The Venus fly trap (Dionaea muscipula) is a perennial carnivorous plant, a member of the sundew family well known for consuming small insects. People grow it in part because of its unique and eye-catching look, but mostly because of what it does. Notoriously difficult to care for, these fickle moisture-lovers can still thrive in your home with the proper knowledge and care.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is a carnivorous plant native to the temperate and subtropical wetlands of North Carolina and South Carolina, on the East Coast of the United States. Although various modern hybrids have been created in cultivation, D. muscipula is the only species of the monotypic genus Dionaea.
It is closely related to the waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa) and the cosmopolitan sundews (Drosera), all of which belong to the family Droseraceae. Dionaea catches its prey—chiefly insects and arachnids—with a “jaw”-like clamping structure, which is formed by the terminal portion of each of the plant’s leaves; when an insect makes contact with the open leaves, vibrations from the prey’s movements ultimately trigger the “jaws” to shut via tiny hairs (called “trigger hairs” or “sensitive hairs”) on their inner surfaces. Additionally, when an insect or spider touches one of these hairs, the trap prepares to close, only fully enclosing the prey if a second hair is contacted within (approximately) twenty seconds of the first contact. Triggers may occur as quickly as 1⁄10 of a second from initial contact.
The Venus flytrap is a small plant whose structure can be described as a rosette of four to seven leaves, which arise from a short subterranean stem that is actually a bulb-like object. Each stem reaches a maximum size of about three to ten centimeters, depending on the time of year; longer leaves with robust traps are usually formed after flowering. Flytraps that have more than seven leaves are colonies formed by rosettes that have divided beneath the ground.
- Fly trap leaves
The leaf blade is divided into two regions: a flat, heart-shaped photosynthesis-capable petiole, and a pair of terminal lobes hinged at the midrib, forming the trap which is the true leaf. The upper surface of these lobes contains red anthocyanin pigments and its edges secrete mucilage. The lobes exhibit rapid plant movements, snapping shut when stimulated by prey. The trapping mechanism is tripped when prey contacts one of the three hair-like trichomes that are found on the upper surface of each of the lobes.
The mechanism is so highly specialized that it can distinguish between living prey and non-prey stimuli, such as falling raindrops; two trigger hairs must be touched in succession within 20 seconds of each other or one hair touched twice in rapid succession, whereupon the lobes of the trap will snap shut, typically in about one-tenth of a second. The edges of the lobes are fringed by stiff hair-like protrusions or cilia, which mesh together and prevent large prey from escaping. These protrusions, and the trigger hairs (also known as sensitive hairs) are likely homologous with the tentacles found in this plant’s close relatives, the sundews. Scientists have concluded that the snap trap evolved from a fly-paper trap similar to that of Drosera.
The holes in the meshwork allow small prey to escape, presumably because the benefit that would be obtained from them would be less than the cost of digesting them. If the prey is too small and escapes, the trap will usually reopen within 12 hours. If the prey moves around in the trap, it tightens and digestion begins more quickly.
Speed of closing can vary depending on the amount of humidity, light, size of prey, and general growing conditions. The speed with which traps close can be used as an indicator of a plant’s general health. Venus flytraps are not as humidity-dependent as are some other carnivorous plants, such as Nepenthes, Cephalotus, most Heliamphora, and some Drosera.
The Venus flytrap exhibits variations in petiole shape and length and whether the leaf lies flat on the ground or extends up at an angle of about 40–60 degrees. The four major forms are: ‘typica’, the most common, with broad decumbent petioles; ‘erecta’, with leaves at a 45-degree angle; ‘linearis’, with narrow petioles and leaves at 45 degrees; and ‘filiformis’, with extremely narrow or linear petioles. Except for ‘filiformis’, all of these can be stages in leaf production of any plant depending on season (decumbent in summer versus short versus semi-erect in spring), length of photoperiod (long petioles in spring versus short in summer), and intensity of light (wide petioles in low light intensity versus narrow in brighter light).
- Other parts
The plant also has a flower on top of a long stem, about 6 inches long. The flower is pollinated from various flying insects such as sweat bees, longhorn beetles and checkered beetles.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Venus flytraps do best in at least six hours of bright sunlight per day. When they are grown inside under artificial lights, keep flytraps 4 to 7 inches away from fluorescent lights. If your plant’s traps don’t show a pink interior (depending on variety) or the leaves look long and spindly, provide more light.
Soil and Water
Venus flytrap thrives in poor, acidic soil that stays damp but still has good drainage. Avoid using regular potting soil, some of which may have added fertilizers. A blend of one-third perlite (or sand) and two-thirds sphagnum peat moss provides the best drainage and moisture retention.
Keep the soil constantly moist. One way to do this is to place the flytrap pot in a saucer or tray of water about an inch deep. Never give your plants what comes out of your tap; it’s usually too alkaline or might have too many minerals. Instead, rely on rainwater or use distilled water.
Temperature and Humidity
Venus flytrap prefers a temperature of 70°F-95°F, although some varieties can survive 40°F in the winter with protection. For the best Venus flytrap care, keep the environment humid. Good air circulation is also important when growing Venus flytrap plants, so turn on a fan in the room where you keep them.
Fertilizing
Do not fertilize Venus fly traps, as they perform best in soil that is low in nutrients. just like its native bog environment. Venus fly traps get all of their necessary nutrition from sunlight and from insects they consume, and fertilizers will be too harsh and loaded with chemicals for these delicate plants.
