Here you will find most of the informational info on Carnivorous Plants. If you need to know how a venus flytrap works or how long it takes for a pitcher plant to grow, this will be your go to!
Venus flytraps can definitely eat ants. A venus flytrap that is left outside will likely eat a few ants. If you are looking for the best insects to feed your venus flytrap, I wouldn’t recommend feeding ants if possible. Ants have been known to kill or cause harm to the trap that captures the ant. I wouldn’t panic if your flytrap closes on an ant, but just know that they have been known to cause issues for venus flytraps. There are much better options if you are choosing insects to feed your venus flytraps.
Lets take a closer look at venus flytraps eating ants, and which insects are better options!
Technically, the answer to this question is yes. Venus flytraps can and will eat ants. The better question to ask is whether or not you should feed your venus flytraps ants. When left outside, I have noticed that my venus flytraps will close down on larger ants. Smaller garden ants may not be big enough to trigger the trap to close.
I’ve seen my own venus flytraps handle ants just find but I have also seen them turn black and die when trying to digest the ant. It does seem that sometimes the ant does cause issues with the flytrap. This could be due to ants acidic nature.
If you are asking this question to consider which insects are best to feed your venus flytrap, I’d probably avoid ants all together. I wouldn’t panic if you see your flytrap catch an ant, but it does seem there are better options for feeding a venus flytrap. We will talk about some of those options below.
Venus flytraps definitely eat ants in the wild. Venus flytraps will actually close and try to eat anything that moves. They aren’t picky, but will close the trap down when the trigger hairs are touched. Any insect moving around inside the trap will trigger the plant and the trap will close. Ants are one of the most common insects making them a common meal for venus flytraps.
When in the wild, a flytraps diet consists of 33% ants, 30% spiders, 10% beetles and 10% grasshoppers. According to the paper cited below, if you feed venus flytraps nitrogen content (insects) the result will be larger traps. It’s also stated that 20 to 50% of flytraps total intake of nitrogen comes from insects alone. You can conclude that a group of flytraps that feeds on insects will grow larger than a group that is never fed any insects.
The point really is that, venus flytraps consume a lot of ants in the wild, so it’s probably okay. However, if you have a choice, I’d recommend some of the other insects below.
Better Choices Than Ants To Feed A Venus Flytrap
Although it’s probably okay to feed your venus flytrap ants, I would recommend some other types of insects if you have a choice. The best insects are going to be the ones that have higher concentration of nitrogen and are easy for the flytrap to break down and digest. Check out the best insects below to feed a venus flytrap.
House Flies
It’s all in the name. One of the best insects for a venus flytrap is the common house fly. They have a lot of nitrogen and are soft enough for the venus flytrap to easily break down and consume.
Spiders
Spiders are also high in nitrogen and have fairly soft bodies that are easy for the venus flytrap to break down and consume. The are the second most common insect eaten in the wild by venus flytraps.
Wasps
There are many kinds of wasps and these do tend to be a little tricky as they tend to be a little bigger than some of these other insects. If the wasp is too big, the trap will close but it won’t be able to digest the insect. Assuming the wasp is less than half the size of the trap that closes, it makes a great meal for the plant.
Mealworms are my favorite insect to feed my venus flytraps. They are fairly easy to get and are not very expensive. It’s much easier to buy some live mealworms than try to find insects around your house for your venus flytrap to eat. They are soft enough for the venus flytrap to digest easily but also contain a lot of nitrogen.
Crickets, like mealworms, are a great and easy to obtain snack for your venus flytrap. Just make sure you get some that are small enough so that the trap will close entirely. They are easily broken down and contain a lot of nitrogen.
https://youtu.be/-PsUgnwdB0A
Conclusion
When it comes down to it, vneus flytraps can and will eat ants. If left in the wild, it’s one of the top insects that get consumed due to how common they are. If you can avoid ants, I’d recommend doing so. There are better insects that are higher in nitrogen that can do less harm to your flytraps. Any of the insects listed above would be better and are typically available to buy and feed your venus flytrap.
Full sized venus flytraps do not typically eat gnats or fruit flies. Gnats & fruit flies are too small to trigger the hairs to make the trap close on a venus flytrap. A smaller venus flytrap from 1-2 years old may be small enough to eat gnats and fruit flies. Even though venus flytraps eat gnats and fruit flies at a young age they are not the best carnivorous plant for gnat or fruit fly control.
Lets talk more about what carnivorous plant you can get to control those pesky gnats and fruit flies!
If you grow venus flytraps from either seed or propagation, you may have some around that are small enough to eat fruit flies and gnats. Typically, you are not getting venus flytraps for gnat or fruit fly control. Even the young venus flytraps that are capable of eating the gnats or fruit flies don’t have enough traps on them to actually make a difference.
You could even debate that if a gnat were to trigger a full sized venus flytrap to close its trap it probably expends more energy trying to digest the gnat or fruit fly than it will get from the insect due it it’s small size. The venus flytrap has evolved to know it needs a larger insect to trigger the trap for it to be worth expending the energy to close.
The other issue is that venus flytraps actually need to be triggered twice. They have evolved to know that it’s possible for a leaf or rain drop to trigger the trap to close. The venus flytrap actually waits for a secondary trigger once the trap closes. If the thing inside is not moving, the flytrap will likely not go thorough with full digestion to save energy. Digestion will only trigger if the thing its trapped is moving around on the inside and triggers the hair a second time. The flytrap then releases it’s digestive enzyme to eat it’s prey. A gnat would not be big enough to trigger the secondary response.
Carnivorous Plants That Eats Gnats & Fruit Flies
Venus flytraps are amazing and one of the coolest carnivorous plants.They are small enough to eat gnats and fruit flies but will not make much of a dent with an outbreak. However, there are some amazing carnivorous plants that you can get pretty easily that will help you control your gnat and fruit fly problem.
Were going to talk about some amazing carnivorous plants that will definitely eat some fruit flies and gnats in enough of a quantity that can actually help you out!
Mexican Butterworts or Pinguicula
A ping is a much better option than a venus flytrap for eating gnats and fruit flies.
PINGS! One of my favorite carnivorous plants! These amazing carnivorous plants are not only better for eating gnats and fruit flies but they are even easier to care for! Venus flytraps can be really tricky to care for. They need full sun or at the very least a very strong grow light for 12-15 hours a day. Venus flytraps will not typically grow well on a window sill either, making them tricky to really care for. Venus flytraps also need a winter dormancy period. All of these factors make venus flytraps tricky to grow.
Pings (short for pinguicula) are much easier to care for.
Each leaf on a ping can capture and eat many gnats or fruit flies.
They do still need light, but not nearly as much as a venus flytrap. They actually do really well on window sills and don’t typically need any kind of winter dormancy. But, most importantly, they can consume massive quantities of gnats and fruit flies. I had a breakout last year and my ping CLEANED up the gnats and fruit flies. Check out the video below so you can see just how many gnats and fruit flies my ping took care of.
If you are interested in purchasing a ping, California Carnivores has a huge selection. I recommend a “Sethos” or “Weser” as they are pretty easy to care for but there are so many other great pinguicula out there you can get eat gnats and fruit flies. Also, make sure to enter CPHUB at check out so you can get 10% off your order!
I actually have a YouTube channel where you can see my carnivorous plants. I did a video all about how my pinguicula was catching gnats and fruit flies. Check it out below! Click the icon in the upper left to subscribe to my channel for updates on this very plant!
https://youtu.be/-PsUgnwdB0A
Another thing I really love about pings is they produce beautiful little flowers. These flowers are often pinkish or purple that are always a great contrast to the green ping. You can get all different colors of pings that produce all different colors of flowers. If a ping is healthy, it can produce several flowers are a time. When the flowers are blooming, these little carnivorous plants are beautiful but also lethal!
Cape Sundew Or Drosera Capensis
Another great carnivorous plant that likes to eat gnats and fruit flies is the Cape Sundew. These are quite a bit different than pings but just as impressive. They grow long tentacle type leaves that develop little drops of dew. This dew is very stick and traps insects. The plant then releases an enzyme that breaks the insect down and uses it for food.
These are just a bit more high maintenance than pinguicula. They need a little more light and just an uptick in humidity to continue to produce the dewy substance that traps the insects. They can do well in window sills if the window gets a lot of sun. They really like hanging out in a bathroom or kitchen sink. Being above a sink helps them get a little boost in humidity.
