Drosera (Sundew) Care Guide
How do I care for my Drosera?
Drosera, also known as sundews, are a diverse and beloved carnivorous plant known for their glistening leaves that trap and digest prey. While the world of sundews may be vast, this Drosera care guide will break down everything you need to know to ensure your new plant thrives. Many Drosera are actually quite easy to care for and make charming houseplants that earn their keep!
DROSERA, AT A GLANCE:
What exactly is a sundew?
Drosera are tiny, tentacle-like plants that subsist on insects that get caught on their sticky leaves covered in what look like dew drops. This tacky fluid is called mucilage, and it contains complex sugars that lure—and then trap—insects like gnats and flies. Once the Drosera detects the presence of prey, it will begin to curl its leaves inward, in a movement called thigmonasty, to further ensnare the insect. Some species can move quite rapidly—at speeds that rival that of a Venus flytrap—while some may take hours to fully close around their prey.
It’s important to note that Drosera can be categorized into six different categories. Each type of Drosera requires a slightly different care regimen, and this guide will break it all down step-by-step!
What Kind of Drosera Do I Have?
Tropical & Subtropical Drosera:
These sundews hail from areas like southern Africa, South America, and parts of Asia. These sundews do not require a seasonal dormancy (as some other types do, as will be explained below), and enjoy consistent growing conditions year-round. They make for excellent terrarium plants or windowsill plants.
Notable species include Drosera capensis (cape sundew), D. aliciae, D. madagascariensis, D. latifolia
Temperate Drosera:
Temperate Drosera are native to North America, Australia, Europe, and parts of Asia. What sets these sundews apart is that they experience a yearly winter dormancy. Many can be grown outside! If you grow a temperate sundew, it is important to consider the plant’s dormancy needs and adjust your care accordingly—but more on that later!
Notable temperate sundew species include D. rotundifolia (round-leaved sundew), D. intermedia (spoonleaf sundew), D. filiformis
Pygmy Drosera:
These tiny plants can be found in Western Australia, with a couple of exceptions. They are referred to as “pygmies” because of their small size relative to other sundews. Other unique traits include the pygmies’ summer dormancy and their reproductive habits. If these Drosera get the right amount of light, they will produce these tiny clusters of buds called gemmae that can be propagated. Both the pygmy sundew’s summer dormancy and propagation details will be covered more extensively in separate sections.
Notable pygmy sundew species include D. scorpioides, D. pygmaea, D. stelliflora, D.pycnoblasta, D. gibsonii
Tuberous Drosera:
Tuberous sundews can be found growing in Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and parts of Asia. These sundews are differentiated by the presence of their underground tubers, in addition to their extensive root systems. Tuberous Drosera grow in climates with hot, arid summers. In order to help them survive months without rainfall, they evolved to develop tubers below ground, which help them to conserve and store energy needed to get them to the fall when cooler temperatures and moisture return. Like the pygmy sundew, these tuberous sundews will want their seasonal summer dormancy and will require specific care—but those conditions can easily be provided!
Notable tuberous Drosera species include D. hookeri, D. menziesii, Drosera whittakeri, Drosera rupicola
Petiolaris Complex:
Another term for petiolaris complex drosera is “woolly sundews.” “Petiolaris” refers to the presence of a petiole, or “little foot,” on the plant. In other words, these sundews have little stalks, or stems, that branch outward from the center of the sundew. On their tips are the actual dewy, sticky leaves that Drosera are known for.
That’s why these sundews look like little fireworks—you’re seeing the leaves on the ends of the petioles! The petioles themselves are often woolly, or fuzzy, to help protect them from intense heat.
These Drosera grow in Northern Australia, which experiences high rainfall and hot temperatures in the summer, with less rainfall and still warm temperatures in the winter—woolly sundews love warmth! Caring for one will mean replicating both in their environment.
Notable woolly sundews include D. paradoxa, D. petiolaris, D. derbyensis
Queensland Rainforest Drosera:
Whereas most sundews love the sun, this group of sundews actually prefer slightly more shaded conditions. These Drosera grow in the understories of the Queensland rainforests of northeast Australia.
Given this unique trait, their lighting and temperature will differ a bit from other sundews.
