FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I noticed that my venus flytraps (and sarrs) aren't very happy in the low light location my mom picked out. Though they've already been established for a few days, would it be a good idea to move it to a new brighter spot now? Or should I let them be. (Please help me convince my mom!! )

It's probably moody from shock and change in conditions. Yes, moving the plant now would be a good idea. In a sense, you have begun hardening off the plants. Flytraps require full sunlight, shaded light just doesn't work out well. They'll get etiolated (weak color and leggy) trying to reach for the light and will never look as good unless it has what it needs. They're full sun plants and the more you can give them the better. Sarracenia are the same way. Both of those should be in bright places to bring out the best in them.

@Apollyon, the plants won't get mad at me by moving them? I put an image of the place my mom picked out. I really want to move them, but my mom says it would just make them angry. She says that's what happened to her fiddle leaf fig tree.

It also is very hot where I live.

Hey, try consolidating your threads into one. I'll try answering a little bit from your other thread too. Your plant is going to be happier overall in a place where it's needs are met; whether it has a harder time initially or not. It will probably respond positively though. I live in a subtropical area where the temps only recently dipped into the 60s-70s. It's been a strange winter because historically, we've had hotter temperatures around this time. Anyway, thing to consider is when it gets too hot and temps start staying over 95ish, you may need like a 30% shade cloth if the plant starts showing physical damage. Personally, when my days have hit 95 and because it's humid like yours, I haven't had that problem but summertime out west in the desert climates can be pretty hard on them. Still, I'd keep an eye on that. Nothing to worry about yet though.

I agree with you, my traps went dormant when temps were still in the 80s in the daytime. I'm of the belief that it responds more to a temperature shift and photoperiod rather than a particular temperature threshold. I'm betting they will go dormant in the Philippines just the same if grown outdoors.

Anyway to summarize, if you just recently acquired this plant from a greenhouse or a place where it did not get a lot of natural sunlight, it may benefit the plant (or preserve) to keep the plant in the place where it is for a time. If it gets 6+ hours of direct sunlight then it will be ok where it is. Progressive introduction to a different area is easier on the plant. If it's a shady place (I cant really tell from the picture but it looks like a greenhouse of sorts) then it may not like it there. You can see how it responds in that area because either way at this point it's probably still acclimating. Once it gets a tolerance for the natural conditions it will be easier to move with less damage. See what the plant does. But direct sunlight is safe on the plants and the temps you have right now are fine for a flytrap and sarracenia. If they have a minimum of 6 hours of direct sun theyre fine where they are. More always helps though.

When you move plants to a more sunny location, you want to do this in stages so they can get acclimated to the stronger light.

1st week: 1 hour of morning sun per day, then, indirect light for the rest of the day.
2nd week: 2 hours of morning sun per day, then indirect light for the rest of the day.
. . .
6th week: 6 hours of morning/early afternoon sun per day, then indirect light for the rest of the day.

If you move them from a shady location immediately to 6 hours of direct sun per day, the existing leaves will get sunburned.