Round-Leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia): Carnivorous Dew-Drop Beauty

Botanical Name: Drosera rotundifolia

If you like unusual plants, add Sundew to your collection. Otherworldly foliage and strange eating habits make it a fascinating carnivorous plant.

Long leaves grow in a rosette. Round disk-like leaves covered in red glandular hairs (tentacles) secrete sticky juice, luring flies/insects.

Bugs mistake glistening liquid for nectar. On landing, they're stuck. Leaf "gobbles" them—tentacles hold and smother. Digestive enzymes break down protein for absorption.

Small white flowers appear summer on tall stems above rosette. Each short-lived, but dozens from healthy plants. Collect seeds from dried flowers for propagation.

What Sundews Want

• Moisture + flies. Give both for rapid growth, more leaves/flowers.
• Feed me. Shallow roots—all nourishment from captured insects. Unlikely to catch flies indoors → you must feed. (Isn't that the fun?)
• High humidity. Native to bogs/marshes. Terrarium or Wardian case recommended.
• Winter rest. Perennial, dormant in winter. Keep moist/cool 32–50°F (1–10°C)—tolerates some frost. Garage may be ideal (needs some light).
• Dying leaves? Normal in winter rest. New growth in spring/summer. Heat can cause dormancy—don't give up, it may bounce back. Temperamental: dislikes extreme heat, direct sun, dry conditions. Save seeds for replacements.

Sundew Plant Care Quick Reference

• Origin: North America, Northern Europe, North Asia
• Height: Up to 3 in (8 cm)
• Light: Bright indirect
• Water: Keep medium evenly moist. Never dry out completely.
• Humidity: Moderate to high. Below 50% RH? Raise humidity.
• Temperature: 60–75°F (16–24°C). Winter: cold rest 32–50°F (1–10°C). Tolerates frost. High heat may cause dormancy.
• Soil: Live sphagnum moss or 1:1 peat moss:horticultural sand
• Fertilizer: Don't fertilize—burns roots, may kill. Feed dead flies spring–fall. No insecticide-exposed flies.
• Propagation: Seeds or division. Collect seeds from dried flowers, sow in moist peat moss. Warm window/fluorescent lights. Germinate 2–4 weeks. Divide: separate new rosettes around parent.