Venus Flytrap Leaf Dieback: Blooming and Water Quality Issues

Question: Large flytrap from you: traps dying after 3 weeks, but plant growing beautifully. Maybe eating too many bugs or acclimating? Followed care sheets. Leaves thin—cloudy weather? Also, right fluorescents for N. merrilliana × alata and Cephalotus? Is PUR faucet filter okay?

Answer

Hi Jesus,

Is it blooming? That reduces trap production. Water may be the problem—carbon filters (Pur, Brita) don't remove minerals. If water is hard, use distilled, rain, or RO.

For fluorescents: ordinary cool-white tubes work great. Intensity matters; specialty plant lights are dimmer and costly. Use 40W tubes (not energy-saver) in shoplight fixtures.

Good Growing!
Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
www.cobraplant.com