20151004_113202-FI Venus Fly Traps

Venus Fly Traps (Dionaea muscipula) are one of the most recognized carnivorous plants available.There are dozens of varieties of Venus fly traps with different teeth, color and growth habits. Venus fly traps grow in sunny, wet and humid areas of the USA. The soil is poor in nutrients and therefore they must  trap and digest insects to get the nutrition they require to survive.

B52-Trigger-hairs-300x254 Venus Fly Traps
VFT B52 Trigger hairs
Key points to grow Venus Fly Traps successfully:

  • Use ONLY rain water, RO water or distilled water. Tap water will kill your fly trap!
  • Best to grow in a tray with 1/2 to 1 inch of water in it.
  • Do Not fertilizer a Venus fly trap! Fertilizer can kill a vft.
  • Soil should be 50% peat moss and 50% sand (washed play sand). Long fiber Sphagnum moss will also work as a vft media.
  • Grow the trap in partial to full sun. VFTs grow well under plant lights, about 3 to 6 inches away from bulbs.
  • Do not feed your vtp, they will catch their own food.
  • Venus Fly Traps will produce a tuber and go dormant from late November until mid February. Keep them cool and moist during this period.
  • VFT can live for many years
  • Do not ‘force’ your trap to close, as each trap can only close a few times in it’s life

Here are examples of mature Venus Fly Trap colonies from California Carnivores:

At Bergen Water Gardens look for these varieties of Venus fly traps to purchase: Other interesting hybrids: Venus Fly Trap enjoying dinner: Join our email list: [mc4wp_form]

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