Like pinguicula, they are much easier to take care of than venus flytraps. They also do not need any type of dormancy period. This helps them be useful for gnats or fruit flies year round!
If you are interested it getting yourself a Cape Sundew California Carnivores is a great option! They are one of the most trusted and knowledgeable carnivorous plant nurseries around. Plus, you can get a 10% discount using the code CPHUB at checkout!
If you want to see more of a Cape Sundew, you can check out the video I did talking about mine. They are really cool plants and whether you have a gnat problem or not, they are a lot of fun to have around the house! Check it out below!https://youtu.be/1b9b2MsApTA
Do Venus Flytraps Eat Gnats: Conclusion
I often get the question on my YouTube channel, do venus flytraps eat gnats and fruit flies? It really comes down to the size of the venus flytrap. If it’s smaller it will eat gnats and fruit flies.
When it really comes down to it though, it doesn’t matter if a venus flytrap eats gnats or fruit flies because they can’t eat enough to help control the number of gnats or fruit flies you likely have. This question is asked because people want a natural way to help control these tiny insects. Venus flytraps are not the answer for that.
The good news is that there are some other truly amazing carnivorous plants that are easier to care for and do a MUCH better job of eating gnats and fruit flies in large quantities. Most people have no idea that there is a wide world of incredible carnivorous plants out there! If you are interested in learning more, head on over to my YouTube channel and see some of my personal collection!
One of the most common mistakes people make is giving their venus flytrap tap water as soon as they get it home. In some rare instances, tap water might be okay but more often than not, tap water contains too many dissolved solids. These dissolved solids will burn the venus flytraps roots and slowly kill it. Tap water in most cases is toxic to a venus flytrap.
Know If Tap Water Is Safe With This Tool
It’s really important not to guess with your tap water. If you really want to know if you can give your venus flytrap tap water this tool will be necessary. Most tap water contains dissolved solids. These dissolved solids are potentially toxic to your venus flytrap. A TDS meter is a tool that allows you to measure those dissolved solids in your tap water.
Not only will you be able to measure the “TDS” or total dissolved solids to see if it’s okay to give your venus flytrap, this will also allow you to see if your water is safe for drinking out of the tap. TDS meters are extremely affordable, you can grab one off Amazon for around 10-15 dollars. The one I’ve linked below is the one I use personally and it has never steered me wrong.
They are extremely easy to use. You just stick the meter end into your water and it will display a reading. Make sure you only use the TDS meter when the water is room temperature. If the water is too hot or too cold it can skew the measurement.
You want water that is below 50 PPM to safely use for venus flytraps. If you use water that contains around 50 PPM you will want to repot your flytrap once a year. Even at that low, the dissolved solids will build up in the soil over time. You can flush the plant with distilled water to help flush the dissolved solids out. You can measure the water coming through the plant to see if there is a build up. I personally prefer not to use anything over 10 PPM, this extends the substrate and I have less build up .
You may want to consider some different options to tap water for watering a venus flytrap. You need water that has very little to no dissolved solids. Keep in mind that boiling water does not eliminate dissolved solids, only bacteria. It’s also important to note that most bottled waters do not eliminate dissolved solids. Some of them even add minerals for taste, which harm venus flytraps. I wanted to list some options below so you can find good water for your venus flytrap.
Distilled Water From Store
If you want to avoid giving your venus flytrap tap water this is one of the easiest options. The only problem is it’s availability. In the section of your grocery or big box store that sells water there is usually a section that sells distilled water by the gallon. It usually ranges from 70 cents to 2 dollars a gallon. The bigger issue than price is that stores are OFTEN out of distilled water. There is nothing more frustrating than going to the store to get water for your plants and its all sold out. You can buy 5 gallons at a time when it’s in stock, but it can be quite the hassle.
Zero Water Pitcher (My Favorite Option)
Since you should not be giving your venus flytrap tap water, one of the best options out there is a Zero Water Pitcher. This is a special water pitcher that eliminates all dissolved solids out of tap water so it’s safe for your venus flytrap. Keep in mind that not all water pitchers do this. Brita for example, will not get rid of dissolved solids. It takes a special filtration process to eliminate the dissolved solids.
If you want to learn more about how much water each filter produces and how the Zero Water pitcher works, check out my full video review below. I go in depth with the Zero Water Pitcher so you can see if it’s right for you. If you don’t want to watch the video you can also click the link below to check it out along with the reviews on Amazon!
One of the best benefits to getting a ZeroWater pitcher is that it comes with a free TDS meter for measuring water. Once you get your pitcher you can then also measure your tap water to see what the TDS levels are.
Filtered Water Pitcher: The 10 Cup 5-stage Water Filtration Pitcher suits your active lifestyle, with its space-saving design it is perfect fit for compact or small refrigerators. Change filter when included meter reads 006.
5-Stage Filtration: Removes virtually all total dissolved solids (TDS) for the purest tasting water; Total Dissolved Solids are organic and inorganic materials, such as metals, minerals, salts, and ions dissolved in water.
IAPMO certified and BPA free: The filter is IAPMO certified to reduce PFOA/PFOS, lead, chromium and mercury. All material is BPA free
Including: 10-cup Water Pitcher, 1 ZeroWater 5-Stage Filter with Ion Exchange Technology and a Free TDS Meter
Eco-Friendly: Save up to 110 single-use plastic bottles per filter or up to 660 bottles a year while enjoying the purest tasting water
Last update on 2024-04-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
https://youtu.be/q3Iik5-B1Z4
Collect Rain Water For Venus Flytrap Instead Of Tap Water
In most cases, rainwater is a better option than tap water for your venus fltyraps. It should be noted however that even rain water can be contaminated in more polluted areas. It still might be a good idea to grab a TDS meter to measure your rain water before committing to using it. I’t’s also good to point out that most people collect rainwater off of a roof of some sort. Sometimes gutters and roofs can collect chemicals that could be harmful to a venus flytrap.
Rainwater is probably a good option but I’d recommend going with distilled water or the Zero Water pitcher above, just to be more safe. You’re venus flytrap is too precious to risk giving chemicals from roof collected rain water.
Reverse Osmosis System
The absolute best option but least cost effective option is installing a reverse osmosis system. This is the option you would want if you have 50 or more carnivorous plants in your collection. This is not necessary for most people but is definitely an option. The nice thing about having the reverse osmosis system installed on your tap water is the benefits of both it being clean drinking water and good for your venus flytrap.
They can be a little more expensive and still require filter replacements after so much use. You could reserve whichever sink you install if under to be just for carnivorous plants. This will ensure that you are never wasting the RO clean water. The Zero Water Pitcher is a much more affordable option. But if you want to really improve your drinking water and have a large source of zero PPM water, a reverse osmosis system might before you.
Check out the system I recommend below!
Conclusion
Can a venus flytrap have tap water? In most cases no… Unfortunately venus flytraps are a little too sensitive to dissolved solids to use tap water. Watering is one of the trickiest parts of growing healthy venus flytraps. I go in depth on everything water in my ultimate venus flytrap watering guide. It’s really in depth and gives you all the ins and outs of watering. I strongly recommend checking it out so you can learn how and when to water a venus fltyrap.
https://youtu.be/hfQKNffFp3s
There are other things you need to know about growing healthy venus flytraps but learning the ins and outs of watering is really important. Understanding how tap water impacts your venus flytrap is really important. Knowing the dissolved solids in your tap water is necessary when deciding if you are going to use it. Getting a TDS meter will be necessary if you plan on using tap water.
You can technically give venus flytraps tap water but you are taking a huge risk and gamble if you do it without a TDS meter.
For more great info, check out my YouTube channel Carnivorous Plants Hub where I bring you all kinds of great carnivorous plant care, unboxing and more!
Venus flytraps have a very exotic and aggressive look to them. They are carnivorous plants, which means they consume insects. I get the question asked all the time… Are venus flytraps poisonous to cats or dogs? Are they toxic to any pets or children?
According to the ASPCA venus flytraps are not poisonous to cats or dogs. They are non toxic to any pet or even people. They are safe to consume and at the worst would only cause a little indigestion. Venus flytraps are completely safe for cats, dogs, any other pets and even people if consumed.
I can attest to at least cats not being impacted by venus flytrap consumption. My cat ate an entire flytrap plant and never even threw up. I never noticed any discomfort to even indicate they caused indigestion. I was worried at first, but it’s one of the reasons I decided to write this article. They are a scary looking plant and my first thought was that they might have something in them that could be harmful to pets.
