How to Care for Carnivorous Plants
There seems to be a big misconception that carnivorous plants are really tricky to grow and require a lot of complex care - this could not be further from the truth.
If anything, these are probably the easiest plants to grow!
Pictured - a lone self-seeded lone Sundew growing in rainwater
🌿 Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) & Sarracenia (Trumpet Pitcher) Care Guide
🌞 Light
These plants love full sun. Aim for at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.
Outdoors is ideal — a sunny patio, windowsill, or greenhouse.
Indoors, use a bright south-facing window or strong grow light for 12–14 hours per day.
💧 Water
Always use rainwater, distilled, or reverse osmosis water.
Keep soil consistently damp in spring and summer by standing pots in a tray.
In winter dormancy, reduce watering slightly — keep the soil just moist, never dry.
🌱 Soil
Use carnivorous plant compost only (usually a mix of sphagnum peat and perlite).
Never add fertiliser or normal compost — they get nutrients from what they eat.
🍽️ Feeding
Both species catch their own food.
Indoors, you can occasionally offer small live insects, but it’s not necessary.
Never feed meat, fertiliser or your fingers!
❄️ Winter Dormancy
From late autumn to early spring (Usually from Halloween to Valentines Day) , both Venus flytraps and Sarracenia enter a rest period.
Leaves will die back and growth will slow — this is normal - just cut the dead bits off!
Keep them cool and slightly damp.
A cold windowsill, unheated greenhouse, or shed works best.
New growth will appear in spring!
🪴 Repotting
Repot every 1–2 years in fresh carnivorous plant compost.
Best time: early spring before active growth starts.
❤️ Quick Tips
✅ Full sun (6+ hours)
✅ Rainwater or distilled only
✅ Keep soil damp, not flooded
✅ No fertiliser
✅ Cool winter dormancy
🌿 Drosera capensis Care Guide
(Cape Sundew)
Drosera capensis is one of the easiest and most rewarding carnivorous plants to grow. Native to South Africa, it’s tough, fast-growing, and a great plant for beginners. Follow these simple tips to keep yours thriving.
🌞 Light
Loves bright light and full sun — aim for at least 4–6 hours of direct sunlight daily.
Outdoors, it’s perfect for a sunny patio, windowsill, or greenhouse.
Indoors, place it by a south-facing window or under a grow light for 12–14 hours a day.
Plenty of light = redder tentacles and more dew!
💧 Water
Use only rainwater, distilled, or reverse osmosis water.
Keep soil consistently damp by standing a tray.
Never let the soil dry out.
In cooler months, you can reduce watering slightly but never let it dry completely.
🌱 Soil
Use carnivorous plant compost — a 50:50 mix of sphagnum peat and perlite.
Avoid normal potting soil or fertiliser — it will burn the roots.
🍽️ Feeding
The Cape Sundew catches plenty of small insects on its own with its sticky tentacles.
No need to feed it manually, especially outdoors.
Indoors, you can offer a tiny live insect occasionally, but it’s optional.
Don’t feed meat, fertiliser — they’ll just rot.
🌡️ Temperature & Dormancy
Drosera capensis doesn’t need a true dormancy.
It grows year-round in mild conditions but may slow down or lose leaves in winter — this is normal.
Keep it above 5°C, ideally between 10–25°C.
New leaves will quickly regrow as temperatures rise.
🪴 Repotting
Repot every 1–2 years in fresh carnivorous plant compost.
Best time: spring, when new growth appears.
❤️ Quick Tips
✅ Full sun (6+ hours)
✅ Rainwater or distilled only
✅ Keep soil damp
✅ No fertiliser or tap water
✅ No true dormancy needed
🌿 Cephalotus Care Guide
(Australian Pitcher Plant / Albany Pitcher Plant)
Cephalotus follicularis is a unique and rewarding carnivorous plant from Western Australia. It’s compact, fascinating, and full of character — once you get the basics right, it’s easy to keep happy for years!
🌞 Light
Cephalotus loves bright, indirect light.
Outdoors: filtered sunlight or light shade is ideal.
Indoors: a south or east-facing windowsill works well, or use a grow light for 12–14 hours a day.
💧 Water
Use rainwater, distilled, or reverse osmosis water only.
Keep the soil damp but not waterlogged — Cephalotus dislikes sitting in deep water for long periods.
In summer, you can keep a very shallow tray (about 0.5–1 cm) of water under the pot and let it dry before refilling.
In cooler months, water from above to keep the compost just moist.
🌱 Soil
Use carnivorous plant compost — a 50:50 mix of sphagnum peat and perlite.
🌡️ Temperature & Dormancy
Cephalotus enjoys mild conditions:
Day: 15–25°C
Night: 5–15°C
It doesn’t need a true dormancy, but a cooler winter rest helps it stay healthy.
In winter, reduce watering slightly and keep in a cool, bright spot (5–10°C) if possible.
🍽️ Feeding
Cephalotus catches small insects in its pitchers naturally.
No feeding is necessary — especially if grown outdoors or in a greenhouse.
Indoors, you can allow it to catch the odd fly if available, but don’t feed meat or fertiliser.
