucer of rainwater, but less during the Winter dormancy period.
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Humidity requirements: A quick spritz with a water mist to recreate that boggy atmosphere
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Soil requirements: A mix of sphagnum moss and perlite is best. Peat free mixes for carnivorous plants are also available.
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Temperature requirements: 20°C to 30°C, minimum around 17°C at night. During Winter dormancy move them to a colder room.
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Pruning requirements: Prune any new flowers as this will divert energy away.
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Pests: Pretty robust to pests (enter at your peril), but may get a build up of fungus gnats which you can catch with sticky traps.
Propagating Venus Fly Traps
The easiest way to propagate a Venus Fly Trap is by division - simply cut off an offshoot with a sharp knife at the base of the plant, making sure you take plenty of roots with it. Then pop it in one of our indoor pots with a mix of sphagnum peat moss and perlite, and keep it moist - your new healthy plant will grow from there!
Grow your indoor garden with Prickle
The Venus Fly Trap is a fun plant to grow in your home, and it can work fantastically as part of a bigger collection of indoor plants. Have a look at the other indoor plants that we have for sale, as well as our outdoor collection, and start work on your dream setup today.
If you have any questions at all about indoor plants, please don't hesitate to get in touch. You can contact our team on social media (@prickleplantsuk) or via email - contact@prickleplants.co.uk - we'd love to hear from you.