Question
QUESTION: Hi,
  I have a question concerning my Venus Flytrap. When I first bought it, it was looking pretty healthy. After 2 months, somehow its stems have became really long and they are quite unpleasant to look at. The traps somehow close alot closer than it used to. And the edges (the two sides near where the trap is) are becoming yellow then brown for the majority of the leaves but never go further, just brown on the sides. I repotted it using canadian sphagnum peat moss and perlite, and i use rainwater coming from my roof (which might contain come chemicals). It gets 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight everyday and it has caught alot of insects. I am using a quite small pot, and now the stems are so long that they have grown to the extent that they are now outside of the pot. And apparently, one of the leaves was eatten or "burned" or "self-destroyed" on the sides, I don't think it has pests because I repotted it immediately as soon as i saw it. And besides, some of the leaves are now growing curve as the new baby leaves are thriving out. Is my plant doomed and i should buy another one? I bought it at a ramdom nursery, and i ponder if they let it go through its dormacy period. Next time, I will buy it from a Carnivorous company.

ANSWER: Hi Jarob,

Much of what you are describing just sounds like the flytrap is producing summer leaves.  Midsummer Venus flytraps produce long leaf petioles that reach upwards, or in the case of Red Dragons, reach outward and sideways on a larger plant.  If the plant has red on the interior of the traps the light levels are fine.

The burn areas are of more concern.  While it's normal for a trap to die after catching a couple bugs, the leaf shouldn't look that way.  The water from your roof could be the problem since some roofs have z-metal (zinc) to inhibit moss growth.  Switch to distilled water, or collect rainwater in the open (not off the roof).  Give it a couple of weeks and see if you notice a difference.  Also, you said the plant is in a very small pot.  If the plant is of any size it should be in no less than a 5 inch pot.  Flytraps tend to like taller pots also since it moderates their water level better.

If you can, send me a photo here at Allexperts.  I'll be able to get a much better idea of what's going on if I can see your plant.

Good Growing!

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

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


My sick VF   QUESTION: hi,
  I have a photo of my plant. As you can see, the sides of the leaves are brown and yellow. I don't know what is happening to it. I will ask my mom to quickly buy me  distilled water before I kill my plant. Another thing is, I have been using the roof rainwater as well for my nepenthe alata. I hope it is not going to be sick too...

Answer
Hi Jarob,

Thanks for sending the photo.  On the whole your plant looks pretty good.  One of the things I look for is trap formation and new growth.  Your plants have good looking traps and lots of new growth.  They are bit yellow, but this isn't unusual for plants grown in a hot window indoors.  Still it would be a good idea to switch to distilled water, or  rainwater collected away from the house.

One other caution is the type of water tray you're using.  When you have the pot in a cup coming all the way up the sides, it's tempting to fill it all the way up to the top.  Venus flytraps don't like the water level that high.  Use a shallower, wider dish for the plant.  The water should be no more than 1/4 of the way up the pot.

Good Growing!

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