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Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)

Dionaea muscipula is a low-growing, rosette-forming perennial carnivorous herb.

LightDionaea muscipula grows in full sun to partial sun and should receive ample light in cultivation, with some shade or protection from the strongest midsummer sunlight when appropriate.
WaterSources differ in their watering descriptions, but the growing medium should remain moist and not dry out completely; rainwater or distilled water can be used, while treated chlorinated water or hard water may harm the p
TemperatureSources differ on the minimum temperature. A source reports a defined hardiness range and notes that cultivation is possible in colder zones with suitable winter protection. Dionaea muscipula has cold winter dormancy.
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Overview

Dionaea muscipula is a low-growing, rosette-forming perennial carnivorous herb.

Origin and habitat

Dionaea muscipula is native to a limited area of the eastern United States, especially coastal North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina. Its native habitats are wet, nutrient-poor, acidic wetlands, including wet pine flats, wet pine savannas, swamps, and Sphagnum peatlands. It is reported to be native to temperate to subtropical wetland environments and to have a winter dormancy cycle.

Characteristics

Mature plants reach 3.5–10 cm in height; sources differ on spread, with the limited information suggesting about 10–15 cm. Growth is reported to be slow. Sources differ in their descriptions of the traps: the leaves form a rosette with flattened petioles and hinged traps of paired lobes at their tips; the inner surfaces may be red, orange, or purple, with tooth-like or bristle-like margins and sensory hairs. Small white flowers are borne in clusters on stalks above the leaves, typically with petals and sepals; flowering occurs from early to midsummer, and after pollination the ovary enlarges and later matures into a round black fruit containing many black seeds.

Light

Dionaea muscipula grows in full sun to partial sun and should receive ample light in cultivation, with some shade or protection from the strongest midsummer sunlight when appropriate.

Watering

Sources differ in their watering descriptions, but the growing medium should remain moist and not dry out completely; rainwater or distilled water can be used, while treated chlorinated water or hard water may harm the plant, and water should not be withheld completely during winter dormancy. It is generally reported to require pure water only (rain, RO or distilled). Tray (bottom) watering is compatible with the plant, with a target of keeping it wet.

Temperature and dormancy

Sources differ on the minimum temperature. A source reports a defined hardiness range and notes that cultivation is possible in colder zones with suitable winter protection. Dionaea muscipula has cold winter dormancy.

Growing medium and mounting

Use an acidic, moisture-retentive but aerated medium, such as long-fiber Sphagnum or peat combined with coarse vermiculite or coarse sand; its native habitats also include acidic wetland soils low in minerals. Sand with peat is also reported as a substrate type.

Feeding

It is generally reported that fertilizer should not be applied. It is also reported to grow without supplementary feeding of insects.

Propagation

Dionaea muscipula is reported to be propagated from seed or by division.

Common problems

Aphids and mealybugs are reported as possible pests, while disease problems are generally reported to be uncommon. Drying of the medium is a risk, and hard water or treated chlorinated water may harm the plant; repeatedly triggering traps without purpose can consume energy and weaken leaves or the whole plant, while prey that is too large can cause trapping leaves to rot and wither. The plant is sensitive to drying and may be given some shade under intense midsummer light; it has limited cold tolerance, and winter cultivation should accommodate dormancy while avoiding severe frost.

Identification

Dionaea muscipula has traps at the leaf tips that can close rapidly when prey stimulates sensory hairs, and its prey includes insects, spiders, and other arthropods. It is the only species in the genus Dionaea.

Photos

Dionaea muscipula
📷 Len Worthington · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Dionaea muscipula
📷 David Hill, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · source
Dionaea muscipula
📷 Michael J. Papay, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by · CC BY · source

Sources