🪴 Repotting
Repot every 2–3 years in fresh, airy carnivorous compost.
Handle gently — Cephalotus roots are fragile.
Best time: early spring before new growth begins.
❤️ Quick Tips
✅ Bright light (avoid harsh midday sun)
✅ Rainwater or distilled only
✅ Damp but never soggy soil
✅ No fertiliser
✅ Cool rest in winter (5–10°C)
🌿 Cobra Lily Care Guide
(Darlingtonia californica)
The Cobra Lily is one of the most striking carnivorous plants in the world. Native to cool mountain bogs of California and Oregon, it’s a bit fussier than most — but once you understand what it likes, it’s surprisingly easy to keep happy.
🌞 Light
Loves bright, indirect light or gentle morning/evening sun.
Outdoors: ideal in cool, sunny but airy spots — think bright shade, not scorching sun.
Indoors: use a bright windowsill or cool grow area with plenty of fresh air circulation.
Too much heat or direct sun without airflow can cause roots to overheat — that’s the main thing to avoid!
💧 Water
Use rainwater, distilled, or reverse osmosis water only.
Cobra lilies need cool roots — that’s the secret.
Keep soil moist at all times, but avoid hot, stagnant water.
In summer, top-water regularly with cold rainwater to keep the roots cool.
Avoid deep trays of standing water in hot weather — shallow trays or overhead watering are better.
🌱 Soil
Use a very airy, cool, and free-draining mix.
Ideal mix: 2 parts sphagnum peat, 1 part perlite, 1 part sand, and optionally a bit of live sphagnum on top.
🌡️ Temperature & Dormancy
Cobra lilies prefer cool roots and mild air temperatures:
Day: 10–25°C
Night: 2–15°C
Avoid hot, stagnant conditions.
They need a winter dormancy from late autumn to early spring — keep them cool (2–10°C) and just moist.
New pitchers return each spring.
🍽️ Feeding
Cobra lilies catch insects naturally; they don’t need feeding.
Outdoors, they’ll catch plenty on their own.
🪴 Repotting
Repot every 1–2 years in fresh, airy carnivorous plant mix.
Best done in early spring before new growth starts.
Use deep pots to help keep roots cool — ceramic or insulated pots work great.
❤️ Quick Tips
✅ Bright, cool light
✅ Cool roots — never hot!
✅ Rainwater or distilled only
✅ Moist, airy soil
✅ Cool winter dormancy
✅ No fertiliser
Our Seed Guide
Here, you will find our guide on how to grow Venus Flytraps from seed
Growing Venus Flytraps (Dionaea muscipula) from seed is a slow process, but it’s one of the most rewarding ways to grow this species. Seed-grown plants are often stronger long-term, but patience is essential — Venus Flytraps are not fast plants.
This guide explains what Venus Flytrap seeds need to germinate successfully and how to care for seedlings through their first year.
Venus Flytrap seeds are extremely small and must be sown on the surface of the soil. They should never be buried. Light helps trigger germination, so the seeds should simply be pressed gently onto the soil to ensure good contact.
Some growers like to apply a very thin layer of finely chopped sphagnum moss over the surface. This can help keep the seeds in place and reduce algae growth, but it isn’t essential.
Once sown, the pot should be covered to maintain high humidity - we find clingfilm with airholes over the top of the pot is a great method.
Light is the single most important factor in growing healthy Venus Flytrap seedlings. Bright, consistent light encourages strong growth and proper trap development.
Grow lights work extremely well and allow year-round growing. A photoperiod of 12–16 hours per day is ideal. If growing on a windowsill, a bright south-facing window is essential, though growth may be slower without supplemental lighting.
Insufficient light will result in weak, stretched seedlings with poor trap formation.
Venus Flytrap seedlings should always be kept moist using the tray method. The pot should sit in a shallow tray of pure water so it can absorb moisture from below. The growing medium should stay damp at all times, but not completely submerged.
Under good conditions, seeds usually begin to germinate within 2–5 weeks, although some may take longer. Germination is often uneven, so it’s normal for seedlings to appear at different times.
Newly germinated plants are extremely small and delicate. At first they will produce tiny green leaves, followed by miniature traps.
After seedlings appear, high humidity should be maintained for a short period before gradually introducing fresh air. Sudden drops in humidity can cause setbacks, so this should be done slowly over several days.
Feeding is not necessary during the early stages of growth. Seedlings receive everything they need from light and photosynthesis.
Once traps become larger and functional, very occasional feeding can be introduced if desired. Only tiny prey or finely crushed dried insects should be used. Overfeeding can damage or kill young plants, so restraint is important.
So to sum up, if your growing conditions have high humidity, high light levels and the media is damp you should expect to see tiny flytrap seedlings within a few weeks to a few months. Patience is really key when growing these plants from seed, they will grow with time.
Above:
Venus Flytrap seeds recently sown. These are growing in a grow tent with 80%+ humidity at a steady temperature of approx 25c. The seeds are tiny!
Above:
Different flytrap seedlings approx 3 weeks after germination - with its first ‘trap’ leaves. These can now be grown on as a normal flytraps
Here is a guide on how to care for carnivorous plants, it’s surprisingly easy and straight forward: