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Venus Fly Trap Dionaea muscipula

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
dy-oh-NEE-ah mew-SIP-yoo-lah
Description

Venus Flytrap is one of the best-known carnivorous plants and is native to NC and SC. It is winter hardy in USDA zones 7-10, but by protecting it through the winter it can be grown in zones 5 and 6.  It needs high humidity, wet, sandy, humusy soil, and sun to partial shade. Use a planting mix of whole-fiber sphagnum moss or a mix of equal parts peat moss and coarse vermiculite or sharp sand. Do not allow the soil to dry out.

When insects or spiders disturb any two of the six tactile hairs on the upper surface of the folded leaves the hinged halves of the leaf snap shut, trapping the prey. A chemical secreted by the prey stimulates the flow of the plant's digestive enzymes. Following the digestion of the prey, the nutrients are absorbed and the leaf is reset.

This is an endangered species that cannot be legally collected from the wild. 

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  No serious insect or disease problems. Watch for aphids, spider mites, and black spot. 

See this plant in the following landscapes:
Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden in Wilmington Juniper Level Botanic Garden: Bog Garden
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Cupped Trap'
    bright red-centered traps with a more rounded cup form
  • 'Dente'
    the guard hairs resemble sharks teeth, deep red traps, green petioles
  • 'King Henry'
    large, chartreuse to yellow traps with orange-red interiors, fast-growing
  • 'Red Dragon'
    the plant turns red when grown in full sun
'Cupped Trap', 'Dente', 'King Henry', 'Red Dragon'
Tags:
#deciduous#full sun tolerant#houseplant#carnivorous#endangered#NC native#pest resistant#native garden#food source summer#food source herbage#Coastal FACW#Piedmont Mountains FACW#humidity tolerant#non-toxic for horses#non-toxic for dogs#non-toxic for cats#Audubon#container plant#coastal plant#boggy sites#wildflower
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Cupped Trap'
    bright red-centered traps with a more rounded cup form
  • 'Dente'
    the guard hairs resemble sharks teeth, deep red traps, green petioles
  • 'King Henry'
    large, chartreuse to yellow traps with orange-red interiors, fast-growing
  • 'Red Dragon'
    the plant turns red when grown in full sun
'Cupped Trap', 'Dente', 'King Henry', 'Red Dragon'
Tags:
#deciduous#full sun tolerant#houseplant#carnivorous#endangered#NC native#pest resistant#native garden#food source summer#food source herbage#Coastal FACW#Piedmont Mountains FACW#humidity tolerant#non-toxic for horses#non-toxic for dogs#non-toxic for cats#Audubon#container plant#coastal plant#boggy sites#wildflower
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Dionaea
    Species:
    muscipula
    Family:
    Droseraceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    North Carolina and South Carolina
    Distribution:
    DE , FL , NC , NJ , SC
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 8 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Carnivorous
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Houseplant
    Native Plant
    Wildflower
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Clumping
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    High
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Frequent Standing Water
    Moist
    Occasionally Wet
    Available Space To Plant:
    Less than 12 inches
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Black
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Summer
    Fruit Description:
    Displays from June to July
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Umbel
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Shape:
    Cup
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Clusters of 0.7-inch white cup-shaped flowers atop a 4-12 inch leafless stalk in May and June. Each bloom has 5 sepals and petals and 10-12 stamens.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Green
    Red/Burgundy
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    2-5 in. leaves are in a low-growing basal rosette of up to 8 bristly leaves. At the end of each leaf is the "trap" which is folded into 2 hinged lobes with bristly edges. The inner surface of traps may be rich, dark red or green depending on the amount of sun received.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Coastal
    Container
    Houseplants
    Pond
    Landscape Theme:
    Children's Garden
    Native Garden
    Rain Garden
    Water Garden
    Design Feature:
    Specimen
    Attracts:
    Bees
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Humidity
    Wet Soil