About
The Venus Flytrap is a vulnerable carnivorous plant native to the coastal wetlands of North and South Carolina. Its wild populations have declined due to habitat loss, fire suppression, urban development, climate change, and illegal collection from the wild.
Growing in nutrient-poor, acidic soils, the Venus Flytrap has evolved specialized leaves that snap shut to capture insects, allowing it to obtain essential nutrients that the soil cannot provide. By helping regulate insect populations and contributing to the unique biodiversity of wetland ecosystems, it plays an important role in maintaining the balance of its habitat.
Because the Venus Flytrap is found naturally in only a small region of the United States, protecting this remarkable plant also helps conserve the rare longleaf pine savannas and wetlands that support countless other specialized plants and animals.