Notable species include D. prolifera, D. schizandra, D. ‘Andromeda’ (a schizandra and prolifera hybrid), D. adelae
If you are not sure which type of sundew you have, please refer to our Drosera catalog, and/or email us directly! Carnivero carries most of these varieties, with the exception of pygmy sundews.
DROSERA CARE SUMMARY
(Care Guides By Type Are Below)
Drosera Lighting
Most Drosera grow best under bright 10-14 hours of bright, direct sunlight or beneath strong grow lights during their growing seasons. Some sundews, like tropical sundews, can handle this light year-round. Others, like temperate or tuberous, will need seasonal adjustments. Queensland Rainforest sundews are the exception to this, preferring less intense light than the rest.
Watering Drosera: What kind of water do I use?
Drosera should only be watered with distilled, rain, or reverse osmosis water.
Like all carnivorous plants, Drosera natively grow in soils with very little nutrients. In fact, that is why they evolved to become carnivorous in the first place: since they couldn’t get their nutrition from the ground, they evolved to catch it in the air.
These plants, as a result, are sensitive to excess minerals in their water and soil, so tap water and mineral water should be avoided. These other water sources may contain too many minerals and could harm the plant over time. Some areas of the United States, such as Colorado, the Pacific Northwest and many regions of California, have water naturally low in dissolved salts; however, you should check with your local municipality in all cases. Water should be less than 100 ppm of total dissolved solids to be considered safe to use on carnivores long term. Note that boiling your water or using pour-through filters do not purify the water adequately enough and should not be considered as viable alternatives.
Watering Drosera: How do I water them?
All sundews are best watered using the tray method. This involves placing the potted sundew into a tray filled with about an inch of water. Drosera that experience dormancy will need slight alterations to their schedules.
Drosera Temperature
As seen in the list below, most sundews grow well in ambient household temperatures, which typically fall in the sixties and seventies. Some sundews, however, are more sensitive to temperatures beyond that range. Many temperate sundews grow well in warm temperatures but dormancy may be induced by colder temperatures, while tuberous and Queensland Rainforest sundews are sensitive to heat.
If you are growing your sundew indoors, you should not have to be too concerned with temperature, unless your sundew requires a dormancy that you will need to induce. If you are growing your sundew outdoors, it’s important to keep an eye on the forecast and know how changing temperatures can affect your plant.
Drosera Humidity
Many sundews hail from tropical or humid regions. This means they almost all prefer higher levels of humidity (+50%) but many can be acclimated to ambient household humidity, which typically falls between 30-60%. Some are great for terrarium builds, like tropical sundews, while others, like tuberous, prefer less humidity. Regardless of humidity levels, all sundews need good airflow. Stagnant, moist air can cause rot.
Drosera Soil Mixes
We pot most, if not all, of our Drosera in our own mixture of 1:1 peat moss and perlite. This is the basic recipe for our bog mix, which is intended to replicate their native growing conditions: poor in nutrients and acidic. You can purchase our Bog Mix a la carte online or in-store.
If you are mixing your own soil, it is recommended that you wet it before working with it. This is because peat moss is hydrophobic (repels water) and will struggle to retain moisture later if not soaked first.
If you are purchasing our bog mix, you don’t need to worry about that step, as we soak our mixes before packaging them. They are ready to use upon opening, but it would not hurt anything to soak it again.
See our soil mixing guide for more information.
Potting & Repotting Your Drosera
When potting or repotting your Drosera, take a moment to familiarize yourself with its roots. Like most carnivorous plants, the roots of most Drosera are black and stringy—this is normal!
Most of these root systems can extend quite deep into the soil, so it’s important to check the bottom of your pots to see if those roots are growing out. If you see roots extending far beyond the pot’s drainage holes, it’s time to repot! Another sign it’s time to repot (or divide them up) is if the plant and its off-shoots begin to overcrowd the pot.
To repot a Drosera, follow the same steps you would for most any other plant:
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Prepare your vessel with substrate. The vessel must be plastic, glass, glazed, or any other medium that is not porous. Porous materials allow for minerals to leech into the soil, which can harm the plant, so be careful.
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Make a hole in the substrate.
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Insert the Drosera into the space you just created, making sure the roots have ample room.
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Cover the roots with substrate up to the base of the Drosera, and pat down to ensure it’s in there securely.
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Proceed with proper lighting and watering care.
Note that these instructions are not necessarily for terrarium builds!
