Tips for Growing Venus Flytraps Outdoors
Is there any flora more fascinating than some of those funky carnivorous species out there? And of these, is any more iconic than the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)? I don’t think so.
While they’re very popular as houseplants, they also make such a cool addition to the garden.
I’ve talked to gardeners who didn’t even know that Venus flytraps were capable of being cultivated outside.
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It’s no wonder, since they are almost extinct in their native habitat, and they only grow wild in one tiny part of the United States.
Though they have a reputation for being challenging houseplants, Venus flytraps are actually pretty tough and adaptable.
They grow in Zones 5 to 9, and require some cold weather to thrive. They also make the most of poor, depleted soil.
Our guide to growing Venus flytraps covers how to cultivate these unique plants indoors.
Ready to learn how to care for Venus flytraps in an outdoor environment? Let’s do it! Here’s what’s on the horizon:
What You’ll Learn
Venus Flytrap Basics
Venus flytraps are found growing wild in coastal North and South Carolina in wet, sandy, peaty, nutrient-depleted soil.
They grow in a single sixty-mile circle centered around Wilmington, North Carolina.
The plants are extinct or threatened in all parts of their natural range as a result of fire suppression and habitat loss.
As of 2019, there were only about 300,000 individual Venus flytrap plants left in their original range.
Venus flytraps grow from a rhizomatous root with up to ten leaves per rosette.
Each leaf consists of a leaf-like structure called a petiole and a trap at the end, known as a leaf blade or lamina.
The petiole is an elongated triangle or heart-shaped growth that is responsible for photosynthesis.
At the end of the petiole is a pair of lobes that are hinged at the center. These traps are capable of photosynthesis, but they also capture food to feed the Venus flytrap plant.
The lobes have red pigment on the inside and secrete a sticky mucilage substance from glands at the margins, both of which combine to attract insects and spiders by fooling them into thinking the trap is a flower.
They can even catch small frogs or tiny rodents, though this is less common.
All along the inner surface of the lobes are tiny hair-like structures called trichomes and long, tooth-like growths called cilia at the margins. These cilia create the cage at the edges of the lobes.
It’s these trichomes that sense prey and cause the lobes to quickly snap shut. But they can tell the difference between potential prey or other things like rain, falling debris, or a curious human finger prodding the trap.
Two of the trichomes have to be triggered separately in succession within about 20 seconds or one trichome must be touched twice in rapid succession for the trap to close.
If the caught critter struggles, or secretes feces or urine, the trap closes tighter and tighter and begins the digestion process by secreting an acidic liquid. If whatever it was that triggered the trap doesn’t continue to struggle or move once inside, the trap will reopen.
That means if you poke the trap to make it snap shut, it will reopen when it senses there isn’t a bug inside. Smart, right?
The cilia at the edges of the trap aren’t “teeth.” They form the cage that keeps the insect inside, but are spaced far enough apart that small prey can escape. Since tiny insects aren’t worth the energy it takes to digest, the Venus flytrap releases them.
With the prey inside, the trap closes even tighter and secretes the enzymes amylase, chitinase, esterase, lipase, peroxidase, phosphatase, protease, and ribonuclease to digest the meal. This can take days or weeks, depending on the size.
Once it’s done extracting all the nutrients from the prey, the trap opens up and any indigestible parts will blow away in the breeze. Or, more often, an unsuspecting spider wanders along to eat the remains and becomes a meal itself.
After a trap has digested a few insects, it dies off and is replaced by a new one, so there will be leaves in various stages of maturity on one Venus flytrap at all times.
Venus flytraps produce two different types of leaves. In spring and fall, they put out horizontal, low-growing leaves with heart-shaped petioles. The leaves that develop in the summertime have elongated petioles and tend to grow more upright.
If you want to really get into the weeds, botanists classify the leaf growth into four patterns: typica, erecta, linearis, and filiformis.
Typica refers to horizontal leaves with heart-shaped petioles and erecta types are similar but grow at about a 45-degree angle.
