Venus flytrap--growing and watering tips?

Hi all,


I just got a Venus Flytrap for my classroom to help with the gnats I have had recently.  I rescued the plant from a big box store and I will say right up front--it does not look good.  The "traps" are black, shriveled and obviously dead.  I will trim all the dead parts off.  I was reading the growing instructions and they mentioned not using treated water.  Does this mean tap water?  If so, why?  Are the flytraps somehow more sensitive to the water they get than other plants (the tap works fine for them).  If anyone has any experience, I would love to hear!


Thanks in advance!!


Eric

Venus Flytraps (and other carnivorous plants) are unique in their care requirements but not impossible. Their adaptations for eating bugs, I assume, was driven due to their natural environment. This environment is poor in minerals/nutrients and you need to be careful with the water you add because you don't want to introduce a high level of really anything to the plant or else you will shock it.



I utilize distilled water for watering my flytraps. You can also use reverse osmosis or rainwater I am told. I also supplement their light because they can be finicky if they are not getting enough rays. I have a cheap grow light I purchase online that I put right above it. I I always keep my flytrap sitting in a basin of water at all times, I do not let it dry out.

Hi Timothy, thanks for the quick reply.

I knew that Venus Flytraps and other similar plants evolved where there were practically no nutrients at all and therefore needed bugs for practically every nutrient.  For some reason, I think/heard/read/etc. that they were native to mountainous regions of North Carolina in particular spots that where they basically grew on bare rocks.  My understanding and recolect might not be perfect, but the idea is that they basically just hold onto rocks and their "traps" grab almost everything--how cool!

I was wondering what it was about the water that makes them so sensitive.  Maybe its related somehow?


Eric

Hi Eric,
My brother told me recently that the normal cycle of this plant is to die above ground during winter. So I have unjustly disposed of some plants in the past.
Maybe yours is just following its natural cycle.
By the way, I saw some plants in the wild this year. It grew on rocks with moss on it close to a stream. At the time it was raining and the complete environment was wet.