Dionaea muscipula (Venus flytrap)

Dionaea muscipula or 'Venus flytrap' is a carnivorous plant native to subtropical wetlands on the East Coast of the United States in North Carolina and South Carolina. It is a flowering plant best known for its carnivorous eating habits. The 'trap' is made of two hinged lobes at the end of each leaf. On the inner surfaces of the lobes are hair-like projections called trichomes that cause the lobes to snap shut when prey comes in contact with them. The plant expends a lot of energy closing its traps so it is best to avoid setting them off unnecessarily as this will stress the plant out.

Care Difficulty: Moderate care needs.

Light: Sunshine Lover: They need lots of direct sunlight, at least 4-6 hours daily. They will need partial shade from direct sun during the heatwaves. If you don’t have much direct sun then you can use a plant light.

Watering: Moist but Not Drenched: Use distilled water or ideally rainwater, keeping the soil moist but not soggy. You can also keep the pot on top of a tray and use the tray method.

Tray method: Place the pot in a dish with water, allowing the plant to absorb what it needs, top up the dish as the water is used. Avoid tap water and fertilizers.

Feeding: Feed with insects every 2-4 weeks during the growing season. Trigger the trap by placing insects at the center, triggering the hairs inside the traps, letting it close naturally. Only one to two traps need feeding at a time. Use insects of an appropriate size so that the trap can close fully. Avoid overfeeding; the traps need time to digest.

Humidity and Temperature: Moderate Conditions: Venus fly traps prefer humid environments (40-60% humidity) and cooler temperatures around 70°F (21°C) during the day and slightly cooler at night.

Toxicity: non-toxic to humans and most pets. However, it's best to prevent pets from ingesting them as consuming non-digestible plant material might cause discomfort.

Repotting:Signs of Overcrowding: Repot when the pot becomes crowded or when the plant outgrows its current container. Use a mixture of sphagnum moss and perlite in a ratio of 1:1.