Linearis grows at a 45-degree angle with narrow petioles, and filiformis has upright, narrow petioles. The type of leaf that will grow depends on the number of daylight hours of and the intensity of light the Venus flytrap is exposed to.
In the spring, the plant blooms with five-petalled white flowers at the end of long stalks that extend above the traps.
These flowers are involute cymes, which means that the flowers of the flat-topped inflorescence cluster together at the end of the stem, with the central flowers opening first.
Venus flytraps will spread naturally, creating a marvelous carpet and will also reproduce via seeds.
These carnivorous plants can make a fun conversation piece when grown in a pot outside as well. They’re tailor-made for outdoor terrariums or to decorate the margins of ponds or streams.
Propagation
While it’s technically possible to grow Venus flytraps from seed, it’s difficult for even the most experienced grower. On top of that, it takes forever.
I’ll give you a quick overview of starting seeds in case that’s something you’d like to explore, but for the home gardener, it’s best, stick to the easier methods.
Whatever method you choose, don’t even think about trying to dig up a flytrap in the wild. In North Carolina, digging up or even collecting seeds from a specimen can land you a $50,000 fine and prison time.
From Seed
Venus flytraps produce five-petaled, self-fertile blossoms with both the female and male reproductive parts.
If you want to control the process, choose the two Venus flytraps you would like to breed, wait until the stamens have yellow pollen balls at the end and the stigma is slightly fuzzy, which means it’s ready to receive the pollen.
Pluck a flower from one Venus flytrap and rub the inner part of the bloom onto the receiving plant’s flower. You’re trying to rub the pollen balls onto the stamen of the receiving flower.
You can also wipe off some pollen using a toothpick and gently place it on the stigma. Venus flytraps pollinate readily, so you don’t need to be very precise.
Instead of hand-pollinating, you can just leave the Venus flytraps to do the pollination themselves. You may be able find seeds from reputable vendors online, but avoid marketplace sellers unless they have a large number of verified reviews.
After the flower is pollinated, it will quickly fade and be replaced by a small pod filled with tiny black seeds. Place some sand in a resealable plastic baggy, moisten it, and place the seeds in the bag. Put the bag in the fridge for four weeks.
Sow them right away by sprinkling seeds on the surface of a rich, soilless potting medium in a seed-starting tray.
Moisten the medium and cover the container with plastic or glass to trap the moisture inside.
Place the flat in an area that is between 70 and 85°F and receives direct light for at least eight hours. Keep the medium moist.
It will take a month or so before the seedlings are visible to the naked eye. Remove the glass or plastic cover when the seedlings are large enough that they are close to touching it.
In the spring when soil temperatures are over 65°F, harden off the seedlings for a week before transplanting them outside. It will take up to five years for Venus flytrap started from seed to reach maturity.
From Cuttings
To take a cutting from your Venus flytrap, dig down and find a rhizome with a leaf attached.
Gently grasp the petiole at its base and peel it downward to release it from the rhizome. You want to peel off some of the rhizome along with the petiole. Cut the trap off of the top of the petiole.
Stick the cut end of the petiole into moistened seed-starting mix that is rich and loose. Something like Tank’s Pro-Lite Seeding and Potting Mix would be ideal.
Tank’s Pro-Lite Seeding and Potting Mix
It contains organic compost, organic coconut coir, and perlite, which is perfect for Venus flytraps.
Arbico Organics carries 16-quart bags if you’d like to grab some for your propagation efforts.
Cover the cuttings (or pullings, if you want to be technical), with plastic wrap or glass.
You might need to tent and prop up the plastic using a stick or other item because you don’t want the cover to touch the cutting or it will cause rot.
Place the cuttings in full sun and keep the potting medium moist.
After a few weeks or even months, new growth will emerge from the base of the cutting. You did it! Wait until the new Venus flytrap is a few inches tall and you can harden it off before transplanting outside.
By Division
If you have access to a mature Venus flytrap plant in cultivation, you can also divide the rosettes quite easily.
Wait until the Venus flytrap produces a second rosette that is large enough to handle.
