Growing a Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is almost like having a little green pet, complete with hungry bifold jaws with spiky fringed "teeth." And when an insect lands on that enticing pink center and the trap closes around the victim, that's completely out of this world! In order to grow a Venus flytrap, you need to provide it different care than other houseplants you're probably used to growing, but these tips will help guide you through its requirements to thrive.

Where to Grow Venus Flytrap

Instead of originating one planet away from Earth, Venus flytraps are perennials native to boggy areas of coastal North and South Carolina. They grow in moist, acidic soils in full sun, but most varieties survive winter outdoors only in Zones 8-10. Although some varieties can live in colder zones with protection, most gardeners grow them as houseplants that summer outdoors and winter indoors. Gardeners in cold winter climates should grow Venus flytraps in a moist environment, such as an open terrarium, that can go indoors during winter.

Venus Flytrap Care Tips

Light

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.

Fertilizer

Never add fertilizer, and don't add lime to the soil of Venus flytrap plants. These plants get the nutrients they need from their prey.

What to Feed a Venus Flytrap

Although flytraps are carnivorous, they can go for long periods (a month or two) without eating insects. If you grow them outdoors, they'll get enough to eat naturally. If you're growing Venus flytraps indoors, you'll have to feed them small bugs such as flies and beetles periodically. When you're feeding a flytrap, don't give it any insects larger than a third of the size of the trap. Otherwise, the trap won't be able to fully close and begin digesting the food.

It doesn't matter if the bug is alive or not, but the trap needs to be triggered by movement before it will close. For dead prey, after placing the bug in an open trap, gently touch a small paintbrush to the inside of the trap until you see the trap start to close. Only trigger traps to close when there is food for the plant. Playing with the traps just to make them close wastes the plant's energy, which can lead to its decline.

Potting and Repotting Venus Flytrap

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 fresh potting medium.

Pests and Problems

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.

How to Propagate Venus Flytrap

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 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.

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.

Winter Dormancy for Venus Flytraps

Like many other plants, Venus flytraps need a period of winter dormancy when they appear to be dead (the leaves may die back) but are merely resting. Keep the plant at 35°F to 50°F 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.