Feeding a Venus Fly Trap
If you live in a location with warm temperatures year-round and are able to grow your Venus fly trap outside, it will catch enough insects to feed itself. When grown indoors, as is more common, you may need to provide it with some meals. However, Venus fly traps won’t consume insects until they’re healthy and have all of their needs met, so focus first on creating the right growing conditions for a healthy plant.
Once your plant is healthy, you can occasionally provide it with dead or live insects. After gently dropping an insect into the open trap, you’ll need to stimulate the trigger hairs to ensure healthy digestion. You can do so using a finger or gently with a toothpick or other tool.
Potting and Repotting
When you receive a Venus flytrap, pot it in a small, deep pot using a recommended potting medium, such as one-third perlite and two-thirds peat moss. The depth of the pot encourages root growth, as does tray watering, so choose a minimum of a 4-inch-deep pot that has a drainage hole and a tray. Deeper is even better.
As for width of the pot for a Venus flytrap, the more soil around the roots, the better the insulation, so in cold areas, a wider pot is preferable. How wide? A single Venus flytrap usually grows comfortably in a 5-inch wide pot. When the plant becomes crowded—or annually, even if it doesn’t become crowded—repot it using a fresh potting medium.
Propagation
You can propagate Venus flytrap by division, leaf cuttings, or seeds. Most people choose division or leaf cuttings to propagate their Venus flytraps. Propagating from seed is possible but complicated.
The best time for division is late winter to spring. Remove the plant from the container and use a sharp knife to cut it into two or more sections. Each division must contain a portion of the root system. Repot the divisions immediately in individual pots filled with a perlite/peat moss mix.
Propagate from leaf cuttings in early summer by pulling out and down to remove an entire leaf. It must have a tiny bit of rhizome at the end to be useful for propagation. Insert the leaf (or several) into a small pot filled with a well-draining potting medium. Put the pot in a plastic bag to keep it from drying out. As a leaf turns black, trim it off. About six months later, a tiny but recognizable Venus flytrap will appear. If several leaves were planted in a pot, separate them at this point.
Overwintering
The plant goes through a period of dormancy beginning in fall when the hours of daylight and sunlight levels decrease. It will lose its leaves and appear to die, but it actually lives underground through rhizomes.2 This is normal, and you should not try to make up for the reduction of daylight hours by giving the plant artificial light.
Keep the plant in the coolest room of your home and cut back on the amount of water. Give it just enough water so the soil does not dry out completely. In the early spring when it starts regrowing, resume the regular watering schedule to keep it moist at all times.
Pests and Diseases
Venus flytraps aren’t bothered by many pests but might attract aphids, spider mites, or fungus gnats. If the plant has aphids, submerge it in water (distilled, not tap!) for two days. Wait a week and repeat the process. If the plant has a severe aphid infestation, apply an insecticidal soap or neem oil, which is also effective against spider mites.
In the case of fungus gnats, the larvae cause the problem. Control them by drenching the soil with Bacillus thuringiensis (BT). To prevent attracting them, keep the soil slightly moist but not soggy.
At times, the Venus flytrap leaves and traps turn black or burnt-looking, causing new owners to be alarmed. The plant is likely entering its dormant period, at which point the foliage dies only to emerge refreshed months later. However, an unhealthy Venus flytrap can display black leaves or traps due to other reasons: low humidity, letting the plant dry out too often, and root rot among them. In these cases, correct the problem and trim the black leaves and traps from the plant; they can’t be saved.
III. Types of Venus Flytraps
Plant breeders have been working with Venus flytraps and have come out with new varieties, including a few with large burgundy-red traps. These unusual varieties, along with familiar favorites, are available from specialty garden centers or online retailers. Popular varieties of Venus flytrap include:
- ‘Red Dragon’: The leaves and traps of Dionaea muscipula ‘Red Dragon’, also known as Dionaea muscipula ‘Adai Ryu’, turn dark red in full sunlight. During winter dormancy, ‘Red Dragon’ drops all its leaves but soon bounces back. This striking beauty grows to 4 inches tall and requires minimal protection outdoors in Zones 7-9. In colder regions, mulch the plant or grow it indoors as a houseplant.
- ‘King Henry’: An excellent starter plant for newcomers to carnivorous plants, Dionaea muscipula ‘King Henry’ is large, fast-growing, and hardy in Zones 5–9 (with protection in colder areas). It has green leaves and large traps with red interiors. This flytrap grows up to 5 inches tall.
- ‘Gremlin’: Dionaea muscipula ‘Gremlin’ is a charming all-green flytrap that isn’t as tall as some at first but makes up for its size with a huge amount of traps. It forms dense clumps and spreads rapidly over a short period. The traps increase in size as the growth points age—some up to 1 inch long. It is rumored to spread to fill a 12-inch bowl within a year.
- ‘Big Mouth’: As the name implies, Dionaea muscipula ‘Big Mouth’ produces large red-mouthed traps fringed in green that hug the ground rather than grow on upright stems. It grows to 3–5 inches. This flytrap is hardy in Zones 6-9, with protection in colder areas.
- ‘B52’: The bright-red traps of Dionaea muscipula ‘B52’ are massive and reach 1.5 to 2 inches in length. ‘B52’ tends to clump, and it reaches 3-5 inches tall, so the traps look like they are almost sitting on the ground. ‘B52’ is hardy in Zones 6-9, with protection in colder areas.
Find Where to Buy the Best Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)
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