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Dionaea muscipula 'Wacky Traps'

Venus Flytrap
Availability:
Out of stock
Sold out
£14.99 - £14.99
£14.99
£14.99 - £14.99
£14.99
Supplied in a 9cm Pot

Your plant will arrive potted, in a carnivorous plant soil perfect for Sarracenia.

Seasonal Information

Dionaea are perennial plants. Heading into Winter, the Venus flytraps may have very few traps when purchased. Don't worry, they'll be back in the Spring!

Delivery Information

Delivery from £4.99 (mainland UK). We aim to dispatch orders within 2 working days.

Plant Description

Dionaea muscipula 'Wacky Traps' is one of the older and more unusual mutated Venus flytrap cultivars. It was originally circulated under the name 'Bart Simpson', a reference to the jagged trap margins that resemble the cartoon character's spiky hair. The plant reportedly originated as an accidental discovery among a group of mutants at a Dutch nursery.

The traps are the defining feature of Dionaea muscipula 'Wacky Traps'. Instead of producing normal long cilia, the edges develop into broad, irregular triangular points. On some traps, these are reduced even further, leaving a wavy or roughly serrated margin. The result is a trap that can look very different from a typical Venus flytrap.

The lobes themselves are thick and fleshy, often with an uneven or slightly distorted shape. Colour is usually dominated by yellow-green and lime green, although the inner surfaces can develop patches of orange or red under stronger light. The unusual shape becomes easier to recognise as the traps mature.

'Wacky Traps' generally grows as a low, prostrate rosette. Its leaves spread across the surface rather than forming a strongly upright summer habit. Growth is relatively slow compared with many standard forms, which can make mature specimens particularly chunky and compact.

Plant photos above are of our Dionaea muscipula 'Wacky Traps' mother plants. Divisions are taken from the mother plants and are planted into 9cm pots to be sold. Division sizes can vary greatly and will always be sent largest first. If you'd like to know the size of a plant before ordering, please feel free to contact us.

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Basic Dionaea Care

Dionaea muscipula 'Wacky Traps' is easy to care for, given the correct conditions. An unheated greenhouse is an ideal location. Here are the 3 golden rules for healthy Venus flytraps.

  1. Provide as much sun as possible.
  2. Keep their pots sat in 1-2cm of rainwater.
  3. Use acidic soil. A 1:1 peat moss & perlite mix is typical.

Take a look at our full, in-depth guide for more information.

Full Care Guide

FAQs

What compost/ soil should I use for Venus flytraps?

Use a low-nutrient carnivorous plant mix such as peat and perlite, or peat and silica sand (not builders’ sand). Avoid multi-purpose compost, garden soil, and anything with fertiliser added; these can burn the roots. If you prefer peat-free options, choose a carnivorous-plant-safe mix specifically formulated for these plants (test with one plant before using on your entire collection). Repotting into a fresh mix every year helps keep plants vigorous.

Do Venus flytraps need winter dormancy in the UK?

Yes. Dionaea are temperate carnivorous plants and naturally go dormant in winter. In the UK, dormancy usually happens outdoors without intervention as days shorten and temperatures drop. During dormancy, growth slows or stops, and older traps may turn black and shrivel up; that’s normal. Keep the plant outside in a bright, airy spot, keep the compost damp (not waterlogged), and avoid keeping it warm indoors over winter. Dormancy is important for long-term health and strong growth in spring.

Can Venus flytraps live outside all year in the UK?

In most of the UK, yes, Dionaea are generally well-suited to outdoor growing. They can handle typical UK winter conditions while dormant. An unheated greenhouse will provide your plants with a longer growing season, though. Cultivars that are heavily deformed or delicate often do better in a greenhouse.

Do I need to use rainwater for Venus flytraps?

Rainwater is strongly recommended. Like most carnivorous plants, Dionaea can't tolerate minerals and salts that can build up in compost over time. Use rainwater, distilled water, or reverse-osmosis (RO) water whenever possible. If you’re stuck, some UK tap water is low enough in dissolved minerals to use occasionally, but long-term it can lead to slow growth and a gradual decline. When in doubt, rainwater is safest.

Do Venus flytraps need full sun?

Full sun is ideal. In a bright greenhouse or outdoors in a sunny position, you’ll get better colour, larger traps, and stronger growth. A little light shade is usually fine, but too much shade often causes weaker, greener growth and fewer traps. If you’re growing on a balcony, patio, or in a bog planter, choose the brightest spot you have.

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