Venus's Fly-Trap is a small meat-eating plant that needs quite a great deal of attention to thrive.

Picture of Venus's fly-trap meat-eating plant.
As the name suggests, Venus's fly-trap gets nourishment from
catching unsuspecting flies between its leaves. See more
pictures of house plants.

The Venus’s fly-trap is fascinating because of its curious means of finding nourishment. It has jawlike, red to green traps that snap shut and digest visiting insects. It is a small plant best suited to terrariums.

Give it boglike conditions in summer, but let it nearly dry out in cool conditions during the winter when it will die down to a green bud. Grow it in sphagnum moss. It should be watered with rainwater or distilled water.

Venus's Fly-Trap Quick Facts

Scientific Name: Dionaea muscipula
Common Name: Venus’s Fly-Trap
Light Requirement for Venus's Fly-Trap: Bright Light to Full Sun
Water Requirement for Venus's Fly-Trap: Very Moist (summer); Drench, Let Dry (winter)
Humidity for Venus's Fly-Trap: Very High
Temperature for Venus's Fly-Trap: Cool
Fertilizer for Venus's Fly-Trap: None
Potting Mix for Venus's Fly-Trap: Epiphyte
Propagation of Venus's Fly-Trap: Division, Leaf Cuttings, Seed
Decorative Use for Venus's Fly-Trap: Terrarium
Care Rating for Venus's Fly-Trap: Demanding

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Larry Hodgson is a full time garden writer out of Quebec City in the heart of French Canada where he grows well over 3,000 species and varieties. His book credits include Making the Most of Shade, The Garden Lovers Guide to Canada, Perennials for Every Purpose, Annuals for Every Purpose, Houseplants for Dummies, and Ortho's Complete Guide to Houseplants, as well as other titles in English and French. He's the winner of the Perennial Plant Association's 2006 Garden Media Award.