Venus flytraps are not toxic or poisonous for pets or children. As a matter of fact, it’s quite the other way around. Cats, dogs and small children are very toxic to venus flytraps. I’ve lost more venus flytraps from my cat chewing on them or my child knocking them over than venus flytraps have harmed pets or people.
Even though venus flytraps are not toxic to cats or dogs, it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on them over the course of the next couple days if they do happen to eat one. You want to watch for signs that could indicate that ingestion of the plant is causing discomfort or health issues. You can look for the following.
Swelling, rawness of the skin or mouth, redness, swelling.
Collapsing suddenly or lethargic behavior.
Diarrhea or vomiting.
If you notice any of the symptoms above, it might be a good idea to contact your veterinarian immediately!
Keep Your Venus Flytrap Safe From A Cat
Now that you know that a cat or dog are more toxic to a venus flytrap than the plant is to them, you might be wondering if there is a way to keep your plants safe. I wanted to present some ideas that can help you keep your cat and your venus flytrap safe and happy. Cats really like flytraps, it could be the sweet residue they create to help attract insects. Either way, there are options if your kitty is a flytrap killer!
Sometimes understanding why your cat is attracted to your venus flytrap can help you figure out the best way to keep them away.
Usually, the main reason a cat eats a plant is to aid it in digestion. They may not be attracted to just your venus flytrap but just to plants in general. Cats instinctively know that they need to eat fibrous foods to help aid in vomiting. They eat plants to help them cough up that pesky hairball.
Beyond coughing up hairballs, it may be that your cat is just curious. Sometimes flytraps will dangle outside of their pot making it an irresistible target for your cat.
Beyond that, good luck figuring out why your cat is bothering your plant. Cats are crazy animals and there isn’t always an explanation to why they do things. This may be the case with your cat and venus flytrap.
Ideas To Keep Your Cat Away From Your Venus Flytrap
Remember the part in Batman where Alfred told Bruce that “Some men just want to watch the world burn”? Well, replace the word men with cat and that pretty much explains cats. I wanted to bring you some ideas that can help you negate some of your chaos your cat creates.
Last update on 2024-04-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
You can use the pet guard above to literally put a protective bubble around your venus flytrap. This will also keep other critters and birds from getting to your plant.
Deter Your Cat
Whether your cat is eating or just chewing on your plant, neither will be good for it. Even just chewing will often lead to a venus flytrap dying. One way to keep your cat away from your flytrap is to deter them. I’ve seen very mixed results with deterrents. It actually seems to work less often than it does, but it’s worth a shot. There are some natural cat replants you can buy but most don’t get very good reviews and don’t seem to work very well. One home remedy that has seem some good results is to take some vinegar and dilute it with water. You can spray the vinegar on your plant safely but the cat will hate it. The problem with this method is you must reapply every few days after the vinegar wears off. If you forget the cat may come back and eat some flytrap. If you can be consistent long enough, maybe your cat will just stay away!
Discipline Your Cat
I know, this one stinks. No one likes to be the bad guy with their cat but in order to teach good behavior sometimes you have to be a little mean. This one requires a little patience and timing but may be the best overall option.
I don’t condone spanking or “beating” animals so I would avoid doing this if possible. The more tried and true method that doesn’t hurt the cat is to use a spray bottle every time they interact with the plant. Make sure they are actually messing with it before you spray them. You want them to associate the water hitting them with messing with the plant. After doing this a few times, you might be surprised at how effective it is!
The water bottle below acts as a great plant mister and cat sprayer. I love my CoreGear!
Last update on 2024-04-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Cure Kitty Boredom
Often times the main reason your cat is bothering your plants is simply because they are bored. Maybe you just brought your plant into your home and now it’s the new fun thing to play with! If this is the case, you might need to consider grabbing something else that is new and shiny for your cat to play with.
You can grab a simple kitty toy or you can go big with the cat condo below!
Last update on 2024-04-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Plants For Your Cat
Another potential solution to help keep your cat away from your venus flytraps is to give them their own plant! One of the most common and probably obvious plants you can get your cat is some catnip. You can click here to find some catnip seeds to grow yourself!
Maybe a better option is a cat grass growing kit! These are really cool. Not only will your cat love having fresh grass to eat but your kids will love watching the grass grow too. You can make it fun for the cat and the kids! You can check out the cat grass growing kit below!
Last update on 2024-04-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Check out the cool video below showing more about Cat Grass!
https://youtu.be/0xKeN63YR1c
Tips To Keep Dogs Away From Venus Flytraps
We haven’t talked a lot about dogs, mostly because they aren’t nearly as much of a problem. They aren’t attracted to them quite like cats are and usually just putting them out of reach resolves the problem. Cats are more agile and able to get to higher places. I did want to give a few tips if you are having problems with your dog and venus flytraps.
Keep your venus flytraps fairly high off the ground. Most of the time if a dog takes out your venus flytrap its simply due to a powerful tail sweep or just a clumsy bull dosing. Keep them up on a table out of tail length!
If your dog does like to mess with the plant, you may need to give some puppy discipline. It’s hard to be mean to our dogs (sometimes it’s easy I suppose) but most of the time we don’t want to be upset with them. The best way to avoid being upset is to train them to not do things that make us upset. Use the “dad voice” or in my household at times the “mom voice” with your dog when you see them messing with your plants. They don’t want to upset you, often times using a strong tone with them will deter them enough.
You can also try chemical or natural deterrents. I would recommend something natural although they don’t typically work as well, especially with dogs.
The best thing you can do here is to just keep your venus flytrap separate from your dog. Whether it’s higher off the ground or in a different room or behind a fenced area.
Occasionally your dog will mess with your venus flytraps but more often or not it’s going to be the cat you have to worry about!
I looked all over the internet to try and find examples instances where cats or dogs were injured or hurt from eating a venus flytrap. There was one instance of a couple of cats eventually dying after ingesting a VFT but it was never conclusive on what their cause of death was.
The ASPCA has disclosed them as being non toxic and safe for ingestion. They may cause a little stomach discomfort but that’s about the extent. Click below to check out the ASPCA website.
One of the most common questions I see is, “Why is my venus flytrap turning black?”. Sometimes its the leaves turning black or an existing trap. Or maybe it’s the new growth turning black. There are lots of reasons why a venus flytrap might turn black, we are going to cover everything.
The first thing I should say is don’t panic. A venus flytrap turning black is a very natural occurrence and even happens to the healthiest of plants. If you have new growth turning black on venus flytraps you might have a bigger issue. But older traps and leaves turning black is nothing to be concerned about in most cases.
The most common reason your venus flytraps turn black is that it’s at the end of its timespan. Flytrap heads turn black and die all the time, it’s no big deal. It also could be due to overfeeding the trap or feeding the trap something that’s too large. Another common reason is dormancy, sometimes when a venus flytrap enters dormancy it looks almost completely dead with traps and leaves turning black. Stress from being repotted or the use of improper soil/water can also be common reasons for a venus flytrap turning black. Improper care with feeding, lighting and watering could certainly be the cause.
Lets dive into all the different reasons and see if we can identify why your venus flytrap is turning black.
Below we are going to be discussing in detail each reason why your venus flytrap leaves, traps or new growth is turning black. Most likely the black on your venus flytrap is totally natural and nothing needs to be done.
There may be some situations where you need to give your venus flytrap different care. I’m hoping we can identify and diagnose the issue with your venus flytrap!
Most Common Reason: Old Age
The most common reason your venus flytrap is turning black is that it’s at the end of it’s lifespan. After a venus flytrap has opened and closed 3-5 times they expend all their energy and will turn black and die.
This is really common and happens to all venus flytraps. The plant itself lives a very long time, up to 20 years. However, the traps will come and go pretty commonly. Keep in mind that if you trigger the trap for entertainment, you are decreasing that traps lifespan.
If that trap happens to catch a couple of insects and reopens, it will die quicker than some of the other traps that do not catch an insects. That trap even though it’s turning black and dying, has done a lot to help the plant out.
Stress From Repotting
If you just purchased and repotted your venus flytrap there is a good chance you will lose some flytrap heads before you gain some new ones. Often times the stress of being repotted and acclimating to a new location can aid in turning your venus flytrap plant black.
