A Venus flytrap can live for 20 to 30 years in the wild.

Venus flytraps only grow naturally within a 75-mile radius of Wilmington, North Carolina. They live in bogs where the soil lacks nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. The plants catch insects to get these missing nutrients. This diet helps them survive in poor soil for many years.The plant grows from an underground stem called a rhizome. This part of the plant stores energy and allows it to sprout new leaves. Each individual trap on a leaf can only snap shut about 3 to 5 times. After that, the trap dies and the rhizome grows a new one to replace it.Winter dormancy is the secret to their long life. When days get shorter and temperatures drop, the plant stops growing to save energy. Research shows that plants forced to stay active all year usually die within a few years. In the wild, older plants develop larger rhizomes that help them live for decades.