Venus's Fly-Trap: A Portrait of a House Plant

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

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.

Venus's Fly-Trap

Venus's Fly-Trap Quick Facts

Want to learn about house plants by type? Try these:

Learn how to care for house plants:

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