Just keep in mind that if the heads are turning black after being freshly repotted, you probably do not need to be alarmed. Give your flytrap some time to acclimate to its new environment and it should start sprouting new traps before you know it.
I would keep reading however, to make sure you are taking proper care after repotting your plant. There are a few other things that could go wrong and if you’re not giving your flytrap proper care you could lose your plant.
Overfeeding
I have seen a lot of people who don’t know better try to feed every head on their venus flytrap plant insects. A venus flytrap consumes a lot of energy when it eats an insect. Even though that insect does sent a lot of energy to the main plant, it takes its toll on the existing traps.
The plant can’t support that many traps consuming insects in that short amount of time. This will likely not kill the plant but it could turn most of the existing flytrap heads black.
A venus flytrap should only be fed about 1 fly a week per plant. One head on each plant per week is enough to give the plant what it needs. The plant mostly survives off the light it’s provided, the insects act as fertilizer. Too much fertilizer and it can be harmful to the plant.
If you want to learn more about feeding a venus flytrap, check out my full guide on feeding a venus flytrap.
This is a photo of a venus flytrap that ate too large of an insect then eventually died.
Flytrap Ate Too Large Of An Insect
The rule when feeding a venus flytrap is try not to feed it anything bigger than 1/3 the size of the trap. Sometimes you can’t help it if the trap catches a larger insect, this usually ends in the trap turning black and dying.
I just had a smaller trap catch a yellow jacket and just about a week later it died. You can watch the video below of me dissecting some of my traps with insects on the inside. It’s a fun look at what the bugs look like after they have been absorbed by the plant.
You won’t always be able to stop your trap from catching larger insects natrually but you can control whether or not you feed your trap large bugs. Make sure when feeding your flytrap not to give them insects that are too large. In my experience this will result in the trap turning black and dying 100% of the time.
https://youtu.be/afE3GsOz08o
Not Using The Correct Soil Or Water
Venus flytraps have fairly special needs due to the way they grow naturally. If you are not meeting those special needs your plant could be unhealthy and could turn black and die.
Substrate/Soil Needs
A venus flytrap needs a special soil mix that contains extremely small or no amounts of minerals. What I use is a peat moss, perlite and silica sand mix. You need to make that your mix has no fertilizer to additives in it. You can buy the soil premade on Amazon if you don’t want to deal with it or you can make it yourself.
Check out below to see the soil you can buy right on Amazon already mixed and ready to use.
Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
If you would rather make your own soil mix, I can show you how to below. Also, I have an entire article I wrote all about venus flytrap soil mix. This includes how to make it and much more information.
I have also made a video showing you exactly how I make this mix, make sure to check it out below!
https://youtu.be/q6WaSVn3bKg
Type Of Water
One of the most common mistakes people make when getting a new venus flytrap is they give it tap water. It’s an honest mistake and not always clear on the plants instructions. The minerals in tap or bottled water will burn the plants roots and eventually kill it. This process will turn the plant black as it’s dying.
It’s important to understand that you will need distilled water, rain water or even water obtained through reverse osmosis. Pure water will be the only kind of water that works for your venus flytrap in the long run.
You can get distilled water at a local grocery or big box store for under $1 a gallon. I usually just pick up 4 or 5 gallons at a time to make sure I have enough for a bit. You can use rain water if you have a way to collect it. You may want to test it however, just to make sure the parts per million is low enough.
Watering Instructions
The other thing that could be happening is your venus flytrap isn’t getting enough water or your overwatering. Make sure you keep your venus flytrap moist but not soaking wet. It’s important to never let your substrate dry out. You also want to avoid adding so much water it makes the substrate muddy.
You can use the tray method to water but you want to be careful not to leave the plant in too deep of water. You can fill a tray with about 1/4 of an inch of distilled water and place the pot in the water. Don’t add more water until the tray completely dries out.
Watering is one of the most common mistakes people make that leads to their venus flytrap turning black. You can read all about how to water a venus flytrap at my full guide below. It has more info about the kind of water and how much water you give a venus flytrap!
For a venus flytrap to thrive and avoid turning black you will need to make sure your plant has good water flow and aeration. The pot or planter you choose will have a hand in that. Make sure your pot or planter has good drainage with plenty of holes int he bottom for the water to escape.
Venus flytraps are known to suffer from root rot and standing water can aid in that. You need the water to be able to drain out of the bottom of the planter.
You also want to make sure you avoid any planters that can leech harmful minerals into the soil. Terra cotta for example can leech minerals into the soil and cause the roots to burn. Some clay pots will also leach minerals. I suggest using plastic or resin planters with good drainage. You can get a clay pot, just make sure it’s fully glazed to avoid any leeching.
Check out the planter below I recommend for venus flytraps.
Many venus flytraps have been discarded due to the dormancy period. Many people mistake normal dormancy for their plant being dead. During dormancy most of the plant will turn black and look dead. Usually there is a little green left, so you can tell, but most people would probably think the plant is dead.
When the days shorten and temperatures drop venus flytraps go into survival mode. They completely stop growing and most current growth dies back to conserve energy. The rhizome spends all winter storing up energy to make a comeback in the spring.
This is how venus fltyraps work in their natural habitats. They have evolved to be able to survive cold winters. You should try to avoid your trap being in whether that dips below 32 degrees too often but there are ways to overwinter your plant to ensure it survives the winter.
Dormancy can be a little tricky with venus flytraps and for your plant to stay healthy it’s necessary. It’s a good idea to learn more about dormancy to make sure your venus flytrap lives a long healthy life. I havea full guide to venus fltyrap dormancy below.
Learn all about overwintering your venus flytrap and how to make sure your plant has a nice comeback after dormancy below.
The most common place for a venus flytrap to turn black in the head or the trap. Usually the tips of the trap will start turning black and the blackness will spread to the rest of the head. It then moves from the head to the leaves.
This is most commonly caused by old age but could be because of any of the reasons above. Its totally normal for a trap to turn black and die. If all your traps are turning black and dying, use the information above to determine if you are doing something wrong with your venus flytrap care.
Another really common reason the venus flytrap head turns black is from it eating an insect that is too large. In my experience, every trap that eats a large insect starts turning black and dying within a week. Don’t panic at this unless all your venus flytrap heads start turning black. Then you may need to change care habits or consider it could be dormancy setting in.
Venus Flytrap New Growth Turning Black
Its not at all uncommon for a new trap that’s coming up to turn black and die. If you start to see this over and over or all your traps are turning black and dying it could be a bigger problem.
Did you just replant your venus flytrap? Sometimes, if you replant the flytrap the new growth won’t do very well until the plant gets acclimated. Make sure it’s getting a lot of sunlight and being kept watered with distilled water and new healthy traps should start popping up.
Make sure you have optimal growing conditions for your venus flytrap. It needs a lot of sun or light to grow healthy. Venus flytraps like a full days sun if possible, if not, you may need grow lights to supplement the light it needs. Venus flytrap new growth will turn black if the plant is not getting enough light.
It’s also important to make sure the plant is getting distilled water and being kept moist. If the plant dries out, the venus flytrap new growth may turn black.
Keep the plant watered well and give it plenty of sun to avoid any new growth from turning black! Just keep in mind that on occasion a new growth will turn black, don’t be alarmed. I would only look into it if you see this repeat or if all new growth is turning black.
Venus Flytrap Leaves Turning Black
If just the leaves of your venus flytrap are turning black you may have a slightly different problem. Sometimes if your have too much sun or light and they get too hot they could burn. You see this when a venus flytrap is put in a glass terrarium. The glass magnifies the sun and burns the plant.
Another cause for this could be if your using tap water with minerals. The water can get on the leaves and the minerals burn them and cause black spots. Make sure you are only watering with distilled or pure water.
If the edges of your venus flytrap leaves are turning black it’s probably alright. As long as the black isn’t spreading to the entire plant you probably have nothing to worry about. Make sure you are following all the care instructions above and your plant should be okay.
Sometimes stress from replanting or too much sun can cause the edges of the leaves to turn black a bit. Watch your plant, if the rest of the plant seems to be doing fine, it’s probably okay!
Should You Cut Off Black Venus Flytraps?
Cutting off black venus flytraps is really not necessary. It’s mostly an aesthetic decision. I will admit, I love the way my venus flytraps look right after cutting off all the older black dead leaves and flytraps. There are a few things to keep in mind when cutting off black flytraps.
