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Pinguicula ‘PE Formosa’ is one of those plants we had to have the second we saw it! It has vivid pink rosettes with delicately rolled margins. Bred by Premium Exotics, “Formosa” is the Portuguese word for “beautiful,” and it certainly lives up to that name! 

These plants we are shipping are about the size of a quarter and will grow to 2-3” at full growth, but this cultivar can stay on the more petite size.

This plant will not come potted; you will need to pot it up upon arrival. Mexican/Tropical Pinguicula prefer our sandy PINGUICULA SOIL MIX.

IF YOU ORDER IN WINTER/EARLY SPRING YOUR PLANT MAY ARRIVE IN WINTER SUCCULENT MODE. DURING THIS TIME, IT WILL GROW SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER, TIGHT, SUCCULENT LEAVES. DO NOT OVER WATER DURING THIS TIME. IT WILL GROW CARNIVOROUS LEAVES IN THE SPRING.

Care Instructions

Growth Habit: Pinguicula are generally small plants; depending on the species and growth phase, they can range from 1/2” to 8” across at maturity. Most are 2-4” across. They form rosettes of leaves covered in glistening dew, which have a high turnover rate, meaning that they die back frequently, and new leaves grow at the center from the plant. They have pretty leaves, some blush red or purple, and all are covered in sparkling dew. Their flowers are hummingbird and butterfly pollinated in the wild and because their pollinators are attracted to colorful flowers, they have beautiful flowers With long neck spurs! Many species will experience a winter succulent phase. A combination of shorter photo periods, cooler temperatures, and dryer conditions trigger this phase. While this phase is not necessary for the plant to thrive, it is often out of our control whether the plants do this or not. During their succulent phase, they grow small, rounded leaves that look very different from their large carnivorous leaves. Plants in this stage will be significantly smaller than they will be in carnivorous growth. The natural cycle of Pinguicula can lead them to be in succulent growth in spring, not starting their carnivorous growth until late spring, sometimes even early summer. Watching them grow their carnivorous leaves is like watching a magic trick; tiny, tight leaves begin to transform into huge, sticky, carnivorous leaves! Pinguicula can easily propagate from leaf pullings, like a succulent. They will also form small clumps over time, dividing naturally. While they can have a long life, they won’t live forever, so it is a good idea to take pullings every year. They do not have significant root systems, and the roots they have are often minimal and very short. The roots can be white, transparent, or brown, and they use these roots mainly to anchor themselves to the soil's surface (they still offer benefits, though, so please do not cut them off). 

Sun: Full to part sun. Sunny windowsills indoors, in a temperature-regulated greenhouse, or under grow lights. In tropical parts of the world or very mild climates, they can be grown outdoors in dappled sun, morning sun only, or under shade cloth. They must be protected from the full afternoon sun. It is best to grow under 30% shade cloth in the summer months when grown in a greenhouse. They can benefit from 30% shade cloth if grown outdoors as well. If your plant is much greener than it should be, developing larger, more elongated leaves than normal for the species or hybrid, and does not have much dew, it may need more light. 

Water & Humidity: In the late spring, summer, and early autumn, Pinguicula can be kept in the tray system with overhead watering as long as they still have carnivorous foliage. This means setting the pots in a deep saucer or tray and routinely filling that with 1/4”-1/2” water. If grown in a non-draining pot, allow room to water and water overhead frequently to keep soil media moist, but do not water so deeply as to have standing water sitting on the surface of the soil; all the water should be absorbed. When the rosettes show their very first signs of growing their smaller, tighter succulent leaves immediately begin to dry out your plants. Keep the soil on the dry side, watering them only a little and let dry out in between watering. You can usually tell how dry a species enjoys its winter by the size of its succulent leaves. The tighter, smaller leafed rosettes such a Pinguicula gypsicola or the bulb-like heterophylla and macrophylla require bone-dry conditions. Species with larger winter leaves, like a few of the moranensis varieties or agnata, enjoy winters soils just slightly damp.  Cuban species should be kept wet year-round, with only slight winter drying. When these plants are transitioning between carnivorous and succulent growth they are at the most risk of rotting, so it is better to air on the side of drier when the temperatures start to get colder and the photo periods shorten. In spring, as soon as the temperatures start to warm and the photo periods lengthen, start watering your plants more. When carnivorous leaves start to grow, begin the tray method again. (If your plant decides it does not want to make carnivorous leaves, don’t worry, sometimes they are stubborn! Water frequently and make sure your plant gets lots of light, preferably some natural light from the sun as well, to try to trigger carnivorous leaf growth. But don’t worry if your ping stays in succulent mode for a whole year, eventually it will grow carnivorous leaves again!) Pinguicula are extremely susceptible to dissolved minerals and salts in their water and poor water quality will directly contribute to decline of plants and death. Be sure to only use rainwater, reverse osmosis water, or distilled water. Pinguicula prefer drier conditions and do not require high humidity.

Temperature: 50 degrees - 90 degrees. While not ideal, Pinguicula can tolerate brief nighttime dips to 40 as long as daytime temperatures warm back up and can tolerate brief heat waves over 90 as long as they are protected from the sun and sitting in water AND nighttime temperatures decrease. Cold temperatures are likely to kill Pinguicula, so avoid exposing them to anything below 50 if possible.

Dormancy: No true dormancy but does have a winter succulent phase during which the plant will produce small succulent leaves instead of flat sticky leaves. Pinguicula do not need this period of succulent growth to grow well. If your plant does not grow succulent leaves, there is no need to try to induce the transition. See the section on watering for in depth care during this time. 

Fertilizer: Apply Schultz Cactus Fertilizer once or twice a month to the leaves with a mister bottle, during the grow season. Do not apply in winter or during succulent winter mode. We use seven drops of fertilizer in 20 ounces of distilled water. 

Soil & Repotting: Pinguicula grow in very dry and rocky soil mixes, do not use a mix that holds a lot of moisture. We use equal parts sand, peat moss, pumice, and perlite. You can order our custom Pinguicula soil mix! These plants ship bare-root so you will have to order potting media and pot them up upon arrival. Pinguicula do not have extensive roots and anchor to the surface of their soil making them ideal candidates for quirky, cute, small, non-draining planters like teacups or vintage pottery. You can plant them in all variety of pots as long as they are glazed ceramic, glazed terracotta, glass or plastic. Avoid un-glazed terracotta. They can be in small pots and do not need much room for roots. Pinguicula are one of the most sensitive plants to a build of minerals and salts in their soil or water. Repot every year to refresh soil.

More Information: For more information on repotting, pests, growing habits, and more, check out our FAQ page or our YouTube channel!

Drosera binata 'Octopus' is phenomenal forked leaf sundew! The leaves, at maturity, are huge and fork over and over! Created be Christian Klein, this is a hybrid between binata var binata and binata var dichotoma. This beast of a plant can fork 28 times at maturity and has gigantic leaves! 

Sarracenia flava var. rugelii is arrestingly beautiful: a burst of vibrant, chartreuse pitchers with a dark, mysterious blotch at the throat that catches the eye. Starting as a thin, red line on seedlings, it develops into the iconic, thick, blood-red blotch of rugelii at maturity, adding to its allure and fascination.

These are divisions of a legendary plant made by Mike Wang. Clone A is considered one of the best rugelii and Mikes Clone B is beautiful but less vigorous, so he combined them to make a beautiful, more vigorous rugelii. One of the plants from this breeding, #1, is the biggest, tallest rugelii in Mike's collection! This is a beast of a plant and a must have the collector.  

X-Large divisions are not always taller but will have either multiple growth points or very chonky rhizomes.

DORMANT SEASONALLY, STARTING AS EARLY AS OCTOBER AND LASTING AS LATE AS MARCH, DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS AND SPECIES/HYBRID. The pitchers turn brown and die back to the rhizome, or non-carnivorous leaves (phyllodia) grow during this time. Please see the final photo to see how Sarracenia look when dormant. They will begin to grow vigorously again in Spring when photoperiods lengthen and temperatures increase.

Care Instructions:

Growth Habit: Sarracenia primarily grow along the Southeastern coastal plain of the United States. They grow pitchers, which are modified leaves, seasonally that can vary in height, color, and size depending on the species or hybrid. The pitchers can die back during the growing season, but new pitchers will grow throughout the spring and summer. The pitchers start to grow in spring, and many grow as the year progresses; in summer, they will be at their best. In summer, you may see brown or black on your pitchers, which can be normal nectar burn or crisping from heat. As Fall comes on, the pitchers may start to die back, turning brown, and by winter, many or all of the pitchers are brown, but the rhizome remains healthy and intact throughout winter dormancy even if you cannot see anything growing. Sarracenia have brown, black, or white roots and do not generally have many of them. The rhizome can be brown and still be healthy.

Sun: Full sun. Sarracenia require lots of direct sun to grow and form pitchers properly. In many areas, they can be grown outdoors in full sun. If you live in a very hot AND very dry place like Arizona or Sacramento, for example, you will want to grow your plants in full morning sun with protection from the afternoon sun or under 30% shade cloth. It is common for several pitchers to "burn" and die back when you first place your plant into the sun; your plant is acclimating to your conditions, and in most cases, new leaves will soon grow and be fully acclimated. Sarracenia can be grown indoors on extremely sunny windowsills that receive all-day sun, but they will require a grow light in most circumstances due to the amount of light the plant needs. Grow lights should be 6-12” from the plant, depending on the light, and on a 10-12 hour day length. Sarracenia generally are not a good candidate for a terrarium as they need intense light and get quite tall. Shorter species like Sarracenia purpurea will do better in a terrarium. Grow outdoors if possible for best results.

Water: Always keep them in a saucer with a few inches of distilled, rainwater, or reverse osmosis water. Never let them dry out, especially in the hot summer months. Sarracenia are bog plants that prefer water-logged conditions unless you live somewhere both very hot AND extremely humid, like Alabama. In that case, let the water tray dry out for a day or two between refills. Always use distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater only. These plants are sensitive to their water quality, and giving them mineral and salt-free water is very important. In winter, when the plants are dormant, you can let them dry out a bit between rain storms, but do not let the soil get so dry that it pulls away from the edges of the pots. Be sure to supplement water as needed in between rains in winter.

Temperature and Dormancy: These are warm-temperate plants, meaning they need warm summers and chilly winters. They should be grown outdoors year-round in areas with mild winters. They thrive in temperatures ranging from 20 degrees - 100F degrees and can take a brief freeze or high-temperature spike up to 105F degrees for a short period. If nighttime temps drop below 20 but rise again during the day above 40, your plant will be fine outside.

If you live in an area with very cold winters, where nighttime temperatures drop below 20 degrees for sustained periods, you have three options for providing them with winter dormancy: the garage method, mulching in, or the fridge method. Dormancy is triggered by a combination of exposure to shorter photo-periods and cooler temperatures in the 40-60's F. While you can skip a dormancy period once or twice, in the long term, your plant will begin to do poorly and will eventually die if you skip this crucial period.

The garage method: Bring your plant indoors to a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage, where the nighttime temperatures will dip down to 50-60F. Keep it well watered during this period, do not let it dry out, and put it outside again when the outside nighttime temperatures increase consistently above 20F.

The mulch method: Mulch them in very, very well outdoors. Pack at least four inches of mulch on top of the plants and all around the sides to prevent winds from chilling them and freezing the roots. You can also dig the pots into the ground and then mulch heavily on top.

The fridge method: remove the plants from pots, gently clean the roots of soil, wrap the roots in a bit of damp long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum moss, place the plants in a resealable bag, and put the bag into the refrigerator. Leave them in the fridge from October to February, periodically checking on them to ensure they are still moist and not growing mold or fungus. Pot them back up in February. You can vary the timing to align with your outside nighttime temperatures so that your plants can come out of dormancy when it is safe to place them back outside. You can leave them in the fridge for an extended period if you have very long winters.

Soil and Repotting: We prefer a mix of four-part fertilizer-free peat moss to one-part perlite. You can add our pre-made mix to your order here. You do not need to repot your plant when you receive it from us for at least a year, and we recommend against it during the spring-summer months. Repot Sarracenia every 1-3 years in winter when they are dormant. Avoid placing in excessively large pots; size up only a few inches at a time. They do well in tall pots. Soil can also develop a swampy smell, especially right after shipping, when the plant is wrapped in plastic and sealed. This is normal; these plants grow naturally in bogs and swampy conditions, and peat moss can develop a bit of an anaerobic smell, but this does not indicate a problem with the soil. 

Feeding and Fertilizer: Sarracenia will catch plenty of food when grown outdoors. When grown indoors, they will significantly benefit from fertilizing, both a foliar fertilizer and feeding the pitchers. Plants grown outdoors will appreciate a foliar feed as well. Apply MaxSea fertilizer once per month to the foliage only. Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water and then apply to the pitchers, and inside the pitchers, with a mister bottle or a watering can. Osmocote slow-release flower and vegetable pellets can be dropped into the pitchers with a bit of distilled water. Pellets can burn the sides of the pitchers where they come to rest; that is normal.

More Information: For further information on dormancy, repotting, dividing, and more, check out our website or our YouTube channel.

A direct quote from Damon: “Sarracenia ( alata ‘Night’ x self ) x alata “Giant Red Tube” MKA48 is the best possible alata we could make!” The pod parent is the very darkest alata in our collection, which is a selfed ‘Night’ that is nearly completely black by late fall! The pollen parent is alata “Giant Red Tube!”

Since you’re about to buy a very expensive and beautiful alata, a quick primer on how they color up! Like all Sarracenia, even dark alata like these will have golden pitchers with lots of dark venation when they first open up. Over the course of the summer, those veins darken and spread, and it isn’t until the fall that these black alata will show you what they can do! And again, in all Sarracenia, strong light and optimal conditions are required for the best color depth. 

These are seed-grown, so there is some variation in size and color. 

DORMANT SEASONALLY, STARTING AS EARLY AS OCTOBER AND LASTING AS LATE AS MARCH, DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS AND SPECIES/HYBRID. The pitchers turn brown and die back to the rhizome, or non-carnivorous leaves (phyllodia) grow during this time. Please see the final photo to see how Sarracenia look when dormant. They will begin to grow vigorously again in Spring when photoperiods lengthen and temperatures increase. 

Care Instructions:

Growth Habit: Sarracenia primarily grow along the Southeastern coastal plain of the United States. They grow pitchers, which are modified leaves, seasonally that can vary in height, color, and size depending on the species or hybrid. The pitchers can die back during the growing season, but new pitchers will grow throughout the spring and summer. The pitchers start to grow in spring, and many grow as the year progresses; in summer, they will be at their best. In summer, you may see brown or black on your pitchers, which can be normal nectar burn or crisping from heat. As Fall comes on, the pitchers may start to die back, turning brown, and by winter, many or all of the pitchers are brown, but the rhizome remains healthy and intact throughout winter dormancy even if you cannot see anything growing. Sarracenia have brown, black, or white roots and do not generally have many of them. The rhizome can be brown and still be healthy.

Sun: Full sun. Sarracenia require lots of direct sun to grow and form pitchers properly. In many areas, they can be grown outdoors in full sun. If you live in a very hot AND very dry place like Arizona or Sacramento, for example, you will want to grow your plants in full morning sun with protection from the afternoon sun or under 30% shade cloth. It is common for several pitchers to "burn" and die back when you first place your plant into the sun; your plant is acclimating to your conditions, and in most cases, new leaves will soon grow and be fully acclimated. Sarracenia can be grown indoors on extremely sunny windowsills that receive all-day sun, but they will require a grow light in most circumstances due to the amount of light the plant needs. Grow lights should be 6-12” from the plant, depending on the light, and on a 10-12 hour day length. Sarracenia generally are not a good candidate for a terrarium as they need intense light and get quite tall. Shorter species like Sarracenia purpurea will do better in a terrarium. Grow outdoors if possible for best results.

