Drosera capensis

Curious about carnivorous plants and don't know where to start?

Here is the perfect plant to begin your new obsession.

Drosera capensis (sundew) is one of the hardiest carnivorous plants, and a great stepping stone into the wonderful world of insect eating plants.

Their leaves produce a sticky substance which grabs hold of small insects and won't let them go. As their prey struggles, the leaf will actually wrap around them. The plant releases digestive enzymes to break down the insect and absorbs it through the leaf.

Light Requirements:

I have found that they prefer a full morning sun position, with some protection from the harsh midday and afternoon sun in the summer months. They will grow very happily on a window sill that receives a good amount of morning sunlight. If placed in too much shade, their colouring will not be as spectacular.

Watering:

Always keep your Drosera sitting in a shallow saucer of water, and never let them dry out.  I recommend using only rain water, distilled water or reverse osmosis to water your plants. The water quality varies a great deal in Australia, some areas can get away with tap water. so if you are able to get your hands on a TDS meter (total dissolved solids) you can check for yourself. The lower the TDS reading, the softer the water is. If the reading is 50 ppm ( parts per million ) or lower, it is safe to use on drosera plants. 

Potting Mix

These will do well in a combination of Perlite, Spaghnum Peat Moss, and Sand. We use 50% Spaghnum peat and 50% Perlite, but you could substitute the Perlite for sand, or do a combo with all 3 types of media. They do have a deep tap root, and benefit from being in a tall pot with a minimum of 10cms tall.

Feeding

There really is no need to feed the plants, they will catch everything on their own, even when kept indoors. From fungus gnats, flies, ants, moths and even spiders. If you can't resist the temptation to feed, keep the insects small, and be aware that large prey placed on the leaves my cause leaf burn. 

Flowers

Drosera capensis produces spikes of very pretty hot pink flowers throughout the warmer months of the year. They are self fertile, so they do not require 2 plants to produce seed. The seeds are very tiny, and are easy to germinate, so it is best to keep these plants separate from your collection of other carnivorous species, as they will self seed at every chance they get. 

Plant on offer will be of similar size to the ones pictured above, in the pots 50mm across.

Please note - Drosera capensis WILL be posted in its pot. 

A name tag will be wrapped with your plant for easy identification.

These plants require very specific potting mix to survive.

We use a mixture of 50% Sphagnum peat moss and 50% perlite.