Dionaea muscipula: How To Care For Venus Fly Trap

The Venus Flytrap is a phenomenal plant that has gained increased popularity amongst carnivorous plant species. 

It belongs to the Droseraceae family and it can be found growing in tropical regions of North America. 

Venus Fly traps survive by killing and digesting unsuspecting prey insects that come in contact with its trap. 

This ‘trap’ is its leaves which produce sweet-smelling nectar and are modified to resemble two lips with tiny hairs that are sensitive to external stimuli.

The exotic plant fly eater is a slow feeder, as it takes between 4 days to 10 days to digest its caught prey, after which it reopens, to hunt for a new prey

Botanical Name	Dionaea muscipula
Common Names	Venus Fly Trap
Origin	North America
Family	Droseraceae
Plant Type	Carnivorous Perennial
Full Size	From 6 to 12 inches tall
Sun Exposure	Ranges from full direct sunlight to partial shade
Soil Type	Moist, sandy soil

Venus Fly Traps varieties 

There are different types of venus fly traps cultivars being produced often spotting a slight change in color or size. Here are a few varieties;

• Dionaea ‘Ginormous’ muscipula
• Dionaea ‘Petite Dragon’ muscipula
• Dionaea ‘DC All Red’ muscipula

Care for venus fly trap

Because they require special attention, the Venus fly trap is pretty difficult to take care of, but understanding its basic light, water, soil, and temperature requirements is enough to guarantee a flourishing plant. 

Venus Fly Trap Light Requirement  

The Venus flytrap plant does well when exposed to both bright, direct, and indirect sunlight during a day and the key to proper growth indoors is to regulate the light intensity. 

As a great practice, provide the exotic plant with a minimum of 12 hours of total sunlight in a day. You can regulate this to be 4 to 6 hours of direct bright sunlight and the remaining 6 to 8 hours of indirect but bright sunlight. 

Place the potted plant in a room right next to a window where it can receive adequate lighting and make use of a light curtain to help reduce the harsh sun’s rays when needed. 

Water Requirements for the Venus Fly Trap Plant

Avoid soggy soil when watering the plant. Excess water in the soil would open up the plant to fungal attacks like rot. 

The aim of watering should be moist soil, and you can achieve this by watering the plant once in 10 to 14 days. When watering, ensure it is rainwater, as tap water contains chemicals harmful to the plant.  

Collect rainwater in a bucket for your plant and if rainwater is unavailable, you can make use of distilled water as it should be pure enough. 

Soil Requirement for the Venus Fly Trap

An ideal soil type for the Venus Fly Trap would be one that is well-draining and well-aerated, giving the plant’s roots the needed oxygen to breathe. 

This can be achieved by mixing a good batch of potting soil, a part of peat moss, and a little mulch. Organic compost would not be needed for Venus Flytraps. 

Keep the soil pH type acidic as this is most ideal for the plant. A range between 3.5 and 5 is perfect.  

Venus Fly Trap Temperature and Humidity Requirement

As a tropical carnivorous plant, the fly trap plant loves a little humidity, so a recommended level should be a little above 50%. 

High temperatures are also acceptable for the exotic potted plant. Keep the temperature level between 70 degrees Fahrenheit to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Fertilizer Requirement for Venus Fly Trap

Never fertilizes your potted plant as it does more damage to the plant than good. The nutrients gotten from digesting flies are more than enough for the plant. 

Propagating the Venus Fly Trap

Propagating should be done through the division method. Do be careful when doing this so you don’t end up damaging the plant.

Common Health Problems of the Venus Fly Trap

Although the Venus fly trap is a carnivorous plant, it does suffer from a few pests like; 

• Fungus Gnats
• Aphids
• Root Rot 

A few more carnivorous plants: Butterwort, Monkey Cup, Cobra Lily, Purple Pitcher.

Frequently Asked Questions