Water: Always keep them in a saucer with a few inches of distilled, rainwater, or reverse osmosis water. Never let them dry out, especially in the hot summer months. Sarracenia are bog plants that prefer water-logged conditions unless you live somewhere both very hot AND extremely humid, like Alabama. In that case, let the water tray dry out for a day or two between refills. Always use distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater only. These plants are sensitive to their water quality, and giving them mineral and salt-free water is very important. In winter, when the plants are dormant, you can let them dry out a bit between rain storms, but do not let the soil get so dry that it pulls away from the edges of the pots. Be sure to supplement water as needed in between rains in winter.

Temperature and Dormancy: These are warm-temperate plants, meaning they need warm summers and chilly winters. They should be grown outdoors year-round in areas with mild winters. They thrive in temperatures ranging from 20 degrees - 100F degrees and can take a brief freeze or high-temperature spike up to 105F degrees for a short period. If nighttime temps drop below 20 but rise again during the day above 40, your plant will be fine outside.  

If you live in an area with very cold winters, where nighttime temperatures drop below 20 degrees for sustained periods, you have three options for providing them with winter dormancy: the garage method, mulching in, or the fridge method. Dormancy is triggered by a combination of exposure to shorter photo-periods and cooler temperatures in the 40-60's F. While you can skip a dormancy period once or twice, in the long term, your plant will begin to do poorly and will eventually die if you skip this crucial period.

The garage method: Bring your plant indoors to a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage, where the nighttime temperatures will dip down to 50-60F. Keep it well watered during this period, do not let it dry out, and put it outside again when the outside nighttime temperatures increase consistently above 20F.

The mulch method: Mulch them in very, very well outdoors. Pack at least four inches of mulch on top of the plants and all around the sides to prevent winds from chilling them and freezing the roots. You can also dig the pots into the ground and then mulch heavily on top. 

The fridge method: remove the plants from pots, gently clean the roots of soil, wrap the roots in a bit of damp long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum moss, place the plants in a resealable bag, and put the bag into the refrigerator. Leave them in the fridge from October to February, periodically checking on them to ensure they are still moist and not growing mold or fungus. Pot them back up in February. You can vary the timing to align with your outside nighttime temperatures so that your plants can come out of dormancy when it is safe to place them back outside. You can leave them in the fridge for an extended period if you have very long winters.

 Soil and Repotting: We prefer a mix of four-part fertilizer-free peat moss to one-part perlite. You can add our pre-made mix to your order here. You do not need to repot your plant when you receive it from us for at least a year, and we recommend against it during the spring-summer months. Repot Sarracenia every 1-3 years in winter when they are dormant. Avoid placing in excessively large pots; size up only a few inches at a time. They do well in tall pots. Soil can also develop a swampy smell, especially right after shipping, when the plant is wrapped in plastic and sealed. This is normal; these plants grow naturally in bogs and swampy conditions, and peat moss can develop a bit of an anaerobic smell, but this does not indicate a problem with the soil. 

Feeding and Fertilizer: Sarracenia will catch plenty of food when grown outdoors. When grown indoors, they will significantly benefit from fertilizing, both a foliar fertilizer and feeding the pitchers. Plants grown outdoors will appreciate a foliar feed as well. Apply MaxSea fertilizer once per month to the foliage only. Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water and then apply to the pitchers, and inside the pitchers, with a mister bottle or a watering can. Osmocote slow-release flower and vegetable pellets can be dropped into the pitchers with a bit of distilled water. Pellets can burn the sides of the pitchers where they come to rest; that is normal.

More Information: For further information on dormancy, repotting, dividing, and more, check out our website or our YouTube channel.

Sarracenia ( x 'Judith Hindle' ) x ( x ‘Caitrin Claire’ ) is one of our most exciting new releases of 2026! These lacy, hot-pink, ruffly beauties are exceptional! ‘Judith Hindle’ is a classic plant that is still a standout today, and Damon loves crossing with it because it adds lots of bright pinks and lacy ruffles. ‘Caitrin Claire’ is a relatively new and exceptionally beautiful cultivar that has some of the best electric-pink, psychedelic coloration of any Sarracenia! With a complicated cross like this, it’s hard to know what you’re going to get, but with this cross, every single plant is so good, we were tempted to keep them all! 

These are seed-grown plants, so there are variations in size, color, and form.

DORMANT SEASONALLY, STARTING AS EARLY AS OCTOBER AND LASTING AS LATE AS MARCH, DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS AND SPECIES/HYBRID. The pitchers turn brown and die back to the rhizome, or non-carnivorous leaves (phyllodia) grow during this time. Please see the final photo to see how Sarracenia look when dormant. They will begin to grow vigorously again in Spring when photoperiods lengthen and temperatures increase.

Care Instructions:

Growth Habit: Sarracenia primarily grow along the Southeastern coastal plain of the United States. They grow pitchers, which are modified leaves, seasonally that can vary in height, color, and size depending on the species or hybrid. The pitchers can die back during the growing season, but new pitchers will grow throughout the spring and summer. The pitchers start to grow in spring, and many grow as the year progresses; in summer, they will be at their best. In summer, you may see brown or black on your pitchers, which can be normal nectar burn or crisping from heat. As Fall comes on, the pitchers may start to die back, turning brown, and by winter, many or all of the pitchers are brown, but the rhizome remains healthy and intact throughout winter dormancy even if you cannot see anything growing. Sarracenia have brown, black, or white roots and do not generally have many of them. The rhizome can be brown and still be healthy.

Sun: Full sun. Sarracenia require lots of direct sun to grow and form pitchers properly. In many areas, they can be grown outdoors in full sun. If you live in a very hot AND very dry place like Arizona or Sacramento, for example, you will want to grow your plants in full morning sun with protection from the afternoon sun or under 30% shade cloth. It is common for several pitchers to "burn" and die back when you first place your plant into the sun; your plant is acclimating to your conditions, and in most cases, new leaves will soon grow and be fully acclimated. Sarracenia can be grown indoors on extremely sunny windowsills that receive all-day sun, but they will require a grow light in most circumstances due to the amount of light the plant needs. Grow lights should be 6-12” from the plant, depending on the light, and on a 10-12 hour day length. Sarracenia generally are not a good candidate for a terrarium as they need intense light and get quite tall. Shorter species like Sarracenia purpurea will do better in a terrarium. Grow outdoors if possible for best results.

Water: Always keep them in a saucer with a few inches of distilled, rainwater, or reverse osmosis water. Never let them dry out, especially in the hot summer months. Sarracenia are bog plants that prefer water-logged conditions unless you live somewhere both very hot AND extremely humid, like Alabama. In that case, let the water tray dry out for a day or two between refills. Always use distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater only. These plants are sensitive to their water quality, and giving them mineral and salt-free water is very important. In winter, when the plants are dormant, you can let them dry out a bit between rain storms, but do not let the soil get so dry that it pulls away from the edges of the pots. Be sure to supplement water as needed in between rains in winter.

Temperature and Dormancy: These are warm-temperate plants, meaning they need warm summers and chilly winters. They should be grown outdoors year-round in areas with mild winters. They thrive in temperatures ranging from 20 degrees - 100F degrees and can take a brief freeze or high-temperature spike up to 105F degrees for a short period. If nighttime temps drop below 20 but rise again during the day above 40, your plant will be fine outside.

If you live in an area with very cold winters, where nighttime temperatures drop below 20 degrees for sustained periods, you have three options for providing them with winter dormancy: the garage method, mulching in, or the fridge method. Dormancy is triggered by a combination of exposure to shorter photo-periods and cooler temperatures in the 40-60's F. While you can skip a dormancy period once or twice, in the long term, your plant will begin to do poorly and will eventually die if you skip this crucial period.

The garage method: Bring your plant indoors to a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage, where the nighttime temperatures will dip down to 50-60F. Keep it well watered during this period, do not let it dry out, and put it outside again when the outside nighttime temperatures increase consistently above 20F.

The mulch method: Mulch them in very, very well outdoors. Pack at least four inches of mulch on top of the plants and all around the sides to prevent winds from chilling them and freezing the roots. You can also dig the pots into the ground and then mulch heavily on top.

The fridge method: remove the plants from pots, gently clean the roots of soil, wrap the roots in a bit of damp long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum moss, place the plants in a resealable bag, and put the bag into the refrigerator. Leave them in the fridge from October to February, periodically checking on them to ensure they are still moist and not growing mold or fungus. Pot them back up in February. You can vary the timing to align with your outside nighttime temperatures so that your plants can come out of dormancy when it is safe to place them back outside. You can leave them in the fridge for an extended period if you have very long winters.

Soil and Repotting: We prefer a mix of four-part fertilizer-free peat moss to one-part perlite. You can add our pre-made mix to your order here. You do not need to repot your plant when you receive it from us for at least a year, and we recommend against it during the spring-summer months. Repot Sarracenia every 1-3 years in winter when they are dormant. Avoid placing in excessively large pots; size up only a few inches at a time. They do well in tall pots. Soil can also develop a swampy smell, especially right after shipping, when the plant is wrapped in plastic and sealed. This is normal; these plants grow naturally in bogs and swampy conditions, and peat moss can develop a bit of an anaerobic smell, but this does not indicate a problem with the soil. 

Feeding and Fertilizer: Sarracenia will catch plenty of food when grown outdoors. When grown indoors, they will significantly benefit from fertilizing, both a foliar fertilizer and feeding the pitchers. Plants grown outdoors will appreciate a foliar feed as well. Apply MaxSea fertilizer once per month to the foliage only. Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water and then apply to the pitchers, and inside the pitchers, with a mister bottle or a watering can. Osmocote slow-release flower and vegetable pellets can be dropped into the pitchers with a bit of distilled water. Pellets can burn the sides of the pitchers where they come to rest; that is normal.

More Information: For further information on dormancy, repotting, dividing, and more, check out our website or our YouTube channel.

Pinguicula x “Hotsy Totsy” is a new introduction for 2026! This is a complicated colimensis cross. Damon loves colimensis crosses because they almost always result in huge flowers, and “Hotsy Totsy” does not disappoint! It has rounded, upright, pink-blushing leaves, making the rosette just as attractive as the flower! The flowers themselves are large, on short scapes with electric-pink coloration and dark-magenta venation. The petals are large, full, and lightly ruffled; this is a showstopper!

We named it “Hotsy Totsy” because every time Kate and Daniela came into the nursery a little done up, Peter would always exclaim joyfully, “Ooohh Hotsy Totsy,” which would make their day! So “Hotsy Totsy” is the perfect plant for someone who wants to make a statement!

The plants we ship are about 1” and will be 1-2” at full growth. 

This plant will not come potted; you will need to pot it up upon arrival. Mexican/Tropical Pinguicula prefer our sandy PINGUICULA SOIL MIX.

IF YOU ORDER IN WINTER/EARLY SPRING YOUR PLANT MAY ARRIVE IN WINTER SUCCULENT MODE. DURING THIS TIME, IT WILL GROW SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER, TIGHT, SUCCULENT LEAVES. DO NOT OVER WATER DURING THIS TIME. IT WILL GROW CARNIVOROUS LEAVES IN THE SPRING.

Care Instructions

Growth Habit: Pinguicula are generally small plants; depending on the species and growth phase, they can range from 1/2” to 8” across at maturity. Most are 2-4” across. They form rosettes of leaves covered in glistening dew, which have a high turnover rate, meaning that they die back frequently, and new leaves grow at the center from the plant. They have pretty leaves, some blush red or purple, and all are covered in sparkling dew. Their flowers are hummingbird and butterfly pollinated in the wild and because their pollinators are attracted to colorful flowers, they have beautiful flowers With long neck spurs! Many species will experience a winter succulent phase. A combination of shorter photo periods, cooler temperatures, and dryer conditions trigger this phase. While this phase is not necessary for the plant to thrive, it is often out of our control whether the plants do this or not. During their succulent phase, they grow small, rounded leaves that look very different from their large carnivorous leaves. Plants in this stage will be significantly smaller than they will be in carnivorous growth. The natural cycle of Pinguicula can lead them to be in succulent growth in spring, not starting their carnivorous growth until late spring sometimes even early summer. Watching them grow their carnivorous leaves is like watching a magic trick; tiny, tight leaves begin to transform into huge, sticky, carnivorous leaves! Pinguicula can easily propagate from leaf pullings, like a succulent. They will also form small clumps over time, dividing naturally. While they can have a long life, they won’t live forever, so it is a good idea to take pullings every year. They do not have significant root systems, and the roots they have are often minimal and very short. The roots can be white, transparent, or brown, and they use these roots mainly to anchor themselves to the soil's surface (they still offer benefits, though, so please do not cut them off). 

Sun: Full to part sun. Sunny windowsills indoors, in a temperature-regulated greenhouse, or under grow lights. In tropical parts of the world or very mild climates, they can be grown outdoors in dappled sun, morning sun only, or under shade cloth. They must be protected from the full afternoon sun. It is best to grow under 30% shade cloth in the summer months when grown in a greenhouse. They can benefit from 30% shade cloth if grown outdoors as well. If your plant is much greener than it should be, developing larger, more elongated leaves than normal for the species or hybrid, and does not have much dew, it may need more light. 

Water & Humidity: In the late spring, summer, and early autumn, Pinguicula can be kept in the tray system with overhead watering as long as they still have carnivorous foliage. This means setting the pots in a deep saucer or tray and routinely filling that with 1/4”-1/2” water. If grown in a non-draining pot, allow room to water and water overhead frequently to keep soil media moist, but do not water so deeply as to have standing water sitting on the surface of the soil; all the water should be absorbed. When the rosettes show their very first signs of growing their smaller, tighter succulent leaves immediately begin to dry out your plants. Keep the soil on the dry side, watering them only a little and let dry out in between watering. You can usually tell how dry a species enjoys its winter by the size of its succulent leaves. The tighter, smaller leafed rosettes such a Pinguicula gypsicola or the bulb-like heterophylla and macrophylla require bone-dry conditions. Species with larger winter leaves, like a few of the moranensis varieties or agnata, enjoy winters soils just slightly damp.  Cuban species should be kept wet year-round, with only slight winter drying. When these plants are transitioning between carnivorous and succulent growth they are at the most risk of rotting, so it is better to air on the side of drier when the temperatures start to get colder and the photo periods shorten. In spring, as soon as the temperatures start to warm and the photo periods lengthen, start watering your plants more. When carnivorous leaves start to grow, begin the tray method again. (If your plant decides it does not want to make carnivorous leaves, don’t worry, sometimes they are stubborn! Water frequently and make sure your plant gets lots of light, preferably some natural light from the sun as well, to try to trigger carnivorous leaf growth. But don’t worry if your ping stays in succulent mode for a whole year, eventually it will grow carnivorous leaves again!) Pinguicula are extremely susceptible to dissolved minerals and salts in their water and poor water quality will directly contribute to decline of plants and death. Be sure to only use rainwater, reverse osmosis water, or distilled water. Pinguicula prefer drier conditions and do not require high humidity.

Temperature: 50 degrees - 90 degrees. While not ideal, Pinguicula can tolerate brief nighttime dips to 40 as long as daytime temperatures warm back up and can tolerate brief heat waves over 90 as long as they are protected from the sun and sitting in water AND nighttime temperatures decrease. Cold temperatures are likely to kill Pinguicula, so avoid exposing them to anything below 50 if possible.

Dormancy: No true dormancy but does have a winter succulent phase during which the plant will produce small succulent leaves instead of flat sticky leaves. Pinguicula do not need this period of succulent growth to grow well. If your plant does not grow succulent leaves, there is no need to try to induce the transition. See the section on watering for in depth care during this time. 

