Venus flytrap is one of the best-known carnivorous plants and is native to coastal NC and a small area of northeastern SC. It is a member of the sundew family (Droseraceae). The species epithet is Latin for “little mousetrap” and alludes to the trapping mechanism of the leaf. It is winter hardy in USDA zones 7 to 10, but by protecting it through the winter, it can be grown in zones 5 and 6. It needs high humidity, wet, sandy soil, and full 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. Do not fertilize the plant. Irrigate with rainwater or distilled water; treated (chlorinated) water or hard water can kill the plant. When insects or spiders disturb any two of the six tactile hairs on the upper surface of the folded leaf, 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. There is no need to remove this plant from the wild: It is widely available from nursery-propagated stock. Many cultivars are available that differ in trap size, color, marginal guard hairs, etc. Use the plant in containers, along bogs and ponds or any sufficiently wet area. This plant is a must for children’s gardens, carnivorous plant collections, native plant gardens and bog gardens. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. Watch for aphids, spider mites, and black spot.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
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
Less than 12 inches
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in. | Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 8 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Red/Burgundy
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Leaves are 2 to 5 inches long, borne in a low-growing basal rosette of up to 8 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.
Flower color
White
Flower form
Umbel
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Clusters of 0.7-inch white cup-shaped flowers atop a 4- to 12-inch leafless stalk (scape) in May and June. Each bloom has 5 sepals and petals and 10 to 12 stamens.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Displays from June to July. The capsule opens upward, and the seeds are dislodged by raindrops.
Stem color
Green
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
North Carolina and South Carolina
Distribution
DE , FL , NC , NJ , SC
Attracts
Bees
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Coastal; Container; Houseplants; Pond
Landscape theme
Children's Garden; Native Garden; Rain Garden; Water Garden