Snip the root or rhizome that connects the two plants and gently dig down at the outside of where the leaves extend and about six inches deep.
Lift out the rosette and replant in a new spot.
Transplanting
If you have purchased a potted Venus flytrap for transplanting, choose a spot in the garden that will be easy to keep boggy and wet.
Don’t worry about working the soil, just dig a hole about the same size as the growing container and remove the plant from its pot. Set it into the hole and fill in around the roots.
Water the soil well.
How to Grow Venus Flytraps Outdoors
In North and South Carolina where they grow indigenously, the temperatures can fluctuate from freezing to sweltering hot.
As mentioned earlier, these plants actually require a cold period to enter dormancy. Temperatures can drop down to 14°F for short periods when the plant is dormant and it will be fine.
On the other end of the spectrum, they can tolerate temperatures up to 104°F but extended periods in the 100s will kill the plants.
If you have more than a few days above 95°F, shield your Venus flytraps with umbrellas or cover with cardboard boxes to lower the temperature, and spritz them with water regularly.
In the wild, Venus flytraps grow in acidic, moist, warm bogs where it’s humid and sunny. That can be hard to find in your garden if it isn’t wet, humid, and sunny already.
Your goal is to recreate this environment as closely as possible.
First of all, grow in full sun. You literally can’t give Venus flytraps too much sun. They receive 12 or more hours in the wild during the summer. Many houseplant enthusiasts struggle to grow Venus flytraps indoors because it’s hard to provide enough light.
If your soil isn’t ideal, you’ll need to amend it. Venus flytraps do best in loose soil that’s low in nutrients.
You can amend your soil with plenty of sphagnum moss and add rice hulls to loosen it up and improve water retention, but you don’t need to add nutrients.
This plant likes the soil to be boggy at all times. We’re not just talking about moist soil, if you take a bit in your hand and squeeze it, water should drip out. But the soil shouldn’t be wet with standing water, either.
In the winter, the soil should feel like a well-wrung-out sponge.
In the garden, this usually means planting near a stream bed, next to a pond, or underneath a leaky hose bib. That last one is my own personal strategy, but I’d recommend fixing your hose bib rather than relying on it to keep your Venus flytrap happy.
Note that these plants don’t want standing water touching the stems. The water table should be lower than that, just covering about half of the roots.
The soil should be acidic, with a pH between 4.0 and 6.0, so you’ll likely need to make some amendments.
If you don’t have anywhere with the right environment, grow your plants in a container outdoors. That way, you can better control the soil and how much moisture it’s receiving.
You need a container that is at least six inches deep to accommodate the roots. Go with something nice and wide if you want to let the plant spread.
Use a potting mix formulated specifically for carnivorous plants, such as this one, available from Perfect Plants in four-quart bags.
Organic Carnivorous Plant Soil Mix
When you water, be extra careful to only water at the soil level. Don’t water on the leaves.
One of the reasons I think Venus flytraps have a reputation for being fussy is because gardeners try watering them with municipal water, which contains lots of minerals.
Over time, these minerals build up and poison the plant.
To avoid this, use the right kind of water: Rainwater, filtered water, or purified water are all ideal. If you have well water in your garden, you’re golden.
Don’t fertilize your plants. The reason they capture insects and spiders is to provide themselves with nutrients, and a healthy flytrap can catch plenty of food.
The exception is if you’re growing a mutant such as ‘Alien’ or ‘Funnel Trap’ that is unable to catch its own food.
If you have one of these, feed once a month during the active growing season with a fish, crab, or fish bone meal fertilizer.
These products all contain a mix of nitrogen and phosphorus but very little potassium, which is just right for Venus flytraps.
I’d go with something like Down to Earth’s Fish Meal, which has an NPK ratio of 8-6-0.
I like DTE’s products because they are made using natural ingredients and come in compostable boxes.
Pick up five pounds at Arbico Organics.
Growing Tips
- Plant in full sun.
- Keep the soil moist at all times.
- Don’t fertilize unless you’re growing a mutant that is unable to catch its own food.
