They grow in moist, acidic soilsin full sun, but most varieties survive winteroutdoors only in Zones 8-10.
Light
Venus flytraps do best in at least six hours of bright sunlight per day.
When they aregrown inside under artificial lights, keep flytraps 4 to 7 inches away from fluorescent lights.
Credit:Evgeniya Vlasova / BHG
Avoid usingregular potting soil, some of which may have added fertilizers.
Keep thesoil constantly moist.
Instead, rely on rainwater or use distilled water.
Credit:Evgeniya Vlasova / BHG
For the best Venus flytrap care,keep the environment humid.
Fertilizer
Never add fertilizer, and don’t addlime to the soilof Venus flytrap plants.
These plants get the nutrients they need from their prey.
Credit:Evgeniya Vlasova / BHG
If you grow them outdoors, they’ll get enough to eat naturally.
Otherwise, the trap won’t be able to fully close and begin digesting the food.
Only trigger traps to close when there is food for the plant.
Don’t feed a Venus flytrap any meat, including chicken, steak, sausage, or hot dogs.
Also, refrain from offering fruit or candy.
Deeper is even better.
A single Venus flytrap usually grows comfortably in a 5-inch wide pot.
When the plant becomes crowdedor annually, even if it doesn’t become crowdedrepot it using fresh potting medium.
If the plant has aphids, submerge it in water (distilled, not tap!)
Wait a week and repeat the process.
In the case offungus 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.
Most people choose division or leaf cuttings to propagate their Venus flytraps.
Propagating from seed is possible but complicated.
These unusual varieties, along with familiar favorites, are available from specialty garden centers or online retailers.
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.
It has green leaves and large traps with red interiors.
This flytrap grows up to 5 inches tall.
It forms dense clumps and spreads rapidly over a short period.
The traps increase in size as the growth points agesome up to 1 inch long.
It is rumored to spread to fill a 12-inch bowl within a year.
It grows to 35 inches.
This flytrap is hardy in Zones 6-9, with protection in colder areas.
‘B52’ is hardy in Zones 6-9, with protection in colder areas.
ensure to purchase your plants from a reputable source that doesn’t collect from wild populations.
Keep the plant at 35F to 50F during this time.
Don’t let terrariums freeze, or the plants may die, and the glass may break.
At about the spring equinox, when days start growing longer, begin to increase warmth and light.
Producing a flower takes a lot of energy.
That’s no problem for a mature Venus flytrap.
It can happily flower on and off during the year.
However, young plants don’t handle the energy drain as well as mature plants.
Cut the flowers from young plants as soon as you see them forming for the first year or two.
The flowers don’t attract insects, so they are purely ornamental.
Removing them does no harm.
A Venus flytrap isn’t strong enough to “bite” you with any power.
If you stick your finger in the plant, it is more likely to be damaged than you are.
One insects every 2-4 weeks is generally sufficient if a Venus fly trap is not catching its own food.