Fertilizer: Apply Schultz Cactus Fertilizer once or twice a month to the leaves with a mister bottle, during the grow season. Do not apply in winter or during succulent winter mode. We use seven drops of fertilizer in 20 ounces of distilled water. 

Soil & Repotting: Pinguicula grow in very dry and rocky soil mixes, do not use a mix that holds a lot of moisture. We use equal parts sand, peat moss, pumice, and perlite. You can order our custom Pinguicula soil mix! These plants ship bare-root so you will have to order potting media and pot them up upon arrival. Pinguicula do not have extensive roots and anchor to the surface of their soil making them ideal candidates for quirky, cute, small, non-draining planters like teacups or vintage pottery. You can plant them in all variety of pots as long as they are glazed ceramic, glazed terracotta, glass or plastic. Avoid un-glazed terracotta. They can be in small pots and do not need much room for roots. Pinguicula are one of the most sensitive plants to a build of minerals and salts in their soil or water. Repot every year to refresh soil.

More Information: For more information on repotting, pests, growing habits, and more, check out our FAQ page or our YouTube channel!

Pinguicula x “Ting Tang” is a new introduction for 2026! This is the adorable sister to “Walla Walla!” Damon loves crossing Pinguicula colimensis because of its huge flowers in relatively short scapes. And we were not disappointed with this one! The flowers are surprisingly large for such a cute little onion of a rosette!

The large, white flowers are on the shortest little scapes, which is ridiculously cute. The flowers are full with big, wide petals, just like its sister but with purple-pink dappling at the throat! Because of the macrophylla in it, the succulent rosettes reminded us of little onions, and they will tend to flower early in the season while still in their onion state.

We named its sister “Walla Walla” because it’s such a cute little onion of a plant, so we naturally had to name this one “Ting Tang” like the song! 

Because of the plants used in this cross, they often stay in succulent stage longer into the year. You are likely to receive one in that stage even in summer! But don’t worry, they flower readily in succulent stage. The plants we ship are about .5” and will be 2” at full growth. 

This plant will not come potted; you will need to pot it up upon arrival. Mexican/Tropical Pinguicula prefer our sandy PINGUICULA SOIL MIX.

IF YOU ORDER IN WINTER/EARLY SPRING YOUR PLANT MAY ARRIVE IN WINTER SUCCULENT MODE. DURING THIS TIME, IT WILL GROW SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER, TIGHT, SUCCULENT LEAVES. DO NOT OVER WATER DURING THIS TIME. IT WILL GROW CARNIVOROUS LEAVES IN THE SPRING.

Care Instructions

Growth Habit: Pinguicula are generally small plants; depending on the species and growth phase, they can range from 1/2” to 8” across at maturity. Most are 2-4” across. They form rosettes of leaves covered in glistening dew, which have a high turnover rate, meaning that they die back frequently, and new leaves grow at the center from the plant. They have pretty leaves, some blush red or purple, and all are covered in sparkling dew. Their flowers are hummingbird and butterfly pollinated in the wild and because their pollinators are attracted to colorful flowers, they have beautiful flowers With long neck spurs! Many species will experience a winter succulent phase. A combination of shorter photo periods, cooler temperatures, and dryer conditions trigger this phase. While this phase is not necessary for the plant to thrive, it is often out of our control whether the plants do this or not. During their succulent phase, they grow small, rounded leaves that look very different from their large carnivorous leaves. Plants in this stage will be significantly smaller than they will be in carnivorous growth. The natural cycle of Pinguicula can lead them to be in succulent growth in spring, not starting their carnivorous growth until late spring sometimes even early summer. Watching them grow their carnivorous leaves is like watching a magic trick; tiny, tight leaves begin to transform into huge, sticky, carnivorous leaves! Pinguicula can easily propagate from leaf pullings, like a succulent. They will also form small clumps over time, dividing naturally. While they can have a long life, they won’t live forever, so it is a good idea to take pullings every year. They do not have significant root systems, and the roots they have are often minimal and very short. The roots can be white, transparent, or brown, and they use these roots mainly to anchor themselves to the soil's surface (they still offer benefits, though, so please do not cut them off). 

Sun: Full to part sun. Sunny windowsills indoors, in a temperature-regulated greenhouse, or under grow lights. In tropical parts of the world or very mild climates, they can be grown outdoors in dappled sun, morning sun only, or under shade cloth. They must be protected from the full afternoon sun. It is best to grow under 30% shade cloth in the summer months when grown in a greenhouse. They can benefit from 30% shade cloth if grown outdoors as well. If your plant is much greener than it should be, developing larger, more elongated leaves than normal for the species or hybrid, and does not have much dew, it may need more light. 

Water & Humidity: In the late spring, summer, and early autumn, Pinguicula can be kept in the tray system with overhead watering as long as they still have carnivorous foliage. This means setting the pots in a deep saucer or tray and routinely filling that with 1/4”-1/2” water. If grown in a non-draining pot, allow room to water and water overhead frequently to keep soil media moist, but do not water so deeply as to have standing water sitting on the surface of the soil; all the water should be absorbed. When the rosettes show their very first signs of growing their smaller, tighter succulent leaves immediately begin to dry out your plants. Keep the soil on the dry side, watering them only a little and let dry out in between watering. You can usually tell how dry a species enjoys its winter by the size of its succulent leaves. The tighter, smaller leafed rosettes such a Pinguicula gypsicola or the bulb-like heterophylla and macrophylla require bone-dry conditions. Species with larger winter leaves, like a few of the moranensis varieties or agnata, enjoy winters soils just slightly damp.  Cuban species should be kept wet year-round, with only slight winter drying. When these plants are transitioning between carnivorous and succulent growth they are at the most risk of rotting, so it is better to air on the side of drier when the temperatures start to get colder and the photo periods shorten. In spring, as soon as the temperatures start to warm and the photo periods lengthen, start watering your plants more. When carnivorous leaves start to grow, begin the tray method again. (If your plant decides it does not want to make carnivorous leaves, don’t worry, sometimes they are stubborn! Water frequently and make sure your plant gets lots of light, preferably some natural light from the sun as well, to try to trigger carnivorous leaf growth. But don’t worry if your ping stays in succulent mode for a whole year, eventually it will grow carnivorous leaves again!) Pinguicula are extremely susceptible to dissolved minerals and salts in their water and poor water quality will directly contribute to decline of plants and death. Be sure to only use rainwater, reverse osmosis water, or distilled water. Pinguicula prefer drier conditions and do not require high humidity.

Temperature: 50 degrees - 90 degrees. While not ideal, Pinguicula can tolerate brief nighttime dips to 40 as long as daytime temperatures warm back up and can tolerate brief heat waves over 90 as long as they are protected from the sun and sitting in water AND nighttime temperatures decrease. Cold temperatures are likely to kill Pinguicula, so avoid exposing them to anything below 50 if possible.

Dormancy: No true dormancy but does have a winter succulent phase during which the plant will produce small succulent leaves instead of flat sticky leaves. Pinguicula do not need this period of succulent growth to grow well. If your plant does not grow succulent leaves, there is no need to try to induce the transition. See the section on watering for in depth care during this time. 

Fertilizer: Apply Schultz Cactus Fertilizer once or twice a month to the leaves with a mister bottle, during the grow season. Do not apply in winter or during succulent winter mode. We use seven drops of fertilizer in 20 ounces of distilled water. 

Soil & Repotting: Pinguicula grow in very dry and rocky soil mixes, do not use a mix that holds a lot of moisture. We use equal parts sand, peat moss, pumice, and perlite. You can order our custom Pinguicula soil mix! These plants ship bare-root so you will have to order potting media and pot them up upon arrival. Pinguicula do not have extensive roots and anchor to the surface of their soil making them ideal candidates for quirky, cute, small, non-draining planters like teacups or vintage pottery. You can plant them in all variety of pots as long as they are glazed ceramic, glazed terracotta, glass or plastic. Avoid un-glazed terracotta. They can be in small pots and do not need much room for roots. Pinguicula are one of the most sensitive plants to a build of minerals and salts in their soil or water. Repot every year to refresh soil.

More Information: For more information on repotting, pests, growing habits, and more, check out our FAQ page or our YouTube channel!

Dionaea m. 'Reptile' is a new release from Europe! We love its unusual petioles that have spikes and ripples like a wild lizard skin! The plants themselves grow vigorously and the mutation shows up best in summer! If you order now, you’ll likely only see a little of the ridging on the petioles. 

This cultivar is very, very rare in the US.

We are shipping small plants, about 1-2" tall, the second-to-last photo shows their size. These small plants will grow rapidly in summer!

PLEASE NOTE VENUS FLYTRAPS GO DORMANT SEASONALLY, STARTING AS EARLY AS OCTOBER AND LASTING AS LATE AS MARCH, DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS. During this time, they appear relatively small and grow a few traps; please see the final photo to see how flytraps look when dormant. They will begin to grow vigorously again in Spring when photoperiods lengthen and temperatures increase.

Care Instructions:

Growth Habit: Venus flytraps are low-growing bog plants native to North and South Carolina. These plants grow their traps, modified leaves, from a rhizome that spreads over time. The traps will die back frequently all year, have high leaf turnover, and many new traps will grow throughout the spring and summer. In spring, the traps grow, often low to the ground and small. In summer, they grow their best traps, taller and more prominent. As Fall comes on, the traps start to die back, growing lower to the ground and smaller, and by winter, the plant will be dormant, with many or all of the traps gone, but the rhizome remains healthy and intact throughout winter dormancy even if you cannot see any traps growing. Venus flytraps have black roots, and not generally not many of them.

Sun: Full sun. Venus flytraps require lots of direct sun to grow and produce traps. In many areas, they can be grown outdoors in full sun. If you live in a very hot AND very dry place like Arizona or Sacramento, for example, you will want to grow your plants in full morning sun with protection from the afternoon sun or under 30% shade cloth. It is common for several traps/leaves to "burn" and die back when you first place your plant into the sun; your plant is acclimating to your conditions, and in most cases, new leaves will soon grow and be fully acclimated. Venus flytraps can be grown indoors, on extremely sunny windowsills, that receive all-day sun, but they will require a grow light in most circumstances due to the amount of light the plant needs. Grow lights should be 6-12” from the plant, depending on the light, and on a 10-12 hour day length. Venus flytraps generally are not a good candidate for a terrarium as they need intense light and good airflow. Grow outdoors if possible for best results.

Water: Always keep them in a saucer with a few inches of distilled, rainwater, or reverse osmosis water. Never let them dry out, especially in the hot summer months. Venus flytraps are bog plants that prefer water-logged conditions unless you live somewhere both very hot AND extremely humid, like Alabama. In that case, let the water tray dry out for a day or two between refills. Always use distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater only. These plants are especially sensitive to their water quality, and giving them mineral and salt-free water is very important. In winter, when the plants are dormant, you can let them dry out a bit between rain storms, but do not let the soil get so dry that it pulls away from the edges of the pots. Be sure to supplement water as needed in between rains in winter.

Temperature and Dormancy: These are warm-temperate plants, meaning they need warm summers and chilly winters. They should be grown outdoors year-round in areas with mild winters. They thrive in temperatures ranging from 20 degrees - 90F degrees and can take a brief freeze or high-temperature spike up to 105F degrees for a short period. If nighttime temps drop below 20 but rise again during the day above 40, your plant will be fine outside.

If you live in an area with very cold winters, where nighttime temperatures drop below 20 degrees for sustained periods, you have three options for providing them with winter dormancy: the garage method, mulching in, or the fridge method. Dormancy is triggered by a combination of exposure to shorter photo-periods and cooler temperatures in the 40-60's F. While you can skip a dormancy period once or twice, in the long term, your plant will begin to do poorly and will eventually die if you skip this crucial period.

The garage method: Bring your plant indoors to a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage, where the nighttime temperatures will dip down to 50-60F. Keep it well watered during this period, do not let it dry out, and put it outside again when the outside nighttime temperatures increase consistently above 20F.

The mulch method: Mulch them in very, very well outdoors. Pack at least four inches of mulch on top of the plants and all around the sides to prevent winds from chilling them and freezing the roots. You can also dig the pots into the ground and then mulch heavily on top.

The fridge method: remove the plants from pots, gently clean the roots of soil, wrap the roots in a bit of damp long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum moss, place the plants in a resealable bag, and put the bag into the refrigerator. Leave them in the fridge from October to February, periodically checking on them to ensure they are still moist and not growing mold or fungus. Pot them back up in February. You can vary the timing to align with your outside nighttime temperatures so that your plants can come out of dormancy when it is safe to place them back outside. You can leave them in the fridge for an extended period if you have very long winters.

Soil and Repotting: We prefer a mix of four-part fertilizer-free peat moss to one-part perlite. You can add our pre-made mix to your order here. You do not need to repot your plant when you receive it from us for at least a year, and we recommend against it during the spring-summer months. Repot Venus flytraps every 1-3 years in January or winter. Avoid placing in excessively larger pots; size up only a few inches at a time. They do well in tall pots. Soil can also develop a swampy smell, especially right after shipping when the plant is wrapped in plastic and sealed. This is normal; these plants grow naturally in bogs and swampy conditions, and peat moss can develop a bit of an anaerobic smell, but this does not indicate a problem with the soil. 

Feeding and Fertilizer: Venus flytraps will catch plenty of food when grown outdoors. When grown indoors, they will significantly benefit from fertilizing, a foliar fertilizer, and feeding the traps. Plants grown outdoors will appreciate a foliar feed as well. Apply MaxSea fertilizer once per month to the foliage only. Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water and then apply to the traps with a mister bottle. If you would like to feed the traps of your flytrap, it is recommended that you use live prey, as the traps usually require continued movement from their food to stimulate the complete absorption process. They will often open too soon if fed inert foods and do not absorb nutrients. We recommend live mealworms, which are available from any pet store. After digestion, Venus flytraps open back up, leaving the exoskeleton of their prey. They have liquified and absorbed the contents of the insect, but the exoskeleton remains. This does not need to be removed. Traps often die back after a big meal; new ones will grow, and the plant benefits greatly from the nutrients!

More Information: For further information on dormancy, repotting, dividing, and more, check out our website, Venus Flytrap Care, or our YouTube channel.

Pinguicula x “Dragonfruit Punch” is a new introduction for 2026! “Dragonfruit Punch” is a sibling to “Watermelon Punch.” And it has all the same charm as its sister; cute little rosettes with pink leaves but with a distinct, electric-pink, dragonfruit color! 

The plants we ship are about 1/2” and will be 1-2” at full growth. These plants were bred to stay smaller and more dainty! 

This plant will not come potted; you will need to pot it up upon arrival. Mexican/Tropical Pinguicula prefer our sandy PINGUICULA SOIL MIX.

IF YOU ORDER IN WINTER/EARLY SPRING, YOUR PLANT MAY ARRIVE IN WINTER SUCCULENT MODE. DURING THIS TIME, IT WILL GROW SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER, TIGHT, SUCCULENT LEAVES. DO NOT OVER WATER DURING THIS TIME. IT WILL GROW CARNIVOROUS LEAVES IN THE SPRING.

