The Venus Flytrap is a vulnerable perennial plant that blooms for several years consecutively. It has been estimated that the Venus flytrap lives for twenty years, and sometimes more both domestically and in the wild. However, the precise lifespan of the plant has not been calculated yet. Some people claim they can live forever but it’s unknown if this is the original plant or if it’s a spawn from the original.
The traps that are on the Venus Flytrap has a numbered life span. Each can open and close only a few times before it dies and falls from the plant. Even though each trap has a limited life span, this doesn’t impact the life span of the actual plant. Traps will grow and die off over and over with one venus flytrap plant.
Learning how long venus flytraps live involves a bit more of a deeper dive. Lets take a look below and learn more about how long they live and how you can keep your venus flytrap alive longer!
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How Long Do Venus Flytraps Live?
Table of Contents
How Do Venus Flytraps Work?
The Venus Flytrap’s trap has a fruity smell and is often red. The combination of colors and sweet aroma make venus flytraps a bug magnet. There is stiff hair located on the inner surface.
A fly can bump into this, and a signal will be sent across the Flytrap’s body. Because of the limited traps per trap, the plant is programmed to wait so that it does not close shut in response to false signals.
The fly that is trapped must touch the hair again in the next 20 seconds. If this happens, another signal is sent down the Venus Flytrap’s body, and it closes shut. The fly is imprisoned. Between the third and the fifth time that the fly touches the flytrap’s hair, digestive enzymes are produced by the flytrap.
In a few hours, the trap is devoid of air, and the fly asphyxiates. With this done, the fluid in the trap begins turning acidic and digesting the body of the fly.
The trap simultaneously absorbs the digested nutrients. This may take many days. Hence, the Venus flytrap has an extremely efficient mechanism that can track digestion and complete it. For this reason, it survives wonderfully in swamps and other areas with low nutritious sources.
If you want to learn more about the inner workings of a venus flytrap, you can click below to read an article I wrote all about how a venus flytrap works.
How A Venus Flytrap Works
Grow Your Own Venus Flytrap
Before we continue to talk about how long a venus flytrap lives, I wanted to give you an opportunity to see everything you need to grow your own venus flytrap! When it comes to what you need, there isn’t a lot! Check out the links below to learn what you need and all the info you need to successfully grow these bug eating machines!
Check out the list below to see what you need!
Click Here To Get A Venus Flytrap Plant On Amazon
Click Here To Buy Venus Flytrap Soil On Amazon
If you want to make your own soil, check out my article that shows you how with just 3 ingredients! Click below.
Click Here To Learn How To Make Venus Flytrap Soil Mix
Click Here For A Pot or Planter For A Venus Flytrap
How Else Does the Venus Flytrap Gain Nutrition?
While this plant is popularly known to gain nutrition by trapping flies, it does use other sources as well. The plant does get nutrition by absorbing nutrients up from the ground. Like most other green plants, it conducts photosynthesis to get its energy from the sun.
However, in addition to this, insects like ants, spiders, and flies, among others, are trapped to gain nutrition. These are digested to survive in difficult areas where all nutrition cannot be gathered through conventional methods.
A venus flytrap technically does not need to trap insects to live. They can survive off a healthy dose of sun. The sun is actually their main form of nutrition. You can look at it like, the sun is required for them to grow strong. The bugs are like their fertilizer. If they catch a few here and there it’s like getting a regular dose of fertilizer.
Under What Conditions Do Venus Flytraps Live?
Venus Flytraps typically live in specific natural conditions. These generally include coastal areas. Coastal forests have several canopies beneath, which are called the understory. These spaces have little light, and the Venus Flytrap has digestive mechanisms to survive here. The soil that they grow in is usually moist, acidic, and does not contain good nutrient stores. The areas they grow in are also prone to fires that deplete the nitrogen in the soil.
Even in these conditions, the Venus Flytrap can get its nutrients from the insects that they digest. This is how they survive well in these difficult conditions with fairly low sunlight.
