Can You Have More Than One Breed of Venus Fly Trap in the Same Pot?

Types

• Only one species of Venus flytrap plant exists, comprising the only member in the genus Dionaea. Any variations of plants occur from genetic changes as a result of cross-pollination and seedlings in subsequent generations. While the wild form of Venus flytrap typically displays green leaves and traps, horticulturists bred and selected more ornamental cultivars or "breeds." To maintain the physical characteristics of cultivars, they are propagated vegetatively, not by seed, which creates seedlings with a new genetic composition. Examples of Venus flytrap cultivars include Royal Red, Red Dragon, Dingley Giant and Jaws.

Container Plantings

• As long as there is ample room for plants to grow and remain healthy, any mix of Venus flytraps may grow in the same container. Planting regular green, wild-type plants with a collection of any cultivar does not cause any issues. Only if you plan to breed plants, by controlling which pollen reaches the flowers on other plants to produce seeds, would planting different cultivars of Venus flytraps in close proximity be problematic.

Container Size

• A healthy Venus flytrap will grow anywhere from 3 to 8 inches tall and 5 to 10 inches wide. Side sprouts and new plantlets and occasional seedlings arise from the robust main plant to create a small clump over time. With multiple plants in a container, the issue of ample growing space arises. One Venus flytrap plant may grow well in a container only 4- to 6-inches wide. If you plant two or more plants in a container to grow, the container should be 10 to 12 inches in diameter for ample room among the plants. Smaller containers may be used, but the need to thin out or transplant into a larger container occurs more frequently.

Growing Conditions

• Planting multiple Venus flytraps in the same container increases the need for monitoring the growing conditions. The sand-based soil with bits of acidic peat must remain evenly moist. Improper watering leads to root rot and plant demise. The water must be pure, such as from collected rainwater, or must be purchased distilled or reverse-osmosis water. Salts and other impurities in tap and well water render them unusable with these carnivorous plants. Do not use plant fertilizers, either. Allow spiders and insects to climb over or access the Venus flytraps, so the leaf traps may function and sustain the plants with nutrients from the trapped bugs.