Pruning and Maintenance
These plants require a period of dormancy during the winter months.
The aboveground parts will turn black and will die back to the ground, returning in spring when the temperatures warm up. You can trim off the dead growth.
In the summer, the plant will flower. Some plants can be extremely floriferous, and this takes a lot of energy, so it’s best to remove the flowers by snipping them off at the base.
Remember that the leaves turn black, wither, and die after catching a few insects. Gently trim these off the plant.
Don’t try to pull the leaves off because they stay attached to the roots even as they die. You don’t want to accidentally pull up your plant.
Mulch around the plants to help retain water and suppress the weeds. In the winter, when the plant dies back, cover the area with mulch or twigs to protect the roots.
Remove this in the spring.
Cultivars to Select
Breeders have been focusing on making larger and more colorful cultivars, and you’ll find lots of these on the market.
You’ll also see mutants, which are accidental breedings with traps that are unable to close, open, or otherwise catch their food.
Some carnivorous plant enthusiasts love these, and others hate them. Whichever camp you fall in, be aware they’re out there. They’ll be clearly labeled.
Small plants tend to stay under about six inches tall, medium top out around nine inches, and the largest cultivars can grow up to around a foot tall.
Here are some excellent options to consider:
Akai Ryu
Also called ‘Red Dragon,’ this is currently the only cultivar with entirely maroon foliage. When provided with enough sunlight, the leaves appear almost black.
It’s a stunning addition to the garden or home. ‘Akai Ryu’ grows up to seven inches tall, with proportionally large traps that can be over an inch and a half wide.
The trade-off is that they grow fairly slowly compared to some of the smaller cultivars.
This is the first mass-produced cultivar that was developed via tissue cultures. It was bred at the Atlanta Botanical Garden by horticulturalist Ron Gagliardo.
Imagine these planted among the solid chartreuse Venus flytraps, so cool!
Speaking of green, it has a close sibling called ‘Green Dragon’ that looks similar but with a green band on the outside of the traps.
B52
Everyone wants this bomber. Bred by Henning von Schmeling in Georgia, it’s one of the most popular and well-known of the flytraps.
In bright light, the entire trap turns blood red. It is difficult to tell ‘B52’ apart from its parent, ‘Carolina Giant,’ but this cultivar has the capability to grow up to about five inches tall and is generally a darker red than its parent.
The traps can be two inches in length!
Pick up yours at Amazon where Joel’s Carnivorous Plants sells live plants in 3.75-inch grower’s pots.
Dente
Instead of having long cilia lining its traps, those on ‘Dente’ are short and pointed, making the traps look a bit like sharks with their mouths wide open.
The interior and exterior of the traps are dark red on a vigorous and fast-growing, medium-sized plant.
If the sharky teeth make it difficult for the plant to catch food, which will likely be the case, be sure to feed it.
King Henry
With traps that can grow over one and a half inches long, ‘King Henry’ is a big one.
The traps have the classic red center and the plant grows large and robust, putting out lots of plantlets as it matures.
It tends to be more upright than many other cultivars, so nab this one if you prefer that style.
It’s one of the tougher, more adaptable options out there, so it’s perfect for beginners. You can find live plants available from Carnivero via Amazon.
Ginormous
‘Ginormous’ lives up to its name, it’s gigantic! The size of the plant itself is in line with others out there, but the traps are big enough that you might want to keep small dogs and cats away.
I’m kidding, of course, but they can grow even larger than those of ‘B52.’
It’s also extremely vigorous, so you’ll be enjoying rosettes of this stately Venus flytrap throughout your garden.
Lunatic Fringe
I am not a huge fan of the mutants because I feel bad for the poor things.
They catch a meal and then can’t digest it and I imagine a life of being fed the most delicious meal and not being able to chew it. Do I tend to anthropomorphize? Yes, yes I do.
Anyway, I’d make an exception for ‘Lunatic Fringe.’ It has the most charming frilly, fringy cilia on the margins of its traps. They’re also mostly green with just a faint blush in the center. Both the traps and the plant can be extremely large.