You may wonder how long do Venus Flytraps live for in the wild. As discussed above, they tend to love for about 20 years in their natural environment. It is also interesting to know that these plants live for a couple of months if they are submerged underwater. That was a fact that was really shocking to me! What a hardy and incredible plan.
Can Venus Flytraps Live Indoors?
Yes, Venus Flytraps do live indoors. They can live in these conditions for as long as they can live in their natural environments. If you are planning on growing one, you will want to make sure they have an area that gets a lot of direct sun or purchase a grow light bulb.
Use a soil that consistes of peat moss, perlite and silica sand. The sun and well aerated soil mix will help keep the plant thriving. If possible, place the plant outdoors so that insects can interact with the plant. Catching insects isn’t necessary but it acts as a great fertilizer for your venus flytrap. Having both will help your venus flytrap live longer and grow strong.
Learn more about how to feed a venus flytrap and what they eat below. I have taken the time to write up a full guide on feeding a venus flytrap!
What and how to feed a venus flytrap, click here!
Do note that you cannot feed your Venus Flytrap any food that humans consume. There is a huge chance that it will die.
Instead, look for houseflies or tiny slugs. Place these in the trap and signal the Venus Flytrap. This is a great option if you place the plant indoors where it does not have access to flies from being outside.
Check out the venus flytrap death cube rescue below. Watch while I save a venus flytrap from a Home Depot death cube!
https://youtu.be/r3BA1FmBHbA
Can Venus Flytraps Live Without Water?
Yes, Venus Flytraps can live without water. They may survive for about four weeks, depending on the season. During the summer, they require more water than usual. In general, you want to ensure that the Venus Flytrap has a cm of water under it during the summer. It’s not necessary for the venus flytrap to sit in water but if you happen to be more forgetful on watering your plant, this may save you in some situations!
The water must not be waterlogged but should be moist enough for the Venus Flytrap to grow well. Further, it is best not to use filtered water on this plant. Instead, use distilled water, rain water or water obtained through a reverse osmosis system. Like the one below!
Also, be sure to check out my full venus flytrap watering guide below!
How, what and when to water a venus flytrap!
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Do Insects Affect How Long A Venus Flytrap Lives?
Another factor that can determine how long a venus flytrap lives is how many insects the capture. As a general rule, Venus Flytraps have to be kept free from any bacteria and fungi. This is very important for their healthy growth and long life.
Sometimes, the Venus Flytrap may trap an insect that is larger than its trap. If the trap shuts close, a part of it remains embedded within the trap while the remaining part hangs outside. This can expose the trap to bacteria and fungi that grow on the outside part of the insect’s body. If this aggravates, the fungi can rot the trap, and it may eventually fall off.
Fungi, in other forms, can affect the plant as well. Therefore, it is a good idea to inspect your plant for fungi periodically. You may want to clean any that you see before the plant gets damaged.
If you are feeding the plant yourself, use a moderately-sized insect relative to the size of the trap. Try to make sure the insect is no larger than 1/3 the size of the trap. Squeeze it and move it around the Venus Flytrap’s hair a few times before you leave it for the trap to shut. This will make sure that the trap shuts, and the insect is wholly trapped inside. The trap needs that secondary trigger to release it’s digestive enzymes that will break the insect down.
If you see something like this, remove the fly as soon as you can so you don’t open your trap up to bacteria or fungus.
Summing It Up
We have seen so far that the Venus Flytrap will live for about 20 years in the wild. If taken care of well, it can also live for as long under domestic conditions. Just remember that the length of time your venus flytrap lives will depend on how you take care of it. Knowing it’s prime growing conditions and unique needs will help you keep your venus flytrap alive for a long time!
In general, it is important to see to it that the Flytrap has conditions of moist soil and ample sunlight during the summer months. In the winter months, it is likely to go dormant. You may want to move it away from the sun during this period.
Click here to learn all about venus flytrap dormancy!
Venus flytraps are not overly hard to grow but you do have to unlearn some of the traditional planting rules you have always applied. How long does a venus flytrap live? Probably a really long time if you take the steps to properly care for these incredible little bug eaters!
If you are interested in venus flytrap conservation, check out the International Carnivorous Plant Society website for more information!