Q: Where do Venus flytraps come from?


Dionaea,
South Carolina


Dionaea,
North Carolina Not from a mysterious and hidden land, that is for sure. Venus flytraps come from low-lying flatlands in coastal North Carolina, mostly around the town of Wilmington. They also occur, in much less abundance, in north-eastern South Carolina. I present range information in a different part of the FAQ.

Find the Green Swamp on a map; that is the ancient stronghold for Venus flytraps. Unfortunately, the Green Swamp is being rapidly destroyed by humans. Most of it has already been drained for tree plantations. What is left is threatened by proposed garbage dumps, interstate highway extensions, and other sources of land destruction. This is all very bad news for the Green Swamp and its wild inhabitants. The Nature Conservancy has a preserve in the Green Swamp, and while The Conservancy's work is great, all they really have is a tiny fragment of what used to exist in North Carolina.

If you are looking for pinpoint locations to find Venus flytraps, you won't get them from me. Poaching occurs so much that I'm keeping my lips tightly sealed. However, I will give you a few tidbits. First, Carolina Beach State Park is a preserve set up for visitors, and that site has wild Venus flytraps you can see!

I visit Venus flytrap territory from time to time and post reports about my trips, for example like this one.

Page citations: Rice, B.A. 2006a; personal observation.