It was bred by respected grower Matt Miller in 2009 from a seedling that he started.
Paradisa
I can’t wait for all the new colors that will emerge as breeders keep producing new cultivars, and ‘Paradisa’ reveals what’s on the horizon for us carnivorous plant enthusiasts.
The traps are stripey with pinks and reds on a pastel green base. It’s such a pretty combination and is eye-catching in that it’s paler than most other Venus flytraps. This is a medium-sized plant.
Slack’s Giant
‘Slack’s Giant’ is aptly named as both the traps and the plant itself are huge.
While some flytraps are red at the center gradually fading to green at the margins, ‘G16,’ as it’s also known, is deep red all the way through to the tips of the cilia.
The color gradually develops over the summer, so it’s an ever-changing display.
Managing Pests and Disease
You might think it odd that carnivorous plants can be damaged by pests, and it’s true, they aren’t generally bothered. There are really just two you have to watch out for:
Aphids
While aphids are extremely common in the garden, they only feed on Venus flytraps occasionally and usually only if there’s nothing better around.
If you notice aphids, which are pretty easy to see on these plants, use your favorite treatment.
Neem oil and insecticidal soap both work well, as does introducing lacewings or other predators to the garden.
Learn more about how to manage aphids in our guide.
Another tip I learned from Peter D’Amato in his exceptional book, “The Savage Garden” is to put a sticky flea collar around your plant.
The year I tried this, I didn’t have to deal with any aphids.
If you’re interested in carnivorous plants in general, you should absolutely grab a copy of this book, which is available at Amazon.
Spider Mites
Oh, spider mites. Indoors or out, these annoying pests will find a plant and settle in to feed and breed.
Several species will feed on Venus flytraps, but red spider mites (Tetranychus evansi) are especially common.
Since they’re so incredibly tiny, there are two main ways to identify an infestation. The first is that you might see fine webbing on the plant.
The second is brown or yellow spots and mottling on the leaves and traps. The symptoms usually appear on the edges of the traps first.
Spider mites can cause serious damage to Venus flytraps and if you notice them, you will need to use a miticide to eliminate these pests.
There are lots on the market, but I prefer something like MiteXStream, which you can find at Arbico Organics in eight-ounce, gallon, or five-gallon sizes.
Whichever product you choose, follow the manufacturer’s directions closely for application rates and timing.
Disease
Venus flytraps like a lot of humidity and moisture. Do you know what else enjoys these conditions? Fungi. The only major disease to affect this plant is fungal in nature.
Crown and root rot is caused by several different pathogens, including those in the Sclerotinia and Colletotrichum genera.
Don’t worry about which specific pathogen is causing the problem, though. The symptoms all look the same, with yellow to black areas developing anywhere on the plant.
If the roots start rotting, you won’t be able to tell until the aboveground part of the plant collapses. Otherwise, you’ll see black at the base of the rosette, on the leaves, and/or the stems.
You might see slimy areas on the plant and it may smell rotten or otherwise “off.”
The moment you realize something is wrong, act fast, because this problem can go from zero to 60 in no time.
Cut off any symptomatic traps and then treat your plant with a fungicide.
Biofungicides that harness the power of the beneficial bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain F727, citric acid, hydrogen peroxide, or Pseudomonas chlororaphis are all effective.
I’d go with a product like Arber’s biofungicide because it can take care of many different pathogens so you’re covered. This product harnesses the power of B. amyloliquefaciens.
Arbico Organics carries Arber biofungicide in 16-ounce containers.
Snap One Up!
If you’ve ever seen a Venus flytrap in a pot indoors, then you know how attention grabbing they are.
Hardly anyone can walk by one without commenting. Now, imagine that impact times a thousand with a carpet full of them in your garden.
Where do you plan to grow your Venus flytraps? Are you picturing an adorable outdoor terrarium in your garden? Or are you going to add something unique to your pond? Let us know in the comments section below!
And for more information about growing carnivorous plants, add these guides to your reading list next: