Question
Our daughter is searching for a Venus Fly Trap and local nurseries don't seem to carry them. We have heard of web sites selling unhealthy plants and want to avoid this. Are you able to recommend a reputable, trustworthy place to obtain this plant?

Answer
Hi Vanessa,

I commend you for researching for appropriate nurseries before purchasing your plants.  While there are several nurseries that are reputable and trustworthy, I need to know what your daughter intends to do with the flytrap before giving you my recommendations.

First, if your daughter is using the flytrap for a school project, keep in mind that flytraps are temperate plants and native to North Carolina.  At our nursery, we grow our flytraps exclusively outdoors, which means we allow them to go dormant in winter.  Winter dormancy is essential for the overall health of the plant.  Since we are in the middle of fall, nurseries who grow their plants outdoors in zones 8 or colder may not have any flytraps in active growth.  Of course, nurseries who grow their flytraps in greenhouses may not be providing winter dormancy, which may affect the plant's health come spring.  If your daughter is using the plant for a school project, a tropical carnivorous plant might be more suitable.

Second, look at a nurseries care instructions.  Do they rely on myths or do they follow the natural growing habits that the plant might experience in the wild.  Many nurseries tend to relay the myth that flytraps are exotic plants that require extraordinary care.  So they recommend terrariums and special equipments.  In truth, flytraps are easy to grow as roses and other plants native to the United States.  

Third, make sure a nursery provides follow-up services should you have any questions.  We provide follow-up services primarily on AllExperts, and customers also have the option of researching the database for previously asked questions.  We even provide this service for customers who purchase their plants from other nurseries.  

There are other factors you may want to consider, but these are the main ones that I look for whenever I purchase other types of plants, such as orchids.  There is one other nursery besides us who I regard as reputable and trustworthy, and that's California Carnivores:
http://www.californiacarnivores.com

Their nursery is in zone 9, so they have a bit longer growing season than we do.  

I also invite you to review our selections and information.  We have lots of care sheets, a monthly newsletter to remind growers what to do each month, videos and lots of beautiful photographs:
http://www.cobraplant.com

I also recommend that you use the Best Plants For You feature on our website.  Just answer a few short questions about your growing conditions and you'll get a list of plants that will grow best for you.  You can find the link on the right hand side of every page.

Good growing!
Jacob Farin