Care Instructions

Growth Habit: Pinguicula are generally small plants; depending on the species and growth phase, they can range from 1/2” to 8” across at maturity. Most are 2-4” across. They form rosettes of leaves covered in glistening dew, which have a high turnover rate, meaning that they die back frequently, and new leaves grow at the center from the plant. They have pretty leaves, some blush red or purple, and all are covered in sparkling dew. Their flowers are hummingbird and butterfly pollinated in the wild and because their pollinators are attracted to colorful flowers, they have beautiful flowers With long neck spurs! Many species will experience a winter succulent phase. A combination of shorter photo periods, cooler temperatures, and dryer conditions trigger this phase. While this phase is not necessary for the plant to thrive, it is often out of our control whether the plants do this or not. During their succulent phase, they grow small, rounded leaves that look very different from their large carnivorous leaves. Plants in this stage will be significantly smaller than they will be in carnivorous growth. The natural cycle of Pinguicula can lead them to be in succulent growth in spring, not starting their carnivorous growth until late spring sometimes even early summer. Watching them grow their carnivorous leaves is like watching a magic trick; tiny, tight leaves begin to transform into huge, sticky, carnivorous leaves! Pinguicula can easily propagate from leaf pullings, like a succulent. They will also form small clumps over time, dividing naturally. While they can have a long life, they won’t live forever, so it is a good idea to take pullings every year. They do not have significant root systems, and the roots they have are often minimal and very short. The roots can be white, transparent, or brown, and they use these roots mainly to anchor themselves to the soil's surface (they still offer benefits, though, so please do not cut them off). 

Sun: Full to part sun. Sunny windowsills indoors, in a temperature-regulated greenhouse, or under grow lights. In tropical parts of the world or very mild climates, they can be grown outdoors in dappled sun, morning sun only, or under shade cloth. They must be protected from the full afternoon sun. It is best to grow under 30% shade cloth in the summer months when grown in a greenhouse. They can benefit from 30% shade cloth if grown outdoors as well. If your plant is much greener than it should be, developing larger, more elongated leaves than normal for the species or hybrid, and does not have much dew, it may need more light. 

Water & Humidity: In the late spring, summer, and early autumn, Pinguicula can be kept in the tray system with overhead watering as long as they still have carnivorous foliage. This means setting the pots in a deep saucer or tray and routinely filling that with 1/4”-1/2” water. If grown in a non-draining pot, allow room to water and water overhead frequently to keep soil media moist, but do not water so deeply as to have standing water sitting on the surface of the soil; all the water should be absorbed. When the rosettes show their very first signs of growing their smaller, tighter succulent leaves immediately begin to dry out your plants. Keep the soil on the dry side, watering them only a little and let dry out in between watering. You can usually tell how dry a species enjoys its winter by the size of its succulent leaves. The tighter, smaller leafed rosettes such a Pinguicula gypsicola or the bulb-like heterophylla and macrophylla require bone-dry conditions. Species with larger winter leaves, like a few of the moranensis varieties or agnata, enjoy winters soils just slightly damp.  Cuban species should be kept wet year-round, with only slight winter drying. When these plants are transitioning between carnivorous and succulent growth they are at the most risk of rotting, so it is better to air on the side of drier when the temperatures start to get colder and the photo periods shorten. In spring, as soon as the temperatures start to warm and the photo periods lengthen, start watering your plants more. When carnivorous leaves start to grow, begin the tray method again. (If your plant decides it does not want to make carnivorous leaves, don’t worry, sometimes they are stubborn! Water frequently and make sure your plant gets lots of light, preferably some natural light from the sun as well, to try to trigger carnivorous leaf growth. But don’t worry if your ping stays in succulent mode for a whole year, eventually it will grow carnivorous leaves again!) Pinguicula are extremely susceptible to dissolved minerals and salts in their water and poor water quality will directly contribute to decline of plants and death. Be sure to only use rainwater, reverse osmosis water, or distilled water. Pinguicula prefer drier conditions and do not require high humidity.

Temperature: 50 degrees - 90 degrees. While not ideal, Pinguicula can tolerate brief nighttime dips to 40 as long as daytime temperatures warm back up and can tolerate brief heat waves over 90 as long as they are protected from the sun and sitting in water AND nighttime temperatures decrease. Cold temperatures are likely to kill Pinguicula, so avoid exposing them to anything below 50 if possible.

Dormancy: No true dormancy but does have a winter succulent phase during which the plant will produce small succulent leaves instead of flat sticky leaves. Pinguicula do not need this period of succulent growth to grow well. If your plant does not grow succulent leaves, there is no need to try to induce the transition. See the section on watering for in depth care during this time. 

Fertilizer: Apply Schultz Cactus Fertilizer once or twice a month to the leaves with a mister bottle, during the grow season. Do not apply in winter or during succulent winter mode. We use seven drops of fertilizer in 20 ounces of distilled water. 

Soil & Repotting: Pinguicula grow in very dry and rocky soil mixes, do not use a mix that holds a lot of moisture. We use equal parts sand, peat moss, pumice, and perlite. You can order our custom Pinguicula soil mix! These plants ship bare-root so you will have to order potting media and pot them up upon arrival. Pinguicula do not have extensive roots and anchor to the surface of their soil making them ideal candidates for quirky, cute, small, non-draining planters like teacups or vintage pottery. You can plant them in all variety of pots as long as they are glazed ceramic, glazed terracotta, glass or plastic. Avoid un-glazed terracotta. They can be in small pots and do not need much room for roots. Pinguicula are one of the most sensitive plants to a build of minerals and salts in their soil or water. Repot every year to refresh soil.

More Information: For more information on repotting, pests, growing habits, and more, check out our FAQ page or our YouTube channel!

Dionaea m. “Betelgeuse” is a new introduction for 2026! In almost 40 years of breeding, this is the culmination of all our hard work into the best thing we’ve ever made! Damon’s careful breeding has resulted in an insanely big and vigorous Venus flytrap with long lashes, but what really makes it a standout is how, in strong light, the interior of the traps and lashes get darker and darker until they are black and shiny like patent leather shoes. The traps have a great display of color, opening red and slowly darkening. To achieve the deepest black-reds, they need intense light, and we see the best color in summer traps. Be one of the very first people to grow this exceptional plant! 

Please note; traps, especially in spring, will be red and green, still achieving enormous depth of color but peak color is reached in summer. The photo of the small potted plant shows how they look in early spring.

We are shipping small plants, about 1-2" tall. The second-to-last photo shows their size. These small plants will grow rapidly in summer!

PLEASE NOTE VENUS FLYTRAPS GO DORMANT SEASONALLY, STARTING AS EARLY AS OCTOBER AND LASTING AS LATE AS MARCH, DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS. During this time, they appear relatively small and grow a few traps; please see the final photo to see how flytraps look when dormant. They will begin to grow vigorously again in Spring when photoperiods lengthen and temperatures increase.

Care Instructions:

Growth Habit: Venus flytraps are low-growing bog plants native to North and South Carolina. These plants grow their traps, modified leaves, from a rhizome that spreads over time. The traps will die back frequently all year, have high leaf turnover, and many new traps will grow throughout the spring and summer. In spring, the traps grow, often low to the ground and small. In summer, they grow their best traps, taller and more prominent. As Fall comes on, the traps start to die back, growing lower to the ground and smaller, and by winter, the plant will be dormant, with many or all of the traps gone, but the rhizome remains healthy and intact throughout winter dormancy, even if you cannot see any traps growing. Venus flytraps have black roots, and not generally not many of them.

Sun: Full sun. Venus flytraps require lots of direct sun to grow and produce traps. In many areas, they can be grown outdoors in full sun. If you live in a very hot AND very dry place like Arizona or Sacramento, for example, you will want to grow your plants in full morning sun with protection from the afternoon sun or under 30% shade cloth. It is common for several traps/leaves to "burn" and die back when you first place your plant into the sun; your plant is acclimating to your conditions, and in most cases, new leaves will soon grow and be fully acclimated. Venus flytraps can be grown indoors, on extremely sunny windowsills, that receive all-day sun, but they will require a grow light in most circumstances due to the amount of light the plant needs. Grow lights should be 6-12” from the plant, depending on the light, and on a 10-12 hour day length. Venus flytraps generally are not a good candidate for a terrarium as they need intense light and good airflow. Grow outdoors if possible for best results.

Water: Always keep them in a saucer with a few inches of distilled, rainwater, or reverse osmosis water. Never let them dry out, especially in the hot summer months. Venus flytraps are bog plants that prefer water-logged conditions unless you live somewhere both very hot AND extremely humid, like Alabama. In that case, let the water tray dry out for a day or two between refills. Always use distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater only. These plants are especially sensitive to their water quality, and giving them mineral and salt-free water is very important. In winter, when the plants are dormant, you can let them dry out a bit between rain storms, but do not let the soil get so dry that it pulls away from the edges of the pots. Be sure to supplement water as needed in between rains in winter.

Temperature and Dormancy: These are warm-temperate plants, meaning they need warm summers and chilly winters. They should be grown outdoors year-round in areas with mild winters. They thrive in temperatures ranging from 20 degrees - 90F degrees and can take a brief freeze or high-temperature spike up to 105F degrees for a short period. If nighttime temps drop below 20 but rise again during the day above 40, your plant will be fine outside.

If you live in an area with very cold winters, where nighttime temperatures drop below 20 degrees for sustained periods, you have three options for providing them with winter dormancy: the garage method, mulching in, or the fridge method. Dormancy is triggered by a combination of exposure to shorter photo-periods and cooler temperatures in the 40-60's F. While you can skip a dormancy period once or twice, in the long term, your plant will begin to do poorly and will eventually die if you skip this crucial period.

The garage method: Bring your plant indoors to a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage, where the nighttime temperatures will dip down to 50-60F. Keep it well watered during this period, do not let it dry out, and put it outside again when the outside nighttime temperatures increase consistently above 20F.

The mulch method: Mulch them in very, very well outdoors. Pack at least four inches of mulch on top of the plants and all around the sides to prevent winds from chilling them and freezing the roots. You can also dig the pots into the ground and then mulch heavily on top.

The fridge method: remove the plants from pots, gently clean the roots of soil, wrap the roots in a bit of damp long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum moss, place the plants in a resealable bag, and put the bag into the refrigerator. Leave them in the fridge from October to February, periodically checking on them to ensure they are still moist and not growing mold or fungus. Pot them back up in February. You can vary the timing to align with your outside nighttime temperatures so that your plants can come out of dormancy when it is safe to place them back outside. You can leave them in the fridge for an extended period if you have very long winters.

Soil and Repotting: We prefer a mix of four-part fertilizer-free peat moss to one-part perlite. You can add our pre-made mix to your order here. You do not need to repot your plant when you receive it from us for at least a year, and we recommend against it during the spring-summer months. Repot Venus flytraps every 1-3 years in January or winter. Avoid placing in excessively larger pots; size up only a few inches at a time. They do well in tall pots. Soil can also develop a swampy smell, especially right after shipping when the plant is wrapped in plastic and sealed. This is normal; these plants grow naturally in bogs and swampy conditions, and peat moss can develop a bit of an anaerobic smell, but this does not indicate a problem with the soil. 

Feeding and Fertilizer: Venus flytraps will catch plenty of food when grown outdoors. When grown indoors, they will significantly benefit from fertilizing, a foliar fertilizer, and feeding the traps. Plants grown outdoors will appreciate a foliar feed as well. Apply MaxSea fertilizer once per month to the foliage only. Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water and then apply to the traps with a mister bottle. If you would like to feed the traps of your flytrap, it is recommended that you use live prey, as the traps usually require continued movement from their food to stimulate the complete absorption process. They will often open too soon if fed inert foods and do not absorb nutrients. We recommend live mealworms, which are available from any pet store. After digestion, Venus flytraps open back up, leaving the exoskeleton of their prey. They have liquified and absorbed the contents of the insect, but the exoskeleton remains. This does not need to be removed. Traps often die back after a big meal; new ones will grow, and the plant benefits greatly from the nutrients!

More Information: For further information on dormancy, repotting, dividing, and more, check out our website, Venus Flytrap Care, or our YouTube channel.

Sarracenia rubra ssp. alabamensis is one of the most endangered species of the American pitcher plants and grows in only a handful of remaining sites.  The late summer pitchers are some of the best in the genus! They have an elegant shape, long lid and are glowing yellow, unlike any Sarracenia!

These are seedgrown from the site location near Thorsby, Alabama.

California Carnivores can ship this plant outside of California as per Permit Number ESPER0002076, the plant and any resulting seeds or progeny may not be planted on Federal property, these are artificially propagated. 

DORMANT SEASONALLY, STARTING AS EARLY AS OCTOBER AND LASTING AS LATE AS MARCH, DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS AND SPECIES/HYBRID. The pitchers turn brown and die back to the rhizome, or non-carnivorous leaves (phyllodia) grow during this time. Please see the final photo to see how Sarracenia look when dormant. They will begin to grow vigorously again in Spring when photoperiods lengthen and temperatures increase.

Care Instructions:

Growth Habit: Sarracenia primarily grow along the Southeastern coastal plain of the United States. They grow pitchers, which are modified leaves, seasonally that can vary in height, color, and size depending on the species or hybrid. The pitchers can die back during the growing season, but new pitchers will grow throughout the spring and summer. The pitchers start to grow in spring, and many grow as the year progresses; in summer, they will be at their best. In summer, you may see brown or black on your pitchers, which can be normal nectar burn or crisping from heat. As Fall comes on, the pitchers may start to die back, turning brown, and by winter, many or all of the pitchers are brown, but the rhizome remains healthy and intact throughout winter dormancy even if you cannot see anything growing. Sarracenia have brown, black, or white roots and do not generally have many of them. The rhizome can be brown and still be healthy.

Sun: Full sun. Sarracenia require lots of direct sun to grow and form pitchers properly. In many areas, they can be grown outdoors in full sun. If you live in a very hot AND very dry place like Arizona or Sacramento, for example, you will want to grow your plants in full morning sun with protection from the afternoon sun or under 30% shade cloth. It is common for several pitchers to "burn" and die back when you first place your plant into the sun; your plant is acclimating to your conditions, and in most cases, new leaves will soon grow and be fully acclimated. Sarracenia can be grown indoors on extremely sunny windowsills that receive all-day sun, but they will require a grow light in most circumstances due to the amount of light the plant needs. Grow lights should be 6-12” from the plant, depending on the light, and on a 10-12 hour day length. Sarracenia generally are not a good candidate for a terrarium as they need intense light and get quite tall. Shorter species like Sarracenia purpurea will do better in a terrarium. Grow outdoors if possible for best results.

Water: Always keep them in a saucer with a few inches of distilled, rainwater, or reverse osmosis water. Never let them dry out, especially in the hot summer months. Sarracenia are bog plants that prefer water-logged conditions unless you live somewhere both very hot AND extremely humid, like Alabama. In that case, let the water tray dry out for a day or two between refills. Always use distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater only. These plants are sensitive to their water quality, and giving them mineral and salt-free water is very important. In winter, when the plants are dormant, you can let them dry out a bit between rain storms, but do not let the soil get so dry that it pulls away from the edges of the pots. Be sure to supplement water as needed in between rains in winter.

Temperature and Dormancy: These are warm-temperate plants, meaning they need warm summers and chilly winters. They should be grown outdoors year-round in areas with mild winters. They thrive in temperatures ranging from 20 degrees - 100F degrees and can take a brief freeze or high-temperature spike up to 105F degrees for a short period. If nighttime temps drop below 20 but rise again during the day above 40, your plant will be fine outside.

If you live in an area with very cold winters, where nighttime temperatures drop below 20 degrees for sustained periods, you have three options for providing them with winter dormancy: the garage method, mulching in, or the fridge method. Dormancy is triggered by a combination of exposure to shorter photo-periods and cooler temperatures in the 40-60's F. While you can skip a dormancy period once or twice, in the long term, your plant will begin to do poorly and will eventually die if you skip this crucial period.

The garage method: Bring your plant indoors to a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage, where the nighttime temperatures will dip down to 50-60F. Keep it well watered during this period, do not let it dry out, and put it outside again when the outside nighttime temperatures increase consistently above 20F.