Never cut off any green parts of your plant. If it’s green, it’s helping. Anything that’s green is absorbing sun and helping with photosynthesis. The more green collecting sun and light the more healthy your plant will be.
I usually don’t touch black flytraps until they black goes all the way back to the rhizome. If it’s black all the way back to the main plant, you know it’s served its purpose and is no longer helping the health of the plant.
This trap would be okay to cut off since you can see the leaf is black all the way back to the rhizome.
Keep in mind, it’s not necessary to cut it at this point. The black flytrap will eventually decompose and fall off. Just make sure if you decide to cut off black growth that you avoid cutting any of the green. Even if the head is all black and the leaf is still green, just cut the head off and leave the green stem.
Cutting off black flytraps is 100% optional but a freshly trimmed flytrap does look really nice! Its especially nice to trim them freshly after dormancy as a lot of the plant will be black and dead.
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Final Thoughts
Often times when your venus flytrap is turning black, there is really nothing to worry about. The normal course of life will happen with these plants and they will turn black and die. But, it’s a really good idea to go over the information above to make sure you are doing everything you can help keep your venus flytrap healthy.
Venus flytrap care is not really standard in the gardening world and often times growers learn this the hard way by killing their plant. You should be able to determine why your venus fltyrap is turning black by going over the information in this article.
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I see people asking do nepenthes pitcher plants need dormancy, a lot in the carnivorous plant communities I’m a part of. The most popular carnivorous plant is the venus flytrap and their dormancy period is very important. Most people associate these plants together since they are both fairly common carnivorous plants and assume a nepenthes tropical pitcher plant should go dormant. The phrase “pitcher plant” is also used to describe sarracenia which do need a dormancy period.
With that being said, to be clear, this article is specifically calling out Nepenthes pitcher plants not to be confused with sarracenia American pitcher plants. They do require dormancy and if you are inquiring about sarracenia and not nepenthes tropical pitcher plants, you may want to consider a different article!
Nepenthes pitcher plant dormancy is not actually a real thing. Nepenthes tropical pitcher plants do show different growth patterns in the winter time when the days shorten but it’s not in an actually dormant state. The growth of new pitchers will slow down and some of the older growth does tend to die off, which is why it’s commonly believed they go through dormancy. Growth will slow down a bit but they are still in an active growing state.
The best thing you can really do is just adjust the way you care for your pitcher plant during winter months where the growth may slow down a bit.
We will talk about some winter time care tips below but first lets talk about where nepenthes pitcher plants come from and why a dormancy period is not really needed with these plants.
Nepenthes pitcher plants come from tropical locations. These locations do have seasons but not like the seasons we experience. The seasons are typically pretty warm year round but may experience less light than normal For example, during a rainy season, a nepenthes pitcher plant is less likely to see more sun so they compensate by slowing growth a bit to conserve energy. This is not considered a dormancy as they are still actively growing.
A beautiful new pitcher on my nepenthes ventrata. Sitting next to my Venus Flytraps!
Most people do not live in the same conditions that the jungle has but we do share a common trait, shorter periods of light during certain seasons. When the days shorten during winter time your nepenthes tropical pitcher plant will sense it and start to slow down growth for the good of the plant.
During this time, you can help your plant in a few different ways, we will talk about them below in just a bit. With a typical dormancy the plant no longer needs light and can be stored at a certain temperature to be brought “back to life” when the weather starts to get warm and days long again.
A nepenthes pitcher plant cannot be treated the same way. You will actually want to do your best to accommodate it and provide it with some of what it’s lacking during this time.
Nepenthes Winter Time Care Tips
Lets take a moment and go over a few care tips for a nepenthes during winter time. Since they are not in a dormancy stage they actually require a little more attention from you in the winter time. Winter time induces more stress on your plant and you may need to give them just a bit more care.
Increase Humidity
Increase the humidity as much as you can. Winter time brings on less humidity and this can hurt your nepenthes a bit. Try to purchase a humidifier like the one below, they are affordable and having a little extra humidity in your home is always a good thing
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Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Other things you can do to increase humidity for your plant are to mist your plant twice a day. Make sure you mist the leaves and the main stem of your nepenthes plant. This will give it a lot of extra humidity.
Nepenthes should never sit in water. However, you can get a tray fill it with aquarium rocks then put some distilled water in with the aquarium rocks. Set your plant on top of the rocks. This will help increase the humidity as your plant is sitting on top of a tray of water but not soaking in one.
You can also move your plant to a more naturally humid room in your home. The kitchen and bathroom tend to be more humid than other rooms. You can even bring your nepenthes in the bathroom with you while you shower. The warm humid environment will help it get a small dose of humidity! If you shower once a day, your plant will be getting a nice dose of daily humidity.
Increase Sunlight Or Use Artificial Light
Try to put your plant in a window that gets the most light throughout the day. Since it’s not getting as much in it’s current spot, maybe there is another window in your home that gets more light during the day.
If you don’t have an area to give it more light, you may want to get an artificial light for it. You can easily get a Sensi grow bulb along with a simple clamp shop light and you will have your very own grow light set up for your plant!
I leave my light on overnight so it’s not on during the day. My tropical nepenthes pitcher plants get their light during the night time. It’s kind of bright and can be kind of annoying during the day so I just flip it on during the night and turn it off in the AM. Check out my current setup for my hanging pitcher plants.
Our setup in our dining room. This light is only on overnight, we do not turn it on during the day.
Check out the bulb and clamp light we use below for this setup. The Sansi bulb has an E26 socket and it’s easy to find a standing or wall lamp to put it in. We use the affordable shop clamp lights below but you can shoot for something more aesthetically pleasing if you like.
Check out the lighting section in my Ultimate Nepenthes Ventrata care guide below, it’s for a Ventrata but the lighting applies to all nepenthes plants.
Multifunction: can be used as a table lamp in your...
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Last update on 2024-04-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Other than the extra light and humidity just continue to care for your nepenthes pitcher plant as you did before. It isn’t going through dormancy but will need a little more attention during the shorter days in the winter months.
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Final Thoughts
Your nepenthes pitcher plant is not going through dormancy but its going through a much more stressful time. It will be important for you to watch and care for your plant more than normal. Looks for signs that it’s turning brown or yellow and pitchers are not growing or dying.
Don’t panic though, you just need to give it a little more humidity and more light. Make sure you keep your home around room temperature and your nepenthes pitcher plant will do just fine!
Make sure to check out my YouTube channel below and you can watch my journey with my personal nepenthes ventrata plants. Check out the video below to see a couple of my more exotic nepenthes plants I recently unboxed!
Are nepenthes toxic to dogs or cats? I see this question pop up a lot in the communities I’m a part of on social media. Many times peoples pets get into their tropical pitcher plants and eat them or at the very least rip them apart with their mouths.
Of course, most peoples first concern is about the health of their cat or dog versus the health of their nepenthes. With that being said, you can worry more about your nepenthes than your pet!
Nepenthes pitcher plants are not toxic to dogs or cats. It is possible for them to cause minor stomach irritation but they will not cause any long term effects. Odds are your dog or cat will never have any irritation after the ingestion of any part of the nepenthes pitcher plant. I scoured the internet to find any reported cases of nepenthes pitcher plants being poisonous or causing any type of harm to pets and was unable to find anything.
I’m assuming you are here because your dog or cat ate some of your nepenthes plant and you just wanted to be sure nepenthes were not poisonous to your dog or cat. Check below for some tips on how to keep your pets safe from plants and your plants safe from your pets!
Cats can be a real problem when it comes to your nepenthes. It’s not the cats health you have to worry about but the health of your plant. A pitcher plant is not poisonous to cats but the cat can be very hazardous to your plant. Some of the reasons your cat might be attracted to your nepenthes are as follows.
I’m sure you have heard the phrase “curiosity killed the cat”. Yes, sometimes the only reason they are bothering your plant is because they are curious. Those dangling pitchers are just too irritable for them!
Cats often eat plants to aid in digestion as well. Sometimes they aren’t necessarily attracted to your pitcher plant but just to plants in general. A surplus of fibrous material in the plant can aid in vomiting. Stay with me here. If a cat sense a hairball they can’t get up, they know instinctually to eat fibrous foods to aid them.
Sometimes science can explain why cats do what they do but sometimes it can’t. Cats can be crazy and might be othering your plant just to bother it.