The one exception to this summary is the tuberous Drosera. These sundews do not have those same long, stringy, black roots, and instead grow an underground tuber. These sundews can only be potted or repotted during their summer dormancy, and it only needs to be done every 3-5 years.
To pot or repot a tuberous sundew:
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Locate the tuber (or tubers, if they produced “daughters”). Look closely and be careful not to crush them. They tend to be quite small—about the size of peas. They can even dig themselves deeper into the dirt, so you may have to dig a little, if you’re repotting!
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Prepare your substrate in your chosen vessel. Not only is it important to choose a vessel made of a safe medium, but for tuberous sundews, depth is key, as again—those tubers like to “sink” down into the soil over time.
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Make a hole in the vessel, about 2-3 inches deep.
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Place the tuber in the hole you just created with the “eye” of the tuber facing upward. The eye is a small raised bump on the tuber.
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Cover it with the substrate and proceed with dormancy care.
Feeding Drosera
Drosera tend to be self-sufficient when it comes to feeding, thanks to their sticky leaves that lure the likes of flies and gnats. Most people do not have to worry about feeding their Drosera, but if you don’t see any bugs getting caught up in the mucilage, there are a few ways you can support your sundew.
One option is to give it any flies, gnats, mosquitoes, or other insects that you trap or swat on your own—they appreciate live or dead bugs! Another option is to sprinkle on a little bit of cricket powder to supplement nutrients.
Drosera Dormancy
Dormancy in sundews largely depends on the type. Tropical, petiolaris complex, and Queensland Rainforest sundews do not require dormancy. Temperate, pygmy, and tuberous sundews do experience dormancies in their natural environments, and as a grower, these conditions should be replicated, in most cases.
Propagating Drosera
Drosera can be rather prolific plants! From offsets and divisions to root cuttings and leaf cuttings, these plants can be propagated in various different ways, depending on the type. See individual care instructions below.
DROSERA CARE BY TYPE:
TROPICAL/SUBTROPICAL DROSERA CARE
Lighting: 10-12 hours of bright, direct sunlight or strong grow lights year-round
Watering: Keep soil consistently moist with the tray method
Temperature: 50-95°F year-round
Humidity: High humidity >60% (can acclimate to household conditions)
Soil: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Potting/Repotting: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Feeding: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Dormancy: Do not experience dormancy.
Propagating: These sundews often produce offshoots that can take root. Once you see small offshoots, you can divide the plant and pot according to our repotting instructions. Leaf cuttings and root cuttings can also be taken for propagation.
TEMPERATE DROSERA CARE
Lighting: Requires bright, direct sunlight or strong grow lights for 12 hours or more during the growing season (“Summer”); Reduce the light in the winter to induce dormancy (“winter”). Note that many varieties such as forked sundews make excellent outdoor plants in most environments in the United States.
Watering: Keep soil consistently moist with the tray method. Think of this like a temperate bog plant (Venus flytrap, Sarracenia). Reduce moisture levels during dormancy but the soil should still be wet at all times.
Temperature: 70-90°F; This is similar to or above ambient household conditions. If growing indoors, move to a cooler location in winter to induce dormancy, like an unheated garage. If growing outdoors, bring the Drosera into a protected location if temperatures are going to dip below freezing. Note that some sundews in this category, such as Drosera filiformis and forked sundews can take cold temperatures down to 20°F.
Humidity: 40-70%
Soil: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Potting/Repotting: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Feeding: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Dormancy: Temperate sundews experience a winter dormancy. Less light and cooler temperatures will cause the leaves of the sundew to die back and for the plants to die down to their roots, or for a hibernaculum to form in some species. A hibernaculum looks like a small ball or nub at the center of the plant. This hibernaculum will store the Drosera’s energy over the winter, and once the days get longer and temperatures increase, new leaves will begin to grow from it. If you’re growing a temperate sundew outdoors, allow nature to induce dormancy for you. Just make sure to not let the hibernaculum experience a deep freeze, so if the forecast calls for temperatures below the mid twenties, bring the sundew to a protected location like an unheated garage. If growing indoors, reduce the photoperiod on the grow lights. Keep it in a cool place, like an unheated garage or basement. Reduce watering when inducing dormancy but still make sure the soil stays wet.