The mulch method: Mulch them in very, very well outdoors. Pack at least four inches of mulch on top of the plants and all around the sides to prevent winds from chilling them and freezing the roots. You can also dig the pots into the ground and then mulch heavily on top.

The fridge method: remove the plants from pots, gently clean the roots of soil, wrap the roots in a bit of damp long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum moss, place the plants in a resealable bag, and put the bag into the refrigerator. Leave them in the fridge from October to February, periodically checking on them to ensure they are still moist and not growing mold or fungus. Pot them back up in February. You can vary the timing to align with your outside nighttime temperatures so that your plants can come out of dormancy when it is safe to place them back outside. You can leave them in the fridge for an extended period if you have very long winters.

Soil and Repotting: We prefer a mix of four-part fertilizer-free peat moss to one-part perlite. You can add our pre-made mix to your order here. You do not need to repot your plant when you receive it from us for at least a year, and we recommend against it during the spring-summer months. Repot Sarracenia every 1-3 years in winter when they are dormant. Avoid placing in excessively large pots; size up only a few inches at a time. They do well in tall pots. Soil can also develop a swampy smell, especially right after shipping, when the plant is wrapped in plastic and sealed. This is normal; these plants grow naturally in bogs and swampy conditions, and peat moss can develop a bit of an anaerobic smell, but this does not indicate a problem with the soil. 

Feeding and Fertilizer: Sarracenia will catch plenty of food when grown outdoors. When grown indoors, they will significantly benefit from fertilizing, both a foliar fertilizer and feeding the pitchers. Plants grown outdoors will appreciate a foliar feed as well. Apply MaxSea fertilizer once per month to the foliage only. Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water and then apply to the pitchers, and inside the pitchers, with a mister bottle or a watering can. Osmocote slow-release flower and vegetable pellets can be dropped into the pitchers with a bit of distilled water. Pellets can burn the sides of the pitchers where they come to rest; that is normal.

More Information: For further information on dormancy, repotting, dividing, and more, check out our website or our YouTube channel.

Sarracenia purpurea ssp. venosa var. montana is the exceptionally beautiful mountain form of purpurea ssp venosa! Its intricately venated pitchers have a pinched hood at the top, like a little witches hat! We’re so excited to have these because they’re so hard to find and almost never offered in the US! 

Sarracenia purpurea benefits from overhead watering so as to fill its pitchers with water. It also doesn’t lose its pitchers to winter dormancy as much as other Sarracenia species. 

These are tissue culture and are small sized plants that will quickly grow next spring to a larger size! 

DORMANT SEASONALLY, STARTING AS EARLY AS OCTOBER AND LASTING AS LATE AS MARCH, DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS AND SPECIES/HYBRID. The pitchers turn brown and die back to the rhizome, or non-carnivorous leaves (phyllodia) grow during this time. Please see the final photo to see how Sarracenia look when dormant. They will begin to grow vigorously again in Spring when photoperiods lengthen and temperatures increase.

Care Instructions:

Growth Habit: Sarracenia primarily grow along the Southeastern coastal plain of the United States. They grow pitchers, which are modified leaves, seasonally that can vary in height, color, and size depending on the species or hybrid. The pitchers can die back during the growing season, but new pitchers will grow throughout the spring and summer. The pitchers start to grow in spring, and many grow as the year progresses; in summer, they will be at their best. In summer, you may see brown or black on your pitchers, which can be normal nectar burn or crisping from heat. As Fall comes on, the pitchers may start to die back, turning brown, and by winter, many or all of the pitchers are brown, but the rhizome remains healthy and intact throughout winter dormancy even if you cannot see anything growing. Sarracenia have brown, black, or white roots and do not generally have many of them. The rhizome can be brown and still be healthy.

Sun: Full sun. Sarracenia require lots of direct sun to grow and form pitchers properly. In many areas, they can be grown outdoors in full sun. If you live in a very hot AND very dry place like Arizona or Sacramento, for example, you will want to grow your plants in full morning sun with protection from the afternoon sun or under 30% shade cloth. It is common for several pitchers to "burn" and die back when you first place your plant into the sun; your plant is acclimating to your conditions, and in most cases, new leaves will soon grow and be fully acclimated. Sarracenia can be grown indoors on extremely sunny windowsills that receive all-day sun, but they will require a grow light in most circumstances due to the amount of light the plant needs. Grow lights should be 6-12” from the plant, depending on the light, and on a 10-12 hour day length. Sarracenia generally are not a good candidate for a terrarium as they need intense light and get quite tall. Shorter species like Sarracenia purpurea will do better in a terrarium. Grow outdoors if possible for best results.

Water: Always keep them in a saucer with a few inches of distilled, rainwater, or reverse osmosis water. Never let them dry out, especially in the hot summer months. Sarracenia are bog plants that prefer water-logged conditions unless you live somewhere both very hot AND extremely humid, like Alabama. In that case, let the water tray dry out for a day or two between refills. Always use distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater only. These plants are sensitive to their water quality, and giving them mineral and salt-free water is very important. In winter, when the plants are dormant, you can let them dry out a bit between rain storms, but do not let the soil get so dry that it pulls away from the edges of the pots. Be sure to supplement water as needed in between rains in winter.

Temperature and Dormancy: These are warm-temperate plants, meaning they need warm summers and chilly winters. They should be grown outdoors year-round in areas with mild winters. They thrive in temperatures ranging from 20 degrees - 100F degrees and can take a brief freeze or high-temperature spike up to 105F degrees for a short period. If nighttime temps drop below 20 but rise again during the day above 40, your plant will be fine outside.

If you live in an area with very cold winters, where nighttime temperatures drop below 20 degrees for sustained periods, you have three options for providing them with winter dormancy: the garage method, mulching in, or the fridge method. Dormancy is triggered by a combination of exposure to shorter photo-periods and cooler temperatures in the 40-60's F. While you can skip a dormancy period once or twice, in the long term, your plant will begin to do poorly and will eventually die if you skip this crucial period.

The garage method: Bring your plant indoors to a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage, where the nighttime temperatures will dip down to 50-60F. Keep it well watered during this period, do not let it dry out, and put it outside again when the outside nighttime temperatures increase consistently above 20F.

The mulch method: Mulch them in very, very well outdoors. Pack at least four inches of mulch on top of the plants and all around the sides to prevent winds from chilling them and freezing the roots. You can also dig the pots into the ground and then mulch heavily on top.

The fridge method: remove the plants from pots, gently clean the roots of soil, wrap the roots in a bit of damp long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum moss, place the plants in a resealable bag, and put the bag into the refrigerator. Leave them in the fridge from October to February, periodically checking on them to ensure they are still moist and not growing mold or fungus. Pot them back up in February. You can vary the timing to align with your outside nighttime temperatures so that your plants can come out of dormancy when it is safe to place them back outside. You can leave them in the fridge for an extended period if you have very long winters.

Soil and Repotting: We prefer a mix of four-part fertilizer-free peat moss to one-part perlite. You can add our pre-made mix to your order here. You do not need to repot your plant when you receive it from us for at least a year, and we recommend against it during the spring-summer months. Repot Sarracenia every 1-3 years in winter when they are dormant. Avoid placing in excessively large pots; size up only a few inches at a time. They do well in tall pots. Soil can also develop a swampy smell, especially right after shipping, when the plant is wrapped in plastic and sealed. This is normal; these plants grow naturally in bogs and swampy conditions, and peat moss can develop a bit of an anaerobic smell, but this does not indicate a problem with the soil. 

Feeding and Fertilizer: Sarracenia will catch plenty of food when grown outdoors. When grown indoors, they will significantly benefit from fertilizing, both a foliar fertilizer and feeding the pitchers. Plants grown outdoors will appreciate a foliar feed as well. Apply MaxSea fertilizer once per month to the foliage only. Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water and then apply to the pitchers, and inside the pitchers, with a mister bottle or a watering can. Osmocote slow-release flower and vegetable pellets can be dropped into the pitchers with a bit of distilled water. Pellets can burn the sides of the pitchers where they come to rest; that is normal.

More Information: For further information on dormancy, repotting, dividing, and more, check out our website or our YouTube channel.

Sarracenia leucophylla, the white trumpet, is considered by many to be the most beautiful species of American pitcher plant.  It produces large, red-petaled flowers as tall as 3 feet! The first pitchers of the season are usually thinner and more delicate than the second crop of pitchers produced in late summer to early autumn.  These later pitchers put on a spectacular show; they can be as tall as the flowers were in spring! The pitchers are variable, with the lower part of the tubes green, tan, or purplish red. The upper portion of the tube, mouth, column, and lid are nearly pure white laced with a network of veins in green to pink to red to purple.  

These plants come from Splinter Hill, Baldwin County, Alabama from horticulturally produced seed. As these are divisions from multiple clones, there is variation in color and venation. 

DORMANT SEASONALLY, STARTING AS EARLY AS OCTOBER AND LASTING AS LATE AS MARCH, DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS AND SPECIES/HYBRID. The pitchers turn brown and die back to the rhizome, or non-carnivorous leaves (phyllodia) grow during this time. Please see the final photo to see how Sarracenia look when dormant. They will begin to grow vigorously again in Spring when photoperiods lengthen and temperatures increase.

Care Instructions:

Growth Habit: Sarracenia primarily grow along the Southeastern coastal plain of the United States. They grow pitchers, which are modified leaves, seasonally that can vary in height, color, and size depending on the species or hybrid. The pitchers can die back during the growing season, but new pitchers will grow throughout the spring and summer. The pitchers start to grow in spring, and many grow as the year progresses; in summer, they will be at their best. In summer, you may see brown or black on your pitchers, which can be normal nectar burn or crisping from heat. As Fall comes on, the pitchers may start to die back, turning brown, and by winter, many or all of the pitchers are brown, but the rhizome remains healthy and intact throughout winter dormancy even if you cannot see anything growing. Sarracenia have brown, black, or white roots and do not generally have many of them. The rhizome can be brown and still be healthy.

Sun: Full sun. Sarracenia require lots of direct sun to grow and form pitchers properly. In many areas, they can be grown outdoors in full sun. If you live in a very hot AND very dry place like Arizona or Sacramento, for example, you will want to grow your plants in full morning sun with protection from the afternoon sun or under 30% shade cloth. It is common for several pitchers to "burn" and die back when you first place your plant into the sun; your plant is acclimating to your conditions, and in most cases, new leaves will soon grow and be fully acclimated. Sarracenia can be grown indoors on extremely sunny windowsills that receive all-day sun, but they will require a grow light in most circumstances due to the amount of light the plant needs. Grow lights should be 6-12” from the plant, depending on the light, and on a 10-12 hour day length. Sarracenia generally are not a good candidate for a terrarium as they need intense light and get quite tall. Shorter species like Sarracenia purpurea will do better in a terrarium. Grow outdoors if possible for best results.

Water: Always keep them in a saucer with a few inches of distilled, rainwater, or reverse osmosis water. Never let them dry out, especially in the hot summer months. Sarracenia are bog plants that prefer water-logged conditions unless you live somewhere both very hot AND extremely humid, like Alabama. In that case, let the water tray dry out for a day or two between refills. Always use distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater only. These plants are sensitive to their water quality, and giving them mineral and salt-free water is very important. In winter, when the plants are dormant, you can let them dry out a bit between rain storms, but do not let the soil get so dry that it pulls away from the edges of the pots. Be sure to supplement water as needed in between rains in winter.

Temperature and Dormancy: These are warm-temperate plants, meaning they need warm summers and chilly winters. They should be grown outdoors year-round in areas with mild winters. They thrive in temperatures ranging from 20 degrees - 100F degrees and can take a brief freeze or high-temperature spike up to 105F degrees for a short period. If nighttime temps drop below 20 but rise again during the day above 40, your plant will be fine outside.

If you live in an area with very cold winters, where nighttime temperatures drop below 20 degrees for sustained periods, you have three options for providing them with winter dormancy: the garage method, mulching in, or the fridge method. Dormancy is triggered by a combination of exposure to shorter photo-periods and cooler temperatures in the 40-60's F. While you can skip a dormancy period once or twice, in the long term, your plant will begin to do poorly and will eventually die if you skip this crucial period.

The garage method: Bring your plant indoors to a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage, where the nighttime temperatures will dip down to 50-60F. Keep it well watered during this period, do not let it dry out, and put it outside again when the outside nighttime temperatures increase consistently above 20F.

The mulch method: Mulch them in very, very well outdoors. Pack at least four inches of mulch on top of the plants and all around the sides to prevent winds from chilling them and freezing the roots. You can also dig the pots into the ground and then mulch heavily on top.

The fridge method: remove the plants from pots, gently clean the roots of soil, wrap the roots in a bit of damp long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum moss, place the plants in a resealable bag, and put the bag into the refrigerator. Leave them in the fridge from October to February, periodically checking on them to ensure they are still moist and not growing mold or fungus. Pot them back up in February. You can vary the timing to align with your outside nighttime temperatures so that your plants can come out of dormancy when it is safe to place them back outside. You can leave them in the fridge for an extended period if you have very long winters.

Soil and Repotting: We prefer a mix of four-part fertilizer-free peat moss to one-part perlite. You can add our pre-made mix to your order here. You do not need to repot your plant when you receive it from us for at least a year, and we recommend against it during the spring-summer months. Repot Sarracenia every 1-3 years in winter when they are dormant. Avoid placing in excessively large pots; size up only a few inches at a time. They do well in tall pots. Soil can also develop a swampy smell, especially right after shipping, when the plant is wrapped in plastic and sealed. This is normal; these plants grow naturally in bogs and swampy conditions, and peat moss can develop a bit of an anaerobic smell, but this does not indicate a problem with the soil. 

Feeding and Fertilizer: Sarracenia will catch plenty of food when grown outdoors. When grown indoors, they will significantly benefit from fertilizing, both a foliar fertilizer and feeding the pitchers. Plants grown outdoors will appreciate a foliar feed as well. Apply MaxSea fertilizer once per month to the foliage only. Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water and then apply to the pitchers, and inside the pitchers, with a mister bottle or a watering can. Osmocote slow-release flower and vegetable pellets can be dropped into the pitchers with a bit of distilled water. Pellets can burn the sides of the pitchers where they come to rest; that is normal.

More Information: For further information on dormancy, repotting, dividing, and more, check out our website or our YouTube channel.

Sarracenia flava var atropurpurea is one of the most highly sought-after color forms of flava. The all-red color is truly striking! The pitchers deepen in color, rich blood-red, as they are exposed to more light throughout the season. When they first grow in, they can have contrasting golden-yellow lids, but these usually darken to a full red over time! 

This is a beautiful clone from Andrew Daetz. These are divisions.

DORMANT SEASONALLY, STARTING AS EARLY AS OCTOBER AND LASTING AS LATE AS MARCH, DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS AND SPECIES/HYBRID. The pitchers turn brown and die back to the rhizome, or non-carnivorous leaves (phyllodia) grow during this time. Please see the final photo to see how Sarracenia look when dormant. They will begin to grow vigorously again in Spring when photoperiods lengthen and temperatures increase.

Care Instructions:

Growth Habit: Sarracenia primarily grow along the Southeastern coastal plain of the United States. They grow pitchers, which are modified leaves, seasonally that can vary in height, color, and size depending on the species or hybrid. The pitchers can die back during the growing season, but new pitchers will grow throughout the spring and summer. The pitchers start to grow in spring, and many grow as the year progresses; in summer, they will be at their best. In summer, you may see brown or black on your pitchers, which can be normal nectar burn or crisping from heat. As Fall comes on, the pitchers may start to die back, turning brown, and by winter, many or all of the pitchers are brown, but the rhizome remains healthy and intact throughout winter dormancy even if you cannot see anything growing. Sarracenia have brown, black, or white roots and do not generally have many of them. The rhizome can be brown and still be healthy.

