Troubleshooting Cape Sundew Browning: Water Quality and Light Cycles

Question: Cape sundew sends up new shoots that brown before sizing. Setup: shelf, 4" from fluorescent, water tray, clear plastic humidity dome, foil reflector, 24/7 light. Flytrap same setup thrives. Suggestions?

Answer

Hi Rick,

As cape sundews age, stems elongate and tops decline. Transplant deeper into at least 4" pot with 50/50 peat/perlite. If recently transplanted, soil issue possible. Water source?

Inspect for pests: caterpillars bore into stems, leaving frass at base. Photo would help.

Follow-up: Bought from California Carnivores 3 months ago—soil should be good. All new growth browns. Water: filtered tap (not RO). Flytrap thrives, so water seems okay. Will check for bugs. Could 24/7 light be too much?

Answer

Two issues: water and light cycle. What filtration? Water softeners add salt (worse than hard water). Carbon filters (Brita, Pur) don't remove minerals. Only distillation/RO works. Test hardness—if >50ppm, use distilled/rain. Flytrap may show symptoms later. We had 130ppm well water: Red Dragons died first, then sundews, then green flytraps. Now use RO for all.

24-hour light cycle is unnatural (except Arctic species). Can cause weird effects. Light intensity unlikely too high—cape sundews handle full outdoor sun. Use timer for 15-hour day.

Follow-up: Flytrap recovered at work for 6 months—doubt water, but will try distilled ($1). Top-water with distilled to flush?

Answer

Top-watering helps oxygenate soil. Water may not be the issue, but hard to rule out without TDS test. Photo would help.

Good Growing!
Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
www.cobraplant.com