Some sundews sleep through winter as a tight bud, some die back to their roots, some rest in summer and some never rest at all. Here is how to tell which kind you have, what a healthy dormant sundew looks like, and how to overwinter it outdoors, in an unheated space or in the fridge.
Drosera capensis is the classic first sundew. Here is Cape sundew care in detail: light on a windowsill or under lights, the tray method, soil, humidity, the temperatures it tolerates, winter without dormancy, feeding, its self-seeding habit, easy propagation and common problems.
Most sundews are easy to multiply, but the right method depends on the type. Here is how to propagate sundews from leaf, root and flower stalk cuttings, divisions, seed, pygmy gemmae and tubers, checked against the ICPS, Barry Rice and specialist growers.
A dewless sundew is telling you something. Here is how to tell a normal rest or shipping stress from a real problem, and how to fix low humidity, weak light, heat, impure water, fertilizer and pests, based on the ICPS, Barry Rice’s Carnivorous Plant FAQ and specialist nurseries.
Venus flytrap seed is easy to sow but slow to grow. Here is what the ICPS, Barry Rice and specialist nurseries say about fresh seed, surface sowing, warmth, light, germination time, seedling care, stratification and the years it takes to reach a mature plant.
A beginner’s guide to sundew care: how the sticky tentacles work, the five main Drosera groups and the easiest species, light, pure water, soil, humidity, temperature, dormancy, feeding, seeds, cuttings, and fixes for a sundew with no dew.
Most Venus flytraps need fresh soil every year or two, and early spring is the usual time. Here is what experts recommend for the soil mix, pot type and depth, the repotting steps, dividing a crowded plant and aftercare.
A Venus flytrap that will not close is usually showing normal trap behavior, such as a worn-out, very young or cold trap. Sometimes it points to low light, wrong water or a stressed plant. Here is how to tell the difference and what to do.
Black traps on a Venus flytrap are often normal leaf turnover, but they can also point to the wrong food, hard water, salty soil, low light, rot or pests. Here is how to tell which one you have and what to do.