Sun: Full sun. Sarracenia require lots of direct sun to grow and form pitchers properly. In many areas, they can be grown outdoors in full sun. If you live in a very hot AND very dry place like Arizona or Sacramento, for example, you will want to grow your plants in full morning sun with protection from the afternoon sun or under 30% shade cloth. It is common for several pitchers to "burn" and die back when you first place your plant into the sun; your plant is acclimating to your conditions, and in most cases, new leaves will soon grow and be fully acclimated. Sarracenia can be grown indoors on extremely sunny windowsills that receive all-day sun, but they will require a grow light in most circumstances due to the amount of light the plant needs. Grow lights should be 6-12” from the plant, depending on the light, and on a 10-12 hour day length. Sarracenia generally are not a good candidate for a terrarium as they need intense light and get quite tall. Shorter species like Sarracenia purpurea will do better in a terrarium. Grow outdoors if possible for best results.

Water: Always keep them in a saucer with a few inches of distilled, rainwater, or reverse osmosis water. Never let them dry out, especially in the hot summer months. Sarracenia are bog plants that prefer water-logged conditions unless you live somewhere both very hot AND extremely humid, like Alabama. In that case, let the water tray dry out for a day or two between refills. Always use distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater only. These plants are sensitive to their water quality, and giving them mineral and salt-free water is very important. In winter, when the plants are dormant, you can let them dry out a bit between rain storms, but do not let the soil get so dry that it pulls away from the edges of the pots. Be sure to supplement water as needed in between rains in winter.

Temperature and Dormancy: These are warm-temperate plants, meaning they need warm summers and chilly winters. They should be grown outdoors year-round in areas with mild winters. They thrive in temperatures ranging from 20 degrees - 100F degrees and can take a brief freeze or high-temperature spike up to 105F degrees for a short period. If nighttime temps drop below 20 but rise again during the day above 40, your plant will be fine outside.

If you live in an area with very cold winters, where nighttime temperatures drop below 20 degrees for sustained periods, you have three options for providing them with winter dormancy: the garage method, mulching in, or the fridge method. Dormancy is triggered by a combination of exposure to shorter photo-periods and cooler temperatures in the 40-60's F. While you can skip a dormancy period once or twice, in the long term, your plant will begin to do poorly and will eventually die if you skip this crucial period.

The garage method: Bring your plant indoors to a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage, where the nighttime temperatures will dip down to 50-60F. Keep it well watered during this period, do not let it dry out, and put it outside again when the outside nighttime temperatures increase consistently above 20F.

The mulch method: Mulch them in very, very well outdoors. Pack at least four inches of mulch on top of the plants and all around the sides to prevent winds from chilling them and freezing the roots. You can also dig the pots into the ground and then mulch heavily on top.

The fridge method: remove the plants from pots, gently clean the roots of soil, wrap the roots in a bit of damp long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum moss, place the plants in a resealable bag, and put the bag into the refrigerator. Leave them in the fridge from October to February, periodically checking on them to ensure they are still moist and not growing mold or fungus. Pot them back up in February. You can vary the timing to align with your outside nighttime temperatures so that your plants can come out of dormancy when it is safe to place them back outside. You can leave them in the fridge for an extended period if you have very long winters.

Soil and Repotting: We prefer a mix of four-part fertilizer-free peat moss to one-part perlite. You can add our pre-made mix to your order here. You do not need to repot your plant when you receive it from us for at least a year, and we recommend against it during the spring-summer months. Repot Sarracenia every 1-3 years in winter when they are dormant. Avoid placing in excessively large pots; size up only a few inches at a time. They do well in tall pots. Soil can also develop a swampy smell, especially right after shipping, when the plant is wrapped in plastic and sealed. This is normal; these plants grow naturally in bogs and swampy conditions, and peat moss can develop a bit of an anaerobic smell, but this does not indicate a problem with the soil. 

Feeding and Fertilizer: Sarracenia will catch plenty of food when grown outdoors. When grown indoors, they will significantly benefit from fertilizing, both a foliar fertilizer and feeding the pitchers. Plants grown outdoors will appreciate a foliar feed as well. Apply MaxSea fertilizer once per month to the foliage only. Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water and then apply to the pitchers, and inside the pitchers, with a mister bottle or a watering can. Osmocote slow-release flower and vegetable pellets can be dropped into the pitchers with a bit of distilled water. Pellets can burn the sides of the pitchers where they come to rest; that is normal.

More Information: For further information on dormancy, repotting, dividing, and more, check out our website or our YouTube channel.

Nepenthes diatas x edwardsiana is a new hybrid from master hybridized Jeff Shafer, you can follow him on instagram @nepenthesgod for more information on his breeding program. We’re so excited to collaborate with Jeff to be able to offer his impeccably curated hybrids.

Nepenthes diatas is a beautiful species with dark red pitchers and a shiny red lip.  The interior of the pitchers is waxy and white, which provides excellent contrast. Nepenthes edwardsiana practically needs no description as it’s so famous for its beautiful and vicious deeply ridged pitchers! Both plants are known for their toothy peristomes so this should be a fun cross. We’re already seeing amazing coloration on these small pitchers and we expect deep red color and fantastic peristomes!

These are all seed grown individuals and this is not in TC so don’t miss out on this exciting but limited offering.

Care Instructions

Growth Habit: Nepenthes are vines and start small; as the plant grows, each leaf will be larger than the last, as will the pitchers that develop from these leaves. It is normal for the pitchers and leaves to die back over time. As leaves and pitchers die back, the plant will continue to vine, turning brown and woody along the stem. Over time, these form large, sprawling vines that can be hung in baskets or trellised upright in large pots. Nepenthes have thin, black roots, and not many of them.

Sun: Nepenthes should be grown on a sunny windowsill where the plant receives direct light for at least four hours daily. Grow in a cooled greenhouse in full sun, but we recommend 30% shade cloth overhead in summer. Grow in a terrarium or shelf under grow lights for the best color and pitcher formation. When grown under lights, lights should be on a 10-12 hour day length, and the plants can be grown six to ten inches from the light, depending on the strength of the light. Poor pitcher formation is usually a sign of not enough light. 

Water & Humidity: Water frequently with distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater. Do not let the pots sit in water for long periods. You can water from the bottom, fill trays with water, and let the plant dry out for a few days before watering again. Be careful not to dry the plants out completely. Watering overhead occasionally is also beneficial for the plants. Nepenthes appreciate humidity of at least 60% but can do very well in household conditions without increased humidity if watered regularly. Any added humidity will be enjoyed by your plant! Too little humidity is the second most likely cause of poor pitcher formation. 

Temperature: Daytime temperatures should be in the 70s-80s, with a 10-20 degree drop in night temperatures. Never expose your plants to temperatures below 40 degrees or above 90 degrees, as this can damage or kill them. Nepenthes do best indoors and should not be grown outdoors in most areas unless you have very mild temperatures. 

Dormancy: Nepenthes do not have a dormancy as they are tropical plants, but they can slow down growth in winter when photo periods shorten. 

Fertilizer: Apply diluted Maxsea fertilizer once or twice a month to the leaves and inside the pitchers. Slow-release osmocote pellets can be added to the pitchers along with a bit of distilled water. Small pitchers may burn back upon feeding, but this will still greatly benefit the plant with nutrients. Small insects can also be fed to pitchers.

Soil & Repotting: Nepenthes should be grown in a mix of long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum moss, orchid bark, pumice, and perlite. We have all of our custom Nepenthes soil blends available to add to your order, but you do not need to repot your plant for at least a year after receiving it from us. Nepenthes appreciate frequent repotting every three years and only move to a slightly bigger pot.

More Information: For more information on repotting, pests, growing habits, and more, check out our FAQ page or our YouTube channel!

Dionaea m. “Chinese Dumpling” is one of the best, most beautiful, and unusual flytrap cultivars! In a world of hundreds of bizarre and mutated flytraps, this one is an absolute standout! At maturity, the margins of these traps are twisted and absolutely evil-looking! When grown in intense light, these plants will blush a deep red with green petioles! 

Young plants, small traps, and winter traps all grow without significant mutation in the teeth, looking more like “typical” flytraps. As the plants mature and in the warmer, sunnier months, they start to mutate!

We are shipping small plants. The second-to-last photo shows their size. These small plants will grow rapidly in summer!

PLEASE NOTE VENUS FLYTRAPS GO DORMANT SEASONALLY, STARTING AS EARLY AS OCTOBER AND LASTING AS LATE AS MARCH, DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS. During this time, they appear relatively small and grow a few traps; please see the final photo to see how flytraps look when dormant. They will begin to grow vigorously again in Spring when photoperiods lengthen and temperatures increase.

Care Instructions:

Growth Habit: Venus flytraps are low-growing bog plants native to North and South Carolina. These plants grow their traps, modified leaves, from a rhizome that spreads over time. The traps will die back frequently all year, have high leaf turnover, and many new traps will grow throughout the spring and summer. In spring, the traps grow, often low to the ground and small. In summer, they grow their best traps, taller and more prominent. As Fall comes on, the traps start to die back, growing lower to the ground and smaller, and by winter, the plant will be dormant, with many or all of the traps gone, but the rhizome remains healthy and intact throughout winter dormancy even if you cannot see any traps growing. Venus flytraps have black roots, and not generally not many of them.

Sun: Full sun. Venus flytraps require lots of direct sun to grow and produce traps. In many areas, they can be grown outdoors in full sun. If you live in a very hot AND very dry place like Arizona or Sacramento, for example, you will want to grow your plants in full morning sun with protection from the afternoon sun or under 30% shade cloth. It is common for several traps/leaves to "burn" and die back when you first place your plant into the sun; your plant is acclimating to your conditions, and in most cases, new leaves will soon grow and be fully acclimated. Venus flytraps can be grown indoors, on extremely sunny windowsills, that receive all-day sun, but they will require a grow light in most circumstances due to the amount of light the plant needs. Grow lights should be 6-12” from the plant, depending on the light, and on a 10-12 hour day length. Venus flytraps generally are not a good candidate for a terrarium as they need intense light and good airflow. Grow outdoors if possible for best results.

Water: Always keep them in a saucer with a few inches of distilled, rainwater, or reverse osmosis water. Never let them dry out, especially in the hot summer months. Venus flytraps are bog plants that prefer water-logged conditions unless you live somewhere both very hot AND extremely humid, like Alabama. In that case, let the water tray dry out for a day or two between refills. Always use distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater only. These plants are especially sensitive to their water quality, and giving them mineral and salt-free water is very important. In winter, when the plants are dormant, you can let them dry out a bit between rain storms, but do not let the soil get so dry that it pulls away from the edges of the pots. Be sure to supplement water as needed in between rains in winter.

Temperature and Dormancy: These are warm-temperate plants, meaning they need warm summers and chilly winters. They should be grown outdoors year-round in areas with mild winters. They thrive in temperatures ranging from 20 degrees - 90F degrees and can take a brief freeze or high-temperature spike up to 105F degrees for a short period. If nighttime temps drop below 20 but rise again during the day above 40, your plant will be fine outside.

If you live in an area with very cold winters, where nighttime temperatures drop below 20 degrees for sustained periods, you have three options for providing them with winter dormancy: the garage method, mulching in, or the fridge method. Dormancy is triggered by a combination of exposure to shorter photo-periods and cooler temperatures in the 40-60's F. While you can skip a dormancy period once or twice, in the long term, your plant will begin to do poorly and will eventually die if you skip this crucial period.

The garage method: Bring your plant indoors to a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage, where the nighttime temperatures will dip down to 50-60F. Keep it well watered during this period, do not let it dry out, and put it outside again when the outside nighttime temperatures increase consistently above 20F.

The mulch method: Mulch them in very, very well outdoors. Pack at least four inches of mulch on top of the plants and all around the sides to prevent winds from chilling them and freezing the roots. You can also dig the pots into the ground and then mulch heavily on top.

The fridge method: remove the plants from pots, gently clean the roots of soil, wrap the roots in a bit of damp long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum moss, place the plants in a resealable bag, and put the bag into the refrigerator. Leave them in the fridge from October to February, periodically checking on them to ensure they are still moist and not growing mold or fungus. Pot them back up in February. You can vary the timing to align with your outside nighttime temperatures so that your plants can come out of dormancy when it is safe to place them back outside. You can leave them in the fridge for an extended period if you have very long winters.

Soil and Repotting: We prefer a mix of four-part fertilizer-free peat moss to one-part perlite. You can add our pre-made mix to your order here. You do not need to repot your plant when you receive it from us for at least a year, and we recommend against it during the spring-summer months. Repot Venus flytraps every 1-3 years in January or winter. Avoid placing in excessively larger pots; size up only a few inches at a time. They do well in tall pots. Soil can also develop a swampy smell, especially right after shipping when the plant is wrapped in plastic and sealed. This is normal; these plants grow naturally in bogs and swampy conditions, and peat moss can develop a bit of an anaerobic smell, but this does not indicate a problem with the soil. 

Feeding and Fertilizer: Venus flytraps will catch plenty of food when grown outdoors. When grown indoors, they will significantly benefit from fertilizing, a foliar fertilizer, and feeding the traps. Plants grown outdoors will appreciate a foliar feed as well. Apply MaxSea fertilizer once per month to the foliage only. Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water and then apply to the traps with a mister bottle. If you would like to feed the traps of your flytrap, it is recommended that you use live prey, as the traps usually require continued movement from their food to stimulate the complete absorption process. They will often open too soon if fed inert foods and do not absorb nutrients. We recommend live mealworms, which are available from any pet store. After digestion, Venus flytraps open back up, leaving the exoskeleton of their prey. They have liquified and absorbed the contents of the insect, but the exoskeleton remains. This does not need to be removed. Traps often die back after a big meal; new ones will grow, and the plant benefits greatly from the nutrients!

More Information: For further information on dormancy, repotting, dividing, and more, check out our website, Venus Flytrap Care, or our YouTube channel.

This is probably the most spectacular Pinguicula to come out of the California Carnivores breeding program! Move over cyclosecta because Mim is wickedly purple! We knew we had a winner with this one early on when it was even turning purple in the tissue culture jars in our lab under low light. Everyone here was blown away once we moved them under our grow lights! There has never been a Pinguicula this purple!

The flowers are a fantastic, deep grape-purple, and the leaves flare back and down with rolled edges. The shining star of any Pinguicula collection is “Mad Madam Mim.” Grow them under a strong light to really see the depths of just how purple they can get! 

The plants we are shipping are about the size of a quarter and will be 2-3” at full growth. 

This plant will not come potted; you will need to pot it up upon arrival. Mexican/Tropical Pinguicula prefer our sandy PINGUICULA SOIL MIX.

IF YOU ORDER IN WINTER/EARLY SPRING YOUR PLANT MAY ARRIVE IN WINTER SUCCULENT MODE. DURING THIS TIME, IT WILL GROW SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER, TIGHT, SUCCULENT LEAVES. DO NOT OVER WATER DURING THIS TIME. IT WILL GROW CARNIVOROUS LEAVES IN THE SPRING.