Keep Your Cat Away From Your Nepenthes
Sometimes cats just like to cause chaos. Lets talk about some ways to possibly help keep your cat away from your nepenthes pitcher plants. Hopefully we can come up with a solution!
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Protect Your Plant From Your Cat
One of the easiest ways to protect your nepenthes is to simply put it behind a cover. Check out the mesh cover below that you can put your plant in to help keep the kitty away. Combining this with some oft he other methods below should work!
Deter Your Cat
Your cat may not eat your plant but they might chew on it. Chewing on it can be just as bad for it as eating it. This often leads to your plant dying to being seriously damaged. You may need to figure out a way to deter your kitty.
There are some natural pet repellants you can buy but they don’t seem to work well. One home remedy for this is to take some vinegar and dilute it with water. This will be safe for your plant but your cat will hate it. You may have to deal with a vinegar smell but it’s better than a damaged plant!
The other problem with this method is that you will have to replace the liquid every couple of days. You might want to make a big batch of it and have it in a spray bottle ready to go.
Discipline Your Cat
Probably the best way to solve this problem is with a little bit of patience and tough love. Try to be around when your cat is around your plant and discipline then when you see them interacting with it.
One of the best methods is the tried and true spray bottle. Just put a little water in a spray bottle and give your kitty a little spray when it gets close to your nepenthes pitcher plant. After a few times, the fear of being sprayed should out weight it’s want to slap around those pitchers.
You can also make a noise your cat dislikes every time it’s close to your nepenthes. A shout, hissing noise or a clap can tell your kitty your not happy. If you do this enough, they will eventually associate your plant with these noises and leave it alone.
Prevent Kitty Boredom
Most of the time your cat is bothering your house plants because they are bored. They will seek amusement when they don’t have anything else to do. Sometimes it can be hard with a job, kids and everything else to keep your cat occupied.
You can invest in some kitty toys or get them a new scratching post. Like the one below! Having something for your cat to do could resolve the situation!
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Plants Your Cat Loves To The Rescue!
Another solution for your cat is to give them some plants they would prefer over your nepenthes pitcher plant. There are a couple of great options out there that cats just love.
Probable the most obvious here is catnip. Did you know that catnip is a plant you can grow? Put a pot of catnip somewhere away from your nepenthes pitcher plant to keep your kitty occupied! Click here to get some catnip seeds and grow your own plant!
Another option would be some cat grass to keep them occupied. Cat grass is great for giving cats an outdoor grass experience in the indoors. This can give them something to do and keep them busy! Cats also like to eat grass for additional fiber. Whether you are using it to deter a cat or just to have around, cat grass is awesome for a house kitty!
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Tips To Keep Your Dog Away From Your Nepenthes
Now that you know that nepenthes are not toxic to dogs, you will probably want to come up with a way to keep your dog away from your pitcher plant. Lets take a look at some good practices to help keep your nepenthes pitcher plats away from your sweet pups!
Keep your nepenthes up high. If you keep them up away from the dogs, they won’t be able to reach them. Using a hanging planter could do the trick, click here to see the one I use on Amazon!
Discipline your dog when you see them interacting with your plants. I know this is a tough one for some, but dogs know tone. If they hear your tone being very unhappy when they touch your plant, it can help change behavior.
Although it wouldn’t be my first choice, you can use a chemical deterrent to help keep your dog away from your nepenthes pitcher plant.
If possible, try to keep your plant in an area that is not accessible by the dog. Whether it’s a different room in your home or a different part of the yard, hopefully you can find a place to keep your pitcher plant from your pup.
For the most part, I don’t think your dog will be a big problem for your nepenthes. Usually the cat is more of a problem to keep away from your plant.
Are Nepenthes Toxic To Dogs Or Cats?
As stated above, no, they are not. At least not that has ever been reported by anyone. I read on several forums and looked everywhere to try to find any case of a nepenthes plant being harmful to pets.
I was also able to get on the ASPCA website and do a search. I wasn’t able to find anything on there for a nepenthes or pitcher plant. You can check out the site yourself as I will link it below. You can search by just dogs or just cats, click on the letters below to see if any of your plants are toxic to your pets. No carnivorous plants are anywhere to be found.
If your pet does eat a nepenthes and is acting unusual its probably best to consult your vet. If you notice any of the following, make sure you contact your vet immediately.
Vomitting or dirarhea
Redness, swelling, blistering or rawness on the skin or mouth.
Lethargic behavior or sudden collapse.
If you notice any of these after your cat or dog ate a nepenthes, contact your veterinarian immediately.
More From CarnivorousPlantsHub.com!
Make sure to take some time and check out my Ultimate Nepenthes Ventrata Care guide below to see how to care for your nepenthes ventrata plant! Also, check out some of our other great content all about carnivorous plants.
Final Thoughts
A nepenthes pitcher plant is not toxic or poisonous to cats or dogs. The real concern is that your pets may actually be harming the plant and not the other eway around. Sometimes teaching your dog or cat to stay away from your plant can take a while so remember to practice patience with them.
Thank you so much for stopping by, I hope this helped answer some of your questions. Please, check out my YouTube channel below for some great carnivorous plant content!
The Venus Flytrap is a vulnerable perennial plant that blooms for several years consecutively. It has been estimated that the Venus flytrap lives for twenty years, and sometimes more both domestically and in the wild. However, the precise lifespan of the plant has not been calculated yet. Some people claim they can live forever but it’s unknown if this is the original plant or if it’s a spawn from the original.
The traps that are on the Venus Flytrap has a numbered life span. Each can open and close only a few times before it dies and falls from the plant. Even though each trap has a limited life span, this doesn’t impact the life span of the actual plant. Traps will grow and die off over and over with one venus flytrap plant.
Learning how long venus flytraps live involves a bit more of a deeper dive. Lets take a look below and learn more about how long they live and how you can keep your venus flytrap alive longer!
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The Venus Flytrap’s trap has a fruity smell and is often red. The combination of colors and sweet aroma make venus flytraps a bug magnet. There is stiff hair located on the inner surface.
A fly can bump into this, and a signal will be sent across the Flytrap’s body. Because of the limited traps per trap, the plant is programmed to wait so that it does not close shut in response to false signals.
The fly that is trapped must touch the hair again in the next 20 seconds. If this happens, another signal is sent down the Venus Flytrap’s body, and it closes shut. The fly is imprisoned. Between the third and the fifth time that the fly touches the flytrap’s hair, digestive enzymes are produced by the flytrap.
In a few hours, the trap is devoid of air, and the fly asphyxiates. With this done, the fluid in the trap begins turning acidic and digesting the body of the fly.
The trap simultaneously absorbs the digested nutrients. This may take many days. Hence, the Venus flytrap has an extremely efficient mechanism that can track digestion and complete it. For this reason, it survives wonderfully in swamps and other areas with low nutritious sources.
If you want to learn more about the inner workings of a venus flytrap, you can click below to read an article I wrote all about how a venus flytrap works.
Before we continue to talk about how long a venus flytrap lives, I wanted to give you an opportunity to see everything you need to grow your own venus flytrap! When it comes to what you need, there isn’t a lot! Check out the links below to learn what you need and all the info you need to successfully grow these bug eating machines!
While this plant is popularly known to gain nutrition by trapping flies, it does use other sources as well. The plant does get nutrition by absorbing nutrients up from the ground. Like most other green plants, it conducts photosynthesis to get its energy from the sun.
However, in addition to this, insects like ants, spiders, and flies, among others, are trapped to gain nutrition. These are digested to survive in difficult areas where all nutrition cannot be gathered through conventional methods.
A venus flytrap technically does not need to trap insects to live. They can survive off a healthy dose of sun. The sun is actually their main form of nutrition. You can look at it like, the sun is required for them to grow strong. The bugs are like their fertilizer. If they catch a few here and there it’s like getting a regular dose of fertilizer.
Under What Conditions Do Venus Flytraps Live?
Venus Flytraps typically live in specific natural conditions. These generally include coastal areas. Coastal forests have several canopies beneath, which are called the understory. These spaces have little light, and the Venus Flytrap has digestive mechanisms to survive here. The soil that they grow in is usually moist, acidic, and does not contain good nutrient stores. The areas they grow in are also prone to fires that deplete the nitrogen in the soil.
Even in these conditions, the Venus Flytrap can get its nutrients from the insects that they digest. This is how they survive well in these difficult conditions with fairly low sunlight.
