How to care for venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)

Dionaea muscipula

Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) — a small carnivorous perennial from the Carolinas, up to about 10 cm tall with rosettes to 30 cm wide; each leaf ends in a hinged, bristle-edged trap, and clusters of tiny white flowers open in summer. Venus flytrap needs full sun. Water it about every 3 days while it grows and about every 5 days in the winter rest.

Checked against sources: November 5, 2026

Watering and repotting venus flytrap through the year

It lives indoors all year, so it has no sowing or planting dates: it grows from March to September and rests from October to February (the other way round in the southern hemisphere).

Repot it about every 12 months.

When to plant venus flytrap?

Plant or repot venus flytrap in spring, as it starts into growth; early to midsummer also works. It is a houseplant, so it has no outdoor planting date and no frost decides it: just avoid autumn and winter, when growth slows and fresh compost stays wet too long. After that, move it to a slightly larger pot about every year, or sooner once roots circle the pot or grow through the drainage holes.

Watering in the growing and resting halves of the year: Watering and repotting venus flytrap through the year.

Sources: RHS: How to repot a plant · Penn State Extension: Repotting houseplants

Quick facts

Type	Houseplant
Latin name	Dionaea muscipula
Family	Droseraceae
Light	Full sun
Frost	does not tolerate frost
Repotting	every 12 months
Grown in	At home

Venus flytrap care by growth stage

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 3 days	—	—
Winter rest	every 5 days	—	—

Growing notes

Light

Full light, shaded only from hot sun; in poor light the traps come out weak and stop working properly.

Soil

A peat-free, acidic mix with sustainably sourced sphagnum moss, kept constantly damp; never ordinary potting compost.

Care

Water only with rainwater, because tap water kills it; stand the pot in a saucer with about 1 cm of water in spring and summer and about half that in winter, and never let it dry out. Never fertilise it and do not feed it meat, cheese or dead bugs, since it senses movement. Avoid poking the traps, because each closing uses energy; cut off black traps and snip off the flower stalks, which weaken the plant. It needs a winter rest; it dies down in the cold months and regrows in March, so keep it somewhere cool, not in a warm room. Buy nursery-grown plants, not wild-collected ones. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Pests and diseases of Venus flytrap

1 problem is recorded for venus flytrap; it has a page with symptoms, treatment and prevention.

Pests

Two-spotted spider mite

Plant lists it is in

What to grow on a windowsill or balcony

Part of: Houseplants · Houseplants safe for cats and dogs · Houseplants for a sunny window · Thirsty houseplants

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.