Propagating: Temperate sundews can be reproduced through root cuttings or division. After dormancy, inspect the hibernaculum for different growth points. Gently separate them and pot according to our repotting instructions.
PYGMY DROSERA CARE
Lighting: 10-12 hours of bright, direct sunlight or strong grow lights. While pygmies do experience a dormancy out in the wild, most pygmies will keep on growing if kept wet. Oftentimes inducing dormancy can lead them to die, so we recommend keeping their growing conditions consistent year-round!
Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist with the tray method during the growing season. During summer dormancy, (if induced, though this is optional) allow the tray to dry out before refilling.
Temperature: 40-80°F; Pygmy sundews can tolerate temperatures that inch closer to freezing and near 100°F. Warm temperatures will encourage dormancy.
Humidity: 40-70% is appreciated but grow well in ambient conditions
Soil: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Potting/Repotting: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Feeding: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Dormancy: Pygmy sundews can go through a summer dormancy. When they go dormant, their leaves die back and in the center of the plant is a stipule bud. This tight cluster holds the plant’s energy until it begins to grow back in the fall. As temperatures begin to cool in the fall (or as you, the grower, introduce cooler temperatures), the pygmy sundew will produce gemmae. These are small buds that can be treated just like seeds. This is the most reliable way that a pygmy sundew can reproduce, too! Many growers do not put their pygmies through dormancy, but if you want to let your sundew go dormant, increase the photoperiod and temperatures, and reduce watering, to recreate dry summer conditions.
Propagating: The most reliable way pygmy sundews can reproduce is through gemmae production. These little “seeds” are produced by environmental factors like shorter days, so you can reduce the photoperiod on your sundews to encourage production.
TUBEROUS DROSERA CARE
Lighting: 10 hours of bright light a day during the growing season (“winter”). Slowly increase the photoperiod to induce dormancy (“summer”)
Watering: During the growing season, the plant can be kept moist via the tray method. During dormancy, remove from the tray and allow the soil to dry. Don’t water again until growth appears in the fall.
Temperature: 45-70°F; Temperatures above 80°F can be fatal to the plant. Warmer temperatures will encourage dormancy.
Humidity: They do not require high humidity and are not suited for terrarium culture.
Soil: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Potting/Repotting: See summaries above; instructions for repotting tubers are outlined there!
Feeding: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Dormancy: These sundews experience a summer, dry-season dormancy. In their native habitats, when light and temperatures increase and rain decreases, they will die back. On the surface, they will appear brown and shriveled up, but their energy is being stored in their tubers below ground. To induce dormancy, increase the photoperiod and remove the plant from its tray. Keep the soil just barely damp during dormancy.
Propagating: Many tubers produce offsets while underground. To grow more tuberous sundews, induce dormancy—this is the only time the tubers can be excavated and divided. Once the plant has died back, gently unearth the tubers and divide them. Then repot them according to tuberous sundew potting instructions.
PETIOLARIS COMPLEX DROSERA CARE
Lighting: 10-14 hours of bright, direct sunlight or strong grow lights year-round. Going beyond this may induce dormancy.
Watering: Keep soil consistently moist with the tray method.
Temperature: 65-100°F year-round
Humidity: High humidity >60%
Soil: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Potting/Repotting: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Feeding: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Dormancy: Does not require a dormancy period.
Propagating: These sundews often produce offshoots that can take root. Once you see small offshoots, you can divide the plant and pot according to our repotting instructions. Leaf pullings can also be taken for propagation.
QUEENSLAND RAINFOREST DROSERA CARE
Lighting: 10-12 hours of bright, indirect light or moderate grow lights. Being forest floor plants, these sundews are used to dappled sunlight in the wild similar to Nepenthes.
Watering: Keep soil consistently moist with the tray method.
Temperature: 60-85°F; These sundews prefer mild temperatures in both directions
Humidity: High humidity >60%
Soil: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Potting/Repotting: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Feeding: See summaries above; consistent across Drosera types
Dormancy: Do not require dormancy, but if it experiences dry conditions, it may die back.
Propagating: These sundews often produce offshoots that can take root. Once you see small offshoots, you can divide the plant and pot according to our repotting instructions. Leaf cuttings can also be taken for propagation.
More resources:
Shop our Drosera catalog
Need more information? Check out the Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Carnivorous Plants
Video: Drosera Care Basics (on Instagram)