Sundew Care

There are 630 species of carnivorous plants and almost 200 species of Drosera, commonly nicknamed “sundew.” Carnivorous plants grow natively in bogs lacking nitrogen. To get the nutrition needed to grow and thrive, carnivorous plants evolved to catch insects. (This does not mean you should feed your carnivorous plants. Details in the care slideshow.) The leaves of sundew are tentacles (trichomes) that secrete a sticky “dew” to attract and catch prey. The dew also contains enzymes that aid in digestion. Once a leaf traps prey, the insects movements trigger the leaf to curl up, introducing more dew and enzymes. Eventually, the plant absorbs