Care Instructions

Growth Habit: Pinguicula are generally small plants; depending on the species and growth phase, they can range from 1/2” to 8” across at maturity. Most are 2-4” across. They form rosettes of leaves covered in glistening dew, which have a high turnover rate, meaning that they die back frequently, and new leaves grow at the center from the plant. They have pretty leaves, some blush red or purple, and all are covered in sparkling dew. Their flowers are hummingbird and butterfly pollinated in the wild and because their pollinators are attracted to colorful flowers, they have beautiful flowers With long neck spurs! Many species will experience a winter succulent phase. A combination of shorter photo periods, cooler temperatures, and dryer conditions trigger this phase. While this phase is not necessary for the plant to thrive, it is often out of our control whether the plants do this or not. During their succulent phase, they grow small, rounded leaves that look very different from their large carnivorous leaves. Plants in this stage will be significantly smaller than they will be in carnivorous growth. The natural cycle of Pinguicula can lead them to be in succulent growth in spring, not starting their carnivorous growth until late spring sometimes even early summer. Watching them grow their carnivorous leaves is like watching a magic trick; tiny, tight leaves begin to transform into huge, sticky, carnivorous leaves! Pinguicula can easily propagate from leaf pullings, like a succulent. They will also form small clumps over time, dividing naturally. While they can have a long life, they won’t live forever, so it is a good idea to take pullings every year. They do not have significant root systems, and the roots they have are often minimal and very short. The roots can be white, transparent, or brown, and they use these roots mainly to anchor themselves to the soil's surface (they still offer benefits, though, so please do not cut them off). 

Sun: Full to part sun. Sunny windowsills indoors, in a temperature-regulated greenhouse, or under grow lights. In tropical parts of the world or very mild climates, they can be grown outdoors in dappled sun, morning sun only, or under shade cloth. They must be protected from the full afternoon sun. It is best to grow under 30% shade cloth in the summer months when grown in a greenhouse. They can benefit from 30% shade cloth if grown outdoors as well. If your plant is much greener than it should be, developing larger, more elongated leaves than normal for the species or hybrid, and does not have much dew, it may need more light. 

Water & Humidity: In the late spring, summer, and early autumn, Pinguicula can be kept in the tray system with overhead watering as long as they still have carnivorous foliage. This means setting the pots in a deep saucer or tray and routinely filling that with 1/4”-1/2” water. If grown in a non-draining pot, allow room to water and water overhead frequently to keep soil media moist, but do not water so deeply as to have standing water sitting on the surface of the soil; all the water should be absorbed. When the rosettes show their very first signs of growing their smaller, tighter succulent leaves immediately begin to dry out your plants. Keep the soil on the dry side, watering them only a little and let dry out in between watering. You can usually tell how dry a species enjoys its winter by the size of its succulent leaves. The tighter, smaller leafed rosettes such a Pinguicula gypsicola or the bulb-like heterophylla and macrophylla require bone-dry conditions. Species with larger winter leaves, like a few of the moranensis varieties or agnata, enjoy winters soils just slightly damp.  Cuban species should be kept wet year-round, with only slight winter drying. When these plants are transitioning between carnivorous and succulent growth they are at the most risk of rotting, so it is better to air on the side of drier when the temperatures start to get colder and the photo periods shorten. In spring, as soon as the temperatures start to warm and the photo periods lengthen, start watering your plants more. When carnivorous leaves start to grow, begin the tray method again. (If your plant decides it does not want to make carnivorous leaves, don’t worry, sometimes they are stubborn! Water frequently and make sure your plant gets lots of light, preferably some natural light from the sun as well, to try to trigger carnivorous leaf growth. But don’t worry if your ping stays in succulent mode for a whole year, eventually it will grow carnivorous leaves again!) Pinguicula are extremely susceptible to dissolved minerals and salts in their water and poor water quality will directly contribute to decline of plants and death. Be sure to only use rainwater, reverse osmosis water, or distilled water. Pinguicula prefer drier conditions and do not require high humidity.

Temperature: 50 degrees - 90 degrees. While not ideal, Pinguicula can tolerate brief nighttime dips to 40 as long as daytime temperatures warm back up and can tolerate brief heat waves over 90 as long as they are protected from the sun and sitting in water AND nighttime temperatures decrease. Cold temperatures are likely to kill Pinguicula, so avoid exposing them to anything below 50 if possible.

Dormancy: No true dormancy but does have a winter succulent phase during which the plant will produce small succulent leaves instead of flat sticky leaves. Pinguicula do not need this period of succulent growth to grow well. If your plant does not grow succulent leaves, there is no need to try to induce the transition. See the section on watering for in depth care during this time. 

Fertilizer: Apply Schultz Cactus Fertilizer once or twice a month to the leaves with a mister bottle, during the grow season. Do not apply in winter or during succulent winter mode. We use seven drops of fertilizer in 20 ounces of distilled water. 

Soil & Repotting: Pinguicula grow in very dry and rocky soil mixes, do not use a mix that holds a lot of moisture. We use equal parts sand, peat moss, pumice, and perlite. You can order our custom Pinguicula soil mix! These plants ship bare-root so you will have to order potting media and pot them up upon arrival. Pinguicula do not have extensive roots and anchor to the surface of their soil making them ideal candidates for quirky, cute, small, non-draining planters like teacups or vintage pottery. You can plant them in all variety of pots as long as they are glazed ceramic, glazed terracotta, glass or plastic. Avoid un-glazed terracotta. They can be in small pots and do not need much room for roots. Pinguicula are one of the most sensitive plants to a build of minerals and salts in their soil or water. Repot every year to refresh soil.

More Information: For more information on repotting, pests, growing habits, and more, check out our FAQ page or our YouTube channel!

We have one last surprise sibling to “Snozzberry” and “Queen Cthulu” that may be the best so far! Its large, sparkly, purple-edged rosettes with rounded leaves are beyond charming but it’s the flowers that blew us away!

It’s the color of the flowers that we can’t look stop staring at. Each flower has a white throat surrounded by a bright red ring of color that bleeds into vibrant magenta; each day, the color slowly deepens. We have never seen a red-centered flower Ike this before! Truly one of Damon’s most spectacular hybrids! This plant was released in 2023. 

The plants we are shipping are about the size of a nickel and will be 1-2” at full growth. 

This plant will not come potted; you will need to pot it up upon arrival. Mexican/Tropical Pinguicula prefer our sandy PINGUICULA SOIL MIX.

IF YOU ORDER IN WINTER/EARLY SPRING YOUR PLANT MAY ARRIVE IN WINTER SUCCULENT MODE. DURING THIS TIME, IT WILL GROW SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER, TIGHT, SUCCULENT LEAVES. DO NOT OVER WATER DURING THIS TIME. IT WILL GROW CARNIVOROUS LEAVES IN THE SPRING.

Care Instructions

Growth Habit: Pinguicula are generally small plants; depending on the species and growth phase, they can range from 1/2” to 8” across at maturity. Most are 2-4” across. They form rosettes of leaves covered in glistening dew, which have a high turnover rate, meaning that they die back frequently, and new leaves grow at the center from the plant. They have pretty leaves, some blush red or purple, and all are covered in sparkling dew. Their flowers are hummingbird and butterfly pollinated in the wild and because their pollinators are attracted to colorful flowers, they have beautiful flowers With long neck spurs! Many species will experience a winter succulent phase. A combination of shorter photo periods, cooler temperatures, and dryer conditions trigger this phase. While this phase is not necessary for the plant to thrive, it is often out of our control whether the plants do this or not. During their succulent phase, they grow small, rounded leaves that look very different from their large carnivorous leaves. Plants in this stage will be significantly smaller than they will be in carnivorous growth. The natural cycle of Pinguicula can lead them to be in succulent growth in spring, not starting their carnivorous growth until late spring sometimes even early summer. Watching them grow their carnivorous leaves is like watching a magic trick; tiny, tight leaves begin to transform into huge, sticky, carnivorous leaves! Pinguicula can easily propagate from leaf pullings, like a succulent. They will also form small clumps over time, dividing naturally. While they can have a long life, they won’t live forever, so it is a good idea to take pullings every year. They do not have significant root systems, and the roots they have are often minimal and very short. The roots can be white, transparent, or brown, and they use these roots mainly to anchor themselves to the soil's surface (they still offer benefits, though, so please do not cut them off). 

Sun: Full to part sun. Sunny windowsills indoors, in a temperature-regulated greenhouse, or under grow lights. In tropical parts of the world or very mild climates, they can be grown outdoors in dappled sun, morning sun only, or under shade cloth. They must be protected from the full afternoon sun. It is best to grow under 30% shade cloth in the summer months when grown in a greenhouse. They can benefit from 30% shade cloth if grown outdoors as well. If your plant is much greener than it should be, developing larger, more elongated leaves than normal for the species or hybrid, and does not have much dew, it may need more light. 

Water & Humidity: In the late spring, summer, and early autumn, Pinguicula can be kept in the tray system with overhead watering as long as they still have carnivorous foliage. This means setting the pots in a deep saucer or tray and routinely filling that with 1/4”-1/2” water. If grown in a non-draining pot, allow room to water and water overhead frequently to keep soil media moist, but do not water so deeply as to have standing water sitting on the surface of the soil; all the water should be absorbed. When the rosettes show their very first signs of growing their smaller, tighter succulent leaves immediately begin to dry out your plants. Keep the soil on the dry side, watering them only a little and let dry out in between watering. You can usually tell how dry a species enjoys its winter by the size of its succulent leaves. The tighter, smaller leafed rosettes such a Pinguicula gypsicola or the bulb-like heterophylla and macrophylla require bone-dry conditions. Species with larger winter leaves, like a few of the moranensis varieties or agnata, enjoy winters soils just slightly damp.  Cuban species should be kept wet year-round, with only slight winter drying. When these plants are transitioning between carnivorous and succulent growth they are at the most risk of rotting, so it is better to air on the side of drier when the temperatures start to get colder and the photo periods shorten. In spring, as soon as the temperatures start to warm and the photo periods lengthen, start watering your plants more. When carnivorous leaves start to grow, begin the tray method again. (If your plant decides it does not want to make carnivorous leaves, don’t worry, sometimes they are stubborn! Water frequently and make sure your plant gets lots of light, preferably some natural light from the sun as well, to try to trigger carnivorous leaf growth. But don’t worry if your ping stays in succulent mode for a whole year, eventually it will grow carnivorous leaves again!) Pinguicula are extremely susceptible to dissolved minerals and salts in their water and poor water quality will directly contribute to decline of plants and death. Be sure to only use rainwater, reverse osmosis water, or distilled water. Pinguicula prefer drier conditions and do not require high humidity.

Temperature: 50 degrees - 90 degrees. While not ideal, Pinguicula can tolerate brief nighttime dips to 40 as long as daytime temperatures warm back up and can tolerate brief heat waves over 90 as long as they are protected from the sun and sitting in water AND nighttime temperatures decrease. Cold temperatures are likely to kill Pinguicula, so avoid exposing them to anything below 50 if possible.

Dormancy: No true dormancy but does have a winter succulent phase during which the plant will produce small succulent leaves instead of flat sticky leaves. Pinguicula do not need this period of succulent growth to grow well. If your plant does not grow succulent leaves, there is no need to try to induce the transition. See the section on watering for in depth care during this time. 

Fertilizer: Apply Schultz Cactus Fertilizer once or twice a month to the leaves with a mister bottle, during the grow season. Do not apply in winter or during succulent winter mode. We use seven drops of fertilizer in 20 ounces of distilled water. 

Soil & Repotting: Pinguicula grow in very dry and rocky soil mixes, do not use a mix that holds a lot of moisture. We use equal parts sand, peat moss, pumice, and perlite. You can order our custom Pinguicula soil mix! These plants ship bare-root so you will have to order potting media and pot them up upon arrival. Pinguicula do not have extensive roots and anchor to the surface of their soil making them ideal candidates for quirky, cute, small, non-draining planters like teacups or vintage pottery. You can plant them in all variety of pots as long as they are glazed ceramic, glazed terracotta, glass or plastic. Avoid un-glazed terracotta. They can be in small pots and do not need much room for roots. Pinguicula are one of the most sensitive plants to a build of minerals and salts in their soil or water. Repot every year to refresh soil.

More Information: For more information on repotting, pests, growing habits, and more, check out our FAQ page or our YouTube channel!

This is one of our favorite plants from famed grower Mark Rubnitz! Pinguicula x “Lavender Lacewing” has deep pink lined leaves that sparkle in the afternoon sun. We’d grow this Ping just for the rosettes, but the flowers are also truly remarkable! The stunning flowers are large and richly veined with lavender like a lacewing's delicate, ephemeral wings. The yellow throats of the flowers highlight the beautiful venation. This ping is almost always in bloom! This is exclusive to California Carnivores. Don’t miss out on this must-have for the Ping!

The plants we are shipping are about the size of a quarter and will be 2-4” at full growth. 

This plant will not come potted; you will need to pot it up upon arrival. Mexican/Tropical Pinguicula prefer our sandy PINGUICULA SOIL MIX.

IF YOU ORDER IN WINTER/EARLY SPRING YOUR PLANT MAY ARRIVE IN WINTER SUCCULENT MODE. DURING THIS TIME, IT WILL GROW SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER, TIGHT, SUCCULENT LEAVES. DO NOT OVER WATER DURING THIS TIME. IT WILL GROW CARNIVOROUS LEAVES IN THE SPRING.

Care Instructions

Growth Habit: Pinguicula are generally small plants; depending on the species and growth phase, they can range from 1/2” to 8” across at maturity. Most are 2-4” across. They form rosettes of leaves covered in glistening dew, which have a high turnover rate, meaning that they die back frequently, and new leaves grow at the center from the plant. They have pretty leaves, some blush red or purple, and all are covered in sparkling dew. Their flowers are hummingbird and butterfly pollinated in the wild and because their pollinators are attracted to colorful flowers, they have beautiful flowers With long neck spurs! Many species will experience a winter succulent phase. A combination of shorter photo periods, cooler temperatures, and dryer conditions trigger this phase. While this phase is not necessary for the plant to thrive, it is often out of our control whether the plants do this or not. During their succulent phase, they grow small, rounded leaves that look very different from their large carnivorous leaves. Plants in this stage will be significantly smaller than they will be in carnivorous growth. The natural cycle of Pinguicula can lead them to be in succulent growth in spring, not starting their carnivorous growth until late spring sometimes even early summer. Watching them grow their carnivorous leaves is like watching a magic trick; tiny, tight leaves begin to transform into huge, sticky, carnivorous leaves! Pinguicula can easily propagate from leaf pullings, like a succulent. They will also form small clumps over time, dividing naturally. While they can have a long life, they won’t live forever, so it is a good idea to take pullings every year. They do not have significant root systems, and the roots they have are often minimal and very short. The roots can be white, transparent, or brown, and they use these roots mainly to anchor themselves to the soil's surface (they still offer benefits, though, so please do not cut them off). 

Sun: Full to part sun. Sunny windowsills indoors, in a temperature-regulated greenhouse, or under grow lights. In tropical parts of the world or very mild climates, they can be grown outdoors in dappled sun, morning sun only, or under shade cloth. They must be protected from the full afternoon sun. It is best to grow under 30% shade cloth in the summer months when grown in a greenhouse. They can benefit from 30% shade cloth if grown outdoors as well. If your plant is much greener than it should be, developing larger, more elongated leaves than normal for the species or hybrid, and does not have much dew, it may need more light. 