You may wonder how long do Venus Flytraps live for in the wild. As discussed above, they tend to love for about 20 years in their natural environment. It is also interesting to know that these plants live for a couple of months if they are submerged underwater. That was a fact that was really shocking to me! What a hardy and incredible plan.
Can Venus Flytraps Live Indoors?
Yes, Venus Flytraps do live indoors. They can live in these conditions for as long as they can live in their natural environments. If you are planning on growing one, you will want to make sure they have an area that gets a lot of direct sun or purchase a grow light bulb.
Use a soil that consistes of peat moss, perlite and silica sand. The sun and well aerated soil mix will help keep the plant thriving. If possible, place the plant outdoors so that insects can interact with the plant. Catching insects isn’t necessary but it acts as a great fertilizer for your venus flytrap. Having both will help your venus flytrap live longer and grow strong.
Learn more about how to feed a venus flytrap and what they eat below. I have taken the time to write up a full guide on feeding a venus flytrap!
Do note that you cannot feed your Venus Flytrap any food that humans consume. There is a huge chance that it will die.
Instead, look for houseflies or tiny slugs. Place these in the trap and signal the Venus Flytrap. This is a great option if you place the plant indoors where it does not have access to flies from being outside.
Check out the venus flytrap death cube rescue below. Watch while I save a venus flytrap from a Home Depot death cube!
https://youtu.be/r3BA1FmBHbA
Can Venus Flytraps Live Without Water?
Yes, Venus Flytraps can live without water. They may survive for about four weeks, depending on the season. During the summer, they require more water than usual. In general, you want to ensure that the Venus Flytrap has a cm of water under it during the summer. It’s not necessary for the venus flytrap to sit in water but if you happen to be more forgetful on watering your plant, this may save you in some situations!
The water must not be waterlogged but should be moist enough for the Venus Flytrap to grow well. Further, it is best not to use filtered water on this plant. Instead, use distilled water, rain water or water obtained through a reverse osmosis system. Like the one below!
Also, be sure to check out my full venus flytrap watering guide below!
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Do Insects Affect How Long A Venus Flytrap Lives?
Another factor that can determine how long a venus flytrap lives is how many insects the capture. As a general rule, Venus Flytraps have to be kept free from any bacteria and fungi. This is very important for their healthy growth and long life.
Sometimes, the Venus Flytrap may trap an insect that is larger than its trap. If the trap shuts close, a part of it remains embedded within the trap while the remaining part hangs outside. This can expose the trap to bacteria and fungi that grow on the outside part of the insect’s body. If this aggravates, the fungi can rot the trap, and it may eventually fall off.
Fungi, in other forms, can affect the plant as well. Therefore, it is a good idea to inspect your plant for fungi periodically. You may want to clean any that you see before the plant gets damaged.
If you are feeding the plant yourself, use a moderately-sized insect relative to the size of the trap. Try to make sure the insect is no larger than 1/3 the size of the trap. Squeeze it and move it around the Venus Flytrap’s hair a few times before you leave it for the trap to shut. This will make sure that the trap shuts, and the insect is wholly trapped inside. The trap needs that secondary trigger to release it’s digestive enzymes that will break the insect down.
If you see something like this, remove the fly as soon as you can so you don’t open your trap up to bacteria or fungus.
Summing It Up
We have seen so far that the Venus Flytrap will live for about 20 years in the wild. If taken care of well, it can also live for as long under domestic conditions. Just remember that the length of time your venus flytrap lives will depend on how you take care of it. Knowing it’s prime growing conditions and unique needs will help you keep your venus flytrap alive for a long time!
In general, it is important to see to it that the Flytrap has conditions of moist soil and ample sunlight during the summer months. In the winter months, it is likely to go dormant. You may want to move it away from the sun during this period.
Venus flytraps are not overly hard to grow but you do have to unlearn some of the traditional planting rules you have always applied. How long does a venus flytrap live? Probably a really long time if you take the steps to properly care for these incredible little bug eaters!
How Big Do Venus Flytraps Get?
A venus flytrap will typically grow to about 5-6 inches in diameter with the flytrap heads getting up to 1.5 inches big. The biggest venus flytrap is the Dionaea B-52. The traps on this venus flytrap can get to be over 2 inches long. This is not typical for normal venus flytraps as this is the biggest cultivar currently available.
The real answer to the question, how big do venus flytraps get, is it just kind of depends on what kind of venus flytrap you have. Some species won’t get really big but others like the B-52 will grow quite large.
There are a few different factors that will determine the size of your venus flytrap. The more sun and nutrients they get, the bigger they will grow. It’s hard to predict exactly how big a venus flytrap will get but you can get a relatively good idea based on the amount of sun the plant gets as well as the type of plant it is.
What Is The Largest Venus Flytrap
The largest venus flytrap cultivar is the Dionaea B52. It was originally cultivated by Henning Von Schmeling. It has bright crimson traps when grown correctly and is known for it’s vigorous growth.
It was registered with the International Plant Society in 2006 by Von Schmeling. You can pretty easily find this venus flytrap. I don’t currently own one, but its on of the next on my list of venus flytraps to get.
Joel’s Carnivorous Plants actually sells one on Amazon that you can check out below! I listed everything you will need to buy and grow a venus flytrap. Make sure to check out my Ultimate Venus Flytrap Care Guide linked below as well to learn how to take care of your plant!
If you want your venus flytrap to get as big as possible you want to make sure that it gets as much sun as possible. A full slate of sun for your venus flytrap will help it grow to it’s full potential. If your flytrap is healthy you can also give it a specific dose of fertilizer. If your venus flytrap is outside in it’s natural habitat it’s probably catching insects. If your venus flytrap is catching a lot of bugs you don’t need to give them any kind of fertilizer.
Keep in mind, before you fertilize it’s important to do your research. There is a fertilizer called Maxsea that seems to be the most popular. You do need to make sure an dilute the fertilizer before using, but it can help your plant grow big and strong.
Check out a couple of my guides on feeding and watering below! Don’t worry, both of these links keep you right on this website.
There are many variables when looking at how big a venus flytrap can get. The most important variable is definitely the cultivar and in this case, the B52 venus flytrap is where you will get the biggest traps.
The amount of sun and insects or fertilizer your plant gets also determines how big they will get. Make sure you are giving your venus flytrap a lot of sun and opportunities to catch lots of bugs!
Don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel. I plan on getting some B52 Venus Flytraps soon and will keep you updated on their health. Until then, check out the video below of me rescuing and repotting a venus flytrap from Lowes!
Today we are going to talk about the best pots and planters for venus flytraps. It’s important that you have the right housing for your carnivorous plant. If you follow the quick answer below, you will probably be able to pick out a great pot or planter for your venus flytrap. If you want more information, definitely keep scrolling as we give some great examples and break it down for you!
Make sure to spread the word below if you find this article helpful or interesting! Pinning, liking, sharing this info helps me out so much!
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Best Pots & Planters For Venus Flytraps Quick Guide
To find the best pot or planter for a venus flytrap make it’s made out of plastic, resin or a fully glazed clay pot. Avoid terra cotta or un-glazed pots. The porous materials can cause your substrate to dry quickly by absorbing the water. They can also leach minerals that are harmful to your venus flytrap into the substrate. Make sure your pot or planter has good drainage in the bottom as venus flytraps need good water flow. Try to get a pot or planter that is at least 5-10 inches deep as Venus flytrap roots like to have room to grow. The width of the pot is not as important, just make sure it allows room for growth.
The pots below are a couple examples of planters that meet all the criteria. They are functional but also stylish, which can be a little tricky to find. Check them out and see if there is anything you like! I’ll make more suggestions below, but these are some of my favorites!
I double checked, the first planter below is great for indoors and outdoors. It’s glazed on the outside and inside, which means it won’t leach minerals into your substrate and won’t be porous and dry your soil out.
UNIQUE MARBLE DESIGN - This attractive marble pattern flower pot (8.6”D x 6.7”H) is the ideal...
RAISED DRAINAGE HOLE - This planter comes with 4 pre-drilled, built-in drainage holes that create a...
LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIALS - Made from durable recycled plastic and natural stone powder, the planter is...
WEATHER RESISTANT - Allow you to enjoy this plant pot for outdoor plants in all types of weather....
100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED - We want you to love your purchase, therefore we strive to satisfy...
Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Table of Contents
Best Pots & Planters For Venus Flytraps
Now that you have been given the quick and simple answer, lets dig in a little more. I’m going to give you a checklist of sorts for things to look for when picking out a growing pot for a venus flytrap. When selecting a planter, there are a few things you will want to take into consideration.
It’s important to know what you are looking for as venus flytraps can be a little more demanding than a typical houseplant. There may be some considerations you need to think about that you wouldn’t normally with a houseplant.
I’m going to give you a quick checklist below, then I’m going to give you some suggestions on cool venus flytrap pots and planters I have found. Some will be purely for functionality while others will be for style. You can can have both if you find the right pot or planter!
Venus Flytraps Pots & Planters Checklist
Let’s go over some of the most important things to consider when looking at pots and planters for venus flytraps. There are a few different things that are really important when deciding which planter you want. I’m going to go over all the things to consider below to help you make the best choice for your venus flytrap pots.
The material of your pot or planter for a venus flytrap is probable the most important factor when looking at which are best. I’ll talk a little bit about the most popular planter choices and go over why you should or should not choose this material.
Fiberglass/Resin
This is probably your best choice. If you can find a nice fiberglass or resin fiberglass planter this is probably the top choice for venus flytraps. They will help keep your flytrap well insulated during dormancy but also won’t leach any minerals into your substrate. They are affordable and durable in both indoors and outdoors. Almost all my planters are either a plastic or resin/fiberglass resin.
The nice thing about resin is that they make some really stylish planters made out of resin, like the examples below.
The resin planter above is always a favorite. I’m such a sucker for anything in a whiskey barrel. It’s a nice aesthetic but also will be a great functional pot for your venus flytrap.
I really like this set of 3 wicker style resin planters. The great thing about this set is that you will have the planters ready to go as your venus flytraps grow. As they grow and multiply instead of looking for a new pot, you just replant them in the next size up. This set of 3 is a perfect mix of nice looking planters along with the well insulated strong resin.
Plastic is probably the most functional and least expensive option. The biggest growers typically like to keep it simple and just keep their plants in simple plastic pots. If you don’t care much for looks and just want something simple and easy then plastic is the way to go.
Do keep in mind, if you live in an area that has a more harsh winter, the thin plastic pots may not give your venus flytrap the insulation it needs in winter time. You may need to work a little harder to keep your plant safe if it’s in a plastic planter. If you are in a warmer climate without a harsh winter plastic just might be the best option for you. I’ll share some of my favorite plastic planters below.
The plastic pot above is actually quite nice looking. It’s just a thin plastic and wont insulate as good as resin but you may not need insulation! If I was going to get a cheaper plastic pot that I could show off to my friends and family, I’d get a pot like the one above!
The plastic planter above is the king of functionality. I do like the grooves on the plastic as it gives it a little bit of character rather than the just normal smooth plastic. You can get a 12 pack of these for around $20, so the price is right. These also come with the tray!
Maybe you need a little color in your life? These are wonderful looking 6 inch plastic pots for your venus flytrap. They come with plugs you can put in the drainage holes. They look really nice, they really don’t even look plastic. They have more of a ceramic look but with the functionality of plastic!
When you are looking at ceramic pots there are two different choices. You have fully glazed or un-glazed ceramic pots. You really need to avoid any kind of un-glazed ceramic pots. The porous material that ceramic pots are made out of can actually sap the moisture from the substrate. You really don’t want your pot or planter absorbing water from the soil.
The other problem with un-glazed ceramic pots is they can leach minerals into the substrate. They are commonly full of sodium and if that sodium leaches into the soil it can be fatal for your venus flytrap or carnivorous plant. These plants need a substrate that is devoid of any minerals. Leaching can be really bad for your venus flytrap.
If you want to go with a ceramic pot I don’t blame you. They can be some of the most aesthetically pleasing. They also have some really interesting and neat ceramic pots. Just make sure if you go ceramic that the pot or planter is fully glazed. The glaze on the inside ensures that no leaching will occur.
I went ahead to did some research for you and found a few different examples of really nice fully glazed ceramic pots below for your venus flytraps!
These ceramic pots are fully glazed and absolutely beautiful. They are simple but look quite nice. The seller hand makes these ceramic pots and would look wonderful with a venus flytrap. I might actually be getting some of these for my next project!
This ceramic pot will be a show stopper with venus flytraps planted inside of it. This will be one that really grabs some attention. The hand made ceramic glazed pot along with the wood stand are just beautiful. If you really want the pot thats going to get the attention from friends and family then this should be your go to.
Imagine busting this bad boy out and showing everyone your venus flytrap devouring a fly. Prepare for some oohs and ahhs for sure! It is a little pricier but definitely worth it, check out the price by clicking the link above!
There are so many really cool ceramic pots to choose from. Just make sure they are fully glazed, check out the selection below!
Terracotta pots and planters are extremely popular. They are not a good choice for carnivorous plants or venus flytraps. I would avoid them at all costs. They are extremely porous and will drink in a lot of the water. They also are terrible at leaching minerals into the substrate. If you can avoid terracotta, I would do so at all costs for a venus flytrap.
Clay Pots
Virtually the exact same for clay pots as for terracotta. Unless the clay pots are glazed, I would avoid them entirely for the same reasons were avoiding the terracotta or un-glazed ceramic pots.
Venus Flytrap Info Via Carnivorousplantshub.com
Drainage
It’s extremely important that your pot or planter for a venus flytrap has good drainage holes in the bottom. The water needs to have a place to escape to prevent root rot. At the same time, you need to make sure to have holes in the bottom if you are watering with the tray method.
Keep in mind, if you find the perfect planter that doesn’t have holes in the bottom you can always easily drill your own holes with a power drill. It’s pretty straight forward and simple. Plastic or resin is much easier to drill the holes than ceramic. With ceramic pots you do have a higher chance of breaking the pot when drilling a hole. It’s usually easiest just to find a pot or planter with pre drilled holes.
It’s important to note the pots and planters I showed you above all had pre drilled holes!
Color
Even the color can be important depending on what are you are in. If you are in a hot area and leave your venus flytraps in full sun it might be a good idea to aim for a light color. I have seen people that have fried their plant by leaving it in a black planter in full hot sun.
If you live in an area that has less harsh summers and temps rarely go above 100, then you probably don’t have to worry about it as much. California saw many days this summer with temps well above 100. A venus flytrap in a black planter could have easily become way too hot in those conditions.
Try to stick to white or even just a lighter grey color. Other colors work well too as long as they aren’t dark.
Size
I would recommend that you at least get a pot or planter that is at least 5 inches deep. The width doesn’t matter as much as you just want to make sure that you leave enough room for the venus flytrap to grow a little bit.
You want to go at least 5 inches deep since venus flytrap roots like to grow straight down. They don’t usually grow in circles or clusters, they go straight down. If you ever buy one from a grower you will often see the roots shooting out through the bottom of those little 2.5 or 3 inch plastic pots. That’s a tell that they need a deeper pot.
It’s tempting to get a smaller pot due to the amount of really cool ceramic pots that have been made for all the succulent lovers out there. Succulents have much smaller root systems and don’t need that depth. I know it’s tempting but avoid the cute owl planter unless it’s at least 5 inches deep.
Get What You Like
Most importantly guys, get the venus flytrap pot or planter that you really like. I suggest looking around and don’t get too stuck up on price. It’s very important that you love looking at your plant. Venus flytraps are beautiful and will make any old planter look amazing, but get the planter you love. Find one that speaks to you!
There are so many options out there you can really find a good planter for your venus flytrap that matches your personality. Have fun with it! Buying your planter should be fun and exciting. When you get done planting your venus flytraps in your new pot or planter you should be ready to take a photo and share it with the world! Check out my most recent replant below, I love it!
Conclusion
I really hope you learned everything you needed today so you can pick out the perfect venus flytrap pot. Having the right planter is so very important and will help you fall in love with these plants!
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Also, check out the carnivorous plant society below if you are passionate about learning more or conservation for carnivorous plants!
They have evolved to know that it’s possible for a leaf or rain drop to trigger the trap to close. The venus flytrap actually waits for a secondary trigger once the trap closes. If the thing inside is not moving, the flytrap will likely not go thorough with full digestion to save energy. Digestion will only trigger if the thing its trapped is moving around on the inside and triggers the hair a second time. The flytrap then releases it’s digestive enzyme to eat it’s prey. A gnat would not be big enough to trigger the secondary response. 
