Expert: Christopher Littrell - 4/10/2008

Question
My venus flytrap is dying! I don't know what is wrong! It has moist soil, which is properly mixed in 1:1 peat to perlite,is sitting in about 2 inches of water, and gets lots of sun, at least 8 hours a day, and it is still dying. I don't know what is wrong. The temperature hasn't fluctuated it has been around 60, we haven't had any frost, I just have no idea what is wrong. There is nothing I can think of. There is some new growth in the middle, but there are about 3 traps dying, and only 2 growing out of the middle. So i really have no idea. Please help.

Answer
Hello Sean,

You can lower the water level a bit unless the plant is in an 8 inch pot. Most of the time a 4-5 inch pot with one inch of water in a tray is just fine for Venus Flytraps. Too much water can lead to root rot as the roots cannot breath. Remove some of the excess water and top water the plant so that water seeps down into the soil around its roots and drains out the bottom into the tray.

Make sure the sunlight is not just window light. Windows cut back on some of the light that gets inside, so plants cannot really get full sun through them. Place the plant outside or place it in a bright window with 100 watt compace florescent light or a 40 watt florescent shop light with cool white or true daylight tubes or bulbs about 5-8 inches over the plant as added light. Venus Flytraps are really more like garden plants and can be very difficult to keep alive inside. By the sound of it you have the plant outside, so that is not likely the problem.

Next, you mentioned that the plant had some new growth in the center. As long as that new growth keeps growing and stays green your plant is alive and healthy. Venus Flytraps occasionally go through stages of growth where old leaves die off rather quickly and are replaced by new leaves. Give the plant some time and reduce the watering a little and it should be fine if all else is well with its climate.

In addition, if you recently moved the plant from one location to another, perhaps a location with lower humidity or greater amounts of sunlight, the plants older leaves will wilt and/or burn and die off while newer leaves would be adapted to the new conditions.

Christopher