Question

Red Dragon Flytrap   Hi SNW,
I ordered a Red Dragon Flytrap from you a month or two ago, and I have noticed that not many new traps have come up. The traps that were there when I got it are kind of deformed. I assumed they were from the last season. About its slow growth, I may be wrong, but I think there is a flower stalk starting to come up, which I heard robs the energy from Flytraps. Correct me if I'm wrong, though. Thanks!

Answer
In this case, it would be helpful to know your location.  Growth rate is related to temperature, so if your temperatures have been cool this spring, you'll need to wait until we reach the warmer summer months.  Typically flytraps are the last of the North American carnivorous plants to emerge from dormancy, so it's not at all unusual if your plant seems slow to grow at this time of the year.  (Technically we are not yet in summer.)

It's a myth that flowers "rob" flytraps of energy.  A better way to think of it is that a plant can choose to spend its energy on flowers or on leaves.  Small, young plants have limited energy, so if they choose to spend their energy on flowers, then they will have less to spend on leaves.  Larger plants will have ample energy, so they can afford to spend energy on flowers and leaves.  As a grower, you can decide if you prefer flowers or leaves.  If you want more leaves quicker in spring, then snip the flower stalk.  If you're patient and want to enjoy the flower in spring and leaves later in summer, keep the flower.  As a rule, as long as you grow the plants in the proper conditions, you don't have to worry about the plant exhausting itself from producing a flower.

As for the deformed traps, they're older leaves from the previous season.  They're just dying off, which is completely natural and unavoidable.  You can snip them off as they deteriorate after new leaves appear.  Otherwise, your plant looks healthy.  You just need to be patient with this naturally slow-growing plant.

Good growing!
Jacob Farin