The Venus flytrap is generally able to survive extreme conditions without suffering much damage. However, once in a while, you may see your Venus flytrap starting to droop.
While sometimes it is a natural process where the plant starts to enter a phase of dormancy, and the plant starts to wilt or droop; in other cases, it may be a sign of improper growing conditions. In the latter case, you have to take preventive measures to ensure that the plant is nurtured back to health.
Why is my Venus fly trap drooping?
So, let us discuss the factors which may lead to a drooping Venus flytrap –
- Lack of Sunlight
- Improper water
- Wrong type of soil
1. Lack of Sunlight
One of the reasons for a wilting Venus flytrap may be the lack of proper sunlight. It can prevent the plant from carrying out the essential function of photosynthesis and producing food. The lack of food causes the plant to weaken, and it starts to droop.
Solution
The Venus flytrap requires lots of sunlight to grow healthy. Thus, indoor low light conditions can cause severe problems for the plant. Ideally, place your plant near a south-facing window, where it receives abundant, indirect light. You can also use fluorescent lighting to provide artificial light to the Venus flytrap.
2. Improper Water
Another reason for your plant undergoing severe stress is improper water and watering methods.
If you provide your plant with tap water for long periods, it will start to wilt. It happens as the high mineral content of the tap water ends up oversaturating the plant. Due to this, the plant cannot absorb the required nutrients from the soil, starts to weaken, and eventually droops.
Another reason may be that you are watering your Venus flytrap in the wrong frequency or technique. It generally leads to the plant being overwatered, and eventually, it drowns. It can cause severe wilting in the plant.
Solution
The Venus flytrap needs pure water to grow well. Always use distilled or reverse osmosis water if rainwater is not available. While rainwater is the ideal type of water the plant needs, it is not always available. Thus, you can use the alternative options listed above.
The Venus flytrap should be watered from the bottom to help the plant roots grow. Avoid watering it too frequently and limit it to once a week or twice in summers and twice or thrice a month in the winters.
3. Wrong Type of Soil
If your Venus flytrap is potted in soil that is too loamy, has no drainage, and lacks aeration, it will start to wilt. Similarly, if the soil is too rich in nutrients, the plant gets oversaturated and starts to weaken. It can also cause the plant to weaken.
Solution
The Venus fly trap requires soil that is low in nutrient content and acidic. The ideal way is to make a potting mix with one part of perlite and one part of peat moss. It is low in nutrients and is the type of soil that ideally suits your Venus fly trap.
Thus, these are the factors that may cause your Venus flytrap to start drooping.