Water & Humidity: In the late spring, summer, and early autumn, Pinguicula can be kept in the tray system with overhead watering as long as they still have carnivorous foliage. This means setting the pots in a deep saucer or tray and routinely filling that with 1/4”-1/2” water. If grown in a non-draining pot, allow room to water and water overhead frequently to keep soil media moist, but do not water so deeply as to have standing water sitting on the surface of the soil; all the water should be absorbed. When the rosettes show their very first signs of growing their smaller, tighter succulent leaves immediately begin to dry out your plants. Keep the soil on the dry side, watering them only a little and let dry out in between watering. You can usually tell how dry a species enjoys its winter by the size of its succulent leaves. The tighter, smaller leafed rosettes such a Pinguicula gypsicola or the bulb-like heterophylla and macrophylla require bone-dry conditions. Species with larger winter leaves, like a few of the moranensis varieties or agnata, enjoy winters soils just slightly damp.  Cuban species should be kept wet year-round, with only slight winter drying. When these plants are transitioning between carnivorous and succulent growth they are at the most risk of rotting, so it is better to air on the side of drier when the temperatures start to get colder and the photo periods shorten. In spring, as soon as the temperatures start to warm and the photo periods lengthen, start watering your plants more. When carnivorous leaves start to grow, begin the tray method again. (If your plant decides it does not want to make carnivorous leaves, don’t worry, sometimes they are stubborn! Water frequently and make sure your plant gets lots of light, preferably some natural light from the sun as well, to try to trigger carnivorous leaf growth. But don’t worry if your ping stays in succulent mode for a whole year, eventually it will grow carnivorous leaves again!) Pinguicula are extremely susceptible to dissolved minerals and salts in their water and poor water quality will directly contribute to decline of plants and death. Be sure to only use rainwater, reverse osmosis water, or distilled water. Pinguicula prefer drier conditions and do not require high humidity.

Temperature: 50 degrees - 90 degrees. While not ideal, Pinguicula can tolerate brief nighttime dips to 40 as long as daytime temperatures warm back up and can tolerate brief heat waves over 90 as long as they are protected from the sun and sitting in water AND nighttime temperatures decrease. Cold temperatures are likely to kill Pinguicula, so avoid exposing them to anything below 50 if possible.

Dormancy: No true dormancy but does have a winter succulent phase during which the plant will produce small succulent leaves instead of flat sticky leaves. Pinguicula do not need this period of succulent growth to grow well. If your plant does not grow succulent leaves, there is no need to try to induce the transition. See the section on watering for in depth care during this time. 

Fertilizer: Apply Schultz Cactus Fertilizer once or twice a month to the leaves with a mister bottle, during the grow season. Do not apply in winter or during succulent winter mode. We use seven drops of fertilizer in 20 ounces of distilled water. 

Soil & Repotting: Pinguicula grow in very dry and rocky soil mixes, do not use a mix that holds a lot of moisture. We use equal parts sand, peat moss, pumice, and perlite. You can order our custom Pinguicula soil mix! These plants ship bare-root so you will have to order potting media and pot them up upon arrival. Pinguicula do not have extensive roots and anchor to the surface of their soil making them ideal candidates for quirky, cute, small, non-draining planters like teacups or vintage pottery. You can plant them in all variety of pots as long as they are glazed ceramic, glazed terracotta, glass or plastic. Avoid un-glazed terracotta. They can be in small pots and do not need much room for roots. Pinguicula are one of the most sensitive plants to a build of minerals and salts in their soil or water. Repot every year to refresh soil.

More Information: For more information on repotting, pests, growing habits, and more, check out our FAQ page or our YouTube channel!

Dionaea m. “Eye of Sauron” is an exceptional plant! Each trap starts light red and slowly deepens to a dark, deep red in the center, like the famous Eye of Sauron. The plants grow many traps on tall petioles with long, white cilia and gently flared petioles. One of our absolute favorite flytraps of all time, “Eye of Sauron,” draws you in with its deep coloration and large trap size! It also is slow to go dormant.

These plants are not in tissue culture so are extremely rarely offered and limited in quantity. We are shipping small plants, about 1-2" tall. These small plants will grow rapidly in summer!

PLEASE NOTE VENUS FLYTRAPS GO DORMANT SEASONALLY, STARTING AS EARLY AS OCTOBER AND LASTING AS LATE AS MARCH, DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS. During this time, they appear relatively small and grow a few traps; please see the final photo to see how flytraps look when dormant. They will begin to grow vigorously again in Spring when photoperiods lengthen and temperatures increase.

Care Instructions:

Growth Habit: Venus flytraps are low-growing bog plants native to North and South Carolina. These plants grow their traps, modified leaves, from a rhizome that spreads over time. The traps will die back frequently all year, have high leaf turnover, and many new traps will grow throughout the spring and summer. In spring, the traps grow, often low to the ground and small. In summer, they grow their best traps, taller and more prominent. As Fall comes on, the traps start to die back, growing lower to the ground and smaller, and by winter, the plant will be dormant, with many or all of the traps gone, but the rhizome remains healthy and intact throughout winter dormancy even if you cannot see any traps growing. Venus flytraps have black roots, and not generally not many of them.

Sun: Full sun. Venus flytraps require lots of direct sun to grow and produce traps. In many areas, they can be grown outdoors in full sun. If you live in a very hot AND very dry place like Arizona or Sacramento, for example, you will want to grow your plants in full morning sun with protection from the afternoon sun or under 30% shade cloth. It is common for several traps/leaves to "burn" and die back when you first place your plant into the sun; your plant is acclimating to your conditions, and in most cases, new leaves will soon grow and be fully acclimated. Venus flytraps can be grown indoors, on extremely sunny windowsills, that receive all-day sun, but they will require a grow light in most circumstances due to the amount of light the plant needs. Grow lights should be 6-12” from the plant, depending on the light, and on a 10-12 hour day length. Venus flytraps generally are not a good candidate for a terrarium as they need intense light and good airflow. Grow outdoors if possible for best results.

Water: Always keep them in a saucer with a few inches of distilled, rainwater, or reverse osmosis water. Never let them dry out, especially in the hot summer months. Venus flytraps are bog plants that prefer water-logged conditions unless you live somewhere both very hot AND extremely humid, like Alabama. In that case, let the water tray dry out for a day or two between refills. Always use distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater only. These plants are especially sensitive to their water quality, and giving them mineral and salt-free water is very important. In winter, when the plants are dormant, you can let them dry out a bit between rain storms, but do not let the soil get so dry that it pulls away from the edges of the pots. Be sure to supplement water as needed in between rains in winter.

Temperature and Dormancy: These are warm-temperate plants, meaning they need warm summers and chilly winters. They should be grown outdoors year-round in areas with mild winters. They thrive in temperatures ranging from 20 degrees - 90F degrees and can take a brief freeze or high-temperature spike up to 105F degrees for a short period. If nighttime temps drop below 20 but rise again during the day above 40, your plant will be fine outside.

If you live in an area with very cold winters, where nighttime temperatures drop below 20 degrees for sustained periods, you have three options for providing them with winter dormancy: the garage method, mulching in, or the fridge method. Dormancy is triggered by a combination of exposure to shorter photo-periods and cooler temperatures in the 40-60's F. While you can skip a dormancy period once or twice, in the long term, your plant will begin to do poorly and will eventually die if you skip this crucial period.

The garage method: Bring your plant indoors to a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage, where the nighttime temperatures will dip down to 50-60F. Keep it well watered during this period, do not let it dry out, and put it outside again when the outside nighttime temperatures increase consistently above 20F.

The mulch method: Mulch them in very, very well outdoors. Pack at least four inches of mulch on top of the plants and all around the sides to prevent winds from chilling them and freezing the roots. You can also dig the pots into the ground and then mulch heavily on top.

The fridge method: remove the plants from pots, gently clean the roots of soil, wrap the roots in a bit of damp long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum moss, place the plants in a resealable bag, and put the bag into the refrigerator. Leave them in the fridge from October to February, periodically checking on them to ensure they are still moist and not growing mold or fungus. Pot them back up in February. You can vary the timing to align with your outside nighttime temperatures so that your plants can come out of dormancy when it is safe to place them back outside. You can leave them in the fridge for an extended period if you have very long winters.

Soil and Repotting: We prefer a mix of four-part fertilizer-free peat moss to one-part perlite. You can add our pre-made mix to your order here. You do not need to repot your plant when you receive it from us for at least a year, and we recommend against it during the spring-summer months. Repot Venus flytraps every 1-3 years in January or winter. Avoid placing in excessively larger pots; size up only a few inches at a time. They do well in tall pots. Soil can also develop a swampy smell, especially right after shipping when the plant is wrapped in plastic and sealed. This is normal; these plants grow naturally in bogs and swampy conditions, and peat moss can develop a bit of an anaerobic smell, but this does not indicate a problem with the soil. 

Feeding and Fertilizer: Venus flytraps will catch plenty of food when grown outdoors. When grown indoors, they will significantly benefit from fertilizing, a foliar fertilizer, and feeding the traps. Plants grown outdoors will appreciate a foliar feed as well. Apply MaxSea fertilizer once per month to the foliage only. Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water and then apply to the traps with a mister bottle. If you would like to feed the traps of your flytrap, it is recommended that you use live prey, as the traps usually require continued movement from their food to stimulate the complete absorption process. They will often open too soon if fed inert foods and do not absorb nutrients. We recommend live mealworms, which are available from any pet store. After digestion, Venus flytraps open back up, leaving the exoskeleton of their prey. They have liquified and absorbed the contents of the insect, but the exoskeleton remains. This does not need to be removed. Traps often die back after a big meal; new ones will grow, and the plant benefits greatly from the nutrients!

More Information: For further information on dormancy, repotting, dividing, and more, check out our website, Venus Flytrap Care, or our YouTube channel.

Dionaea m. “Witchy Baby” is one of the most exciting CalCarn Venus flytrap cultivars we’ve ever released! This is the biggest Venus flytrap in our collection, with huge traps on long, thin arching petioles. The red traps have white-tipped cilia and a delicate arch. Every year, this plant pushes the limit of what size we think is possible! With two-inch traps on mature plants, this is the biggest, most beautiful Venus flytrap Damon has made yet! “Witchy Baby” is also slow to go dormant so you can enjoy this exuberant plant for a little longer!

We’ve named this plant “Witchy Baby” in honor of Damon’s nephew Finn, who coined the name for himself when he was little. (Finn is our office manager, Alison’s, youngest son!) Full of energy, laughter, and just the right amount of mischief, Finn “Witchy Baby” Tardif was the perfect person to honor with this excellent plant! 

These plants are not in tissue culture and are extremely limited in availability. We are shipping small plants. The second-to-last photo shows their size. These small plants will grow rapidly in summer!

PLEASE NOTE VENUS FLYTRAPS GO DORMANT SEASONALLY, STARTING AS EARLY AS OCTOBER AND LASTING AS LATE AS MARCH, DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS. During this time, they appear relatively small and grow a few traps; please see the final photo to see how flytraps look when dormant. They will begin to grow vigorously again in Spring when photoperiods lengthen and temperatures increase.

Care Instructions:

Growth Habit: Venus flytraps are low-growing bog plants native to North and South Carolina. These plants grow their traps, modified leaves, from a rhizome that spreads over time. The traps will die back frequently all year, have high leaf turnover, and many new traps will grow throughout the spring and summer. In spring, the traps grow, often low to the ground and small. In summer, they grow their best traps, taller and more prominent. As Fall comes on, the traps start to die back, growing lower to the ground and smaller, and by winter, the plant will be dormant, with many or all of the traps gone, but the rhizome remains healthy and intact throughout winter dormancy even if you cannot see any traps growing. Venus flytraps have black roots, and not generally not many of them.

Sun: Full sun. Venus flytraps require lots of direct sun to grow and produce traps. In many areas, they can be grown outdoors in full sun. If you live in a very hot AND very dry place like Arizona or Sacramento, for example, you will want to grow your plants in full morning sun with protection from the afternoon sun or under 30% shade cloth. It is common for several traps/leaves to "burn" and die back when you first place your plant into the sun; your plant is acclimating to your conditions, and in most cases, new leaves will soon grow and be fully acclimated. Venus flytraps can be grown indoors, on extremely sunny windowsills, that receive all-day sun, but they will require a grow light in most circumstances due to the amount of light the plant needs. Grow lights should be 6-12” from the plant, depending on the light, and on a 10-12 hour day length. Venus flytraps generally are not a good candidate for a terrarium as they need intense light and good airflow. Grow outdoors if possible for best results.

Water: Always keep them in a saucer with a few inches of distilled, rainwater, or reverse osmosis water. Never let them dry out, especially in the hot summer months. Venus flytraps are bog plants that prefer water-logged conditions unless you live somewhere both very hot AND extremely humid, like Alabama. In that case, let the water tray dry out for a day or two between refills. Always use distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater only. These plants are especially sensitive to their water quality, and giving them mineral and salt-free water is very important. In winter, when the plants are dormant, you can let them dry out a bit between rain storms, but do not let the soil get so dry that it pulls away from the edges of the pots. Be sure to supplement water as needed in between rains in winter.

Temperature and Dormancy: These are warm-temperate plants, meaning they need warm summers and chilly winters. They should be grown outdoors year-round in areas with mild winters. They thrive in temperatures ranging from 20 degrees - 90F degrees and can take a brief freeze or high-temperature spike up to 105F degrees for a short period. If nighttime temps drop below 20 but rise again during the day above 40, your plant will be fine outside.

If you live in an area with very cold winters, where nighttime temperatures drop below 20 degrees for sustained periods, you have three options for providing them with winter dormancy: the garage method, mulching in, or the fridge method. Dormancy is triggered by a combination of exposure to shorter photo-periods and cooler temperatures in the 40-60's F. While you can skip a dormancy period once or twice, in the long term, your plant will begin to do poorly and will eventually die if you skip this crucial period.

The garage method: Bring your plant indoors to a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage, where the nighttime temperatures will dip down to 50-60F. Keep it well watered during this period, do not let it dry out, and put it outside again when the outside nighttime temperatures increase consistently above 20F.

The mulch method: Mulch them in very, very well outdoors. Pack at least four inches of mulch on top of the plants and all around the sides to prevent winds from chilling them and freezing the roots. You can also dig the pots into the ground and then mulch heavily on top.

The fridge method: remove the plants from pots, gently clean the roots of soil, wrap the roots in a bit of damp long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum moss, place the plants in a resealable bag, and put the bag into the refrigerator. Leave them in the fridge from October to February, periodically checking on them to ensure they are still moist and not growing mold or fungus. Pot them back up in February. You can vary the timing to align with your outside nighttime temperatures so that your plants can come out of dormancy when it is safe to place them back outside. You can leave them in the fridge for an extended period if you have very long winters.

Soil and Repotting: We prefer a mix of four-part fertilizer-free peat moss to one-part perlite. You can add our pre-made mix to your order here. You do not need to repot your plant when you receive it from us for at least a year, and we recommend against it during the spring-summer months. Repot Venus flytraps every 1-3 years in January or winter. Avoid placing in excessively larger pots; size up only a few inches at a time. They do well in tall pots. Soil can also develop a swampy smell, especially right after shipping when the plant is wrapped in plastic and sealed. This is normal; these plants grow naturally in bogs and swampy conditions, and peat moss can develop a bit of an anaerobic smell, but this does not indicate a problem with the soil. 

Feeding and Fertilizer: Venus flytraps will catch plenty of food when grown outdoors. When grown indoors, they will significantly benefit from fertilizing, a foliar fertilizer, and feeding the traps. Plants grown outdoors will appreciate a foliar feed as well. Apply MaxSea fertilizer once per month to the foliage only. Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water and then apply to the traps with a mister bottle. If you would like to feed the traps of your flytrap, it is recommended that you use live prey, as the traps usually require continued movement from their food to stimulate the complete absorption process. They will often open too soon if fed inert foods and do not absorb nutrients. We recommend live mealworms, which are available from any pet store. After digestion, Venus flytraps open back up, leaving the exoskeleton of their prey. They have liquified and absorbed the contents of the insect, but the exoskeleton remains. This does not need to be removed. Traps often die back after a big meal; new ones will grow, and the plant benefits greatly from the nutrients!

More Information: For further information on dormancy, repotting, dividing, and more, check out our website, Venus Flytrap Care, or our YouTube channel.