Cape Sundew (Drosera capensis)

If an insect ever evolved the brains to write a horror novel, the monster in that novel would probably be a sundew. The Sundew, (Drosera) are probably the most diverse genus of carnivorous plants in the world. There are somewhere around 130 species found on almost every continent of earth.

Sundews can be as small as a penny or as large as a small bush. Their tentacle covered leaves come in a wide and imaginative variety of design: circular leaves, wedge-shaped leaves, leaves that are peltate or linear or as filiform as a thin blade of grass. Their leaves may be strapped-shaped, oval or forked and branching like a fern or lethal spider web. 

Cape Sundew:

From the cape of South Africa comes this marvelous sundew; a variable species that offers everything the plant lover could wish for.  Cape sundews are large and handsome plants that are very easy to grow.  They produce scores of showy pink flowers on tall stems and are easy to propagate.  Their leaves move rather dramatically, and they are tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions.  These are by far the most entertaining and popular of the Drosera.  They will catch gnats, fruit flies and flies. 

Sun: Full to part sun, they require at least six hours of direct light to thrive.  If your sundew is not producing dew it most likely needs more light.

Water: This will thrive in the tray method, which keeps the soil permanently wet.  Keep your Cape Sundew sitting in a saucer with several inches of distilled, rain, or reverse osmosis water.

Temperature: Cape Sundews do well in a wide range of temperatures and environments. They can take a brief freeze and temperatures into 100f.  They do best with a small drop in night time temperatures of 10-20 degrees.  

Soil: We use a mix of four parts peat moss to one part perlite.  You can re-pot your plant every 3-5 years but they do not need frequent re-potting.