Question

Young DC XL Flytrap  

Young DC XL Flytrap   Thank you for the advice and knowledge! Ever since I've began growing these plants I have heen wondering why they need terrariums and very high humidity looking at them in the wild they do fine without them. So all I need to do is put my venus flytraps in full sun and keep them watered. Now I have another issue that I really could use some help. Recently I bought a rare DC XL Venus Flytrap and today I got them in the mail. As you stated with plants grown in foriegn conditions such as minimal sunlight and high humidity, keep them in full sun outdoors and wait for the plant to recover on its own. I have everything necessary to maintain it. But you see it came bare-rooted and since this is my first plant to come bare-rooted, I don't have the ideal soil mixture of 50% peat moss and 50% perlite. What I have instead is long fibered sphagnum moss. I heard its ok with carnivorous plants but since you guys don't use long fibered sphagnum moss I'm getting worried that using that soil is like the many myths associated with growing carnivorous plants (ex. Terrariums, low light, high humidity). I ordered the peat moss/perlite from your site. So right now I have them in sphagnum moss to keep them alive. They are outside in full sun though not today, temperature right now is 95+ they are in half inch of standing water and I'm in Northwest Arkansas region. Had this plant just recently. Is long fibered sphagnum moss an ok soil for carnivorous plants or should I stick with peat moss/perlite? Thank you again!

Answer
Hi Alan,

Short-term using long-fiber sphagnum is fine for the flytrap.  They just don't seem to do as well in it for the long haul.  Sphagnum moss tends to break down faster than peat mixes, and when it does it looses air spaces in it.  As you can see from the photos I sent, they tend to grow in a very sandy/peaty mix in nature.  We do use long-fiber sphagnum in Nepenthes mixes where you need a looser mix that drains fast.

Since you ordered some of our standard mix you can transplant it when you get the soil next week.  The flytrap will be fine.

Out of curiosity, did you have to get on a waiting list for the DC XL?  I've seen it on that company's website, but never in stock.  We have a few of the giant flytraps such as B-52, King Henry, Colorado Giant, Czech Giant, and I recently acquired a B-52 x Ginormous, and so far the last one is getting the largest.  We are only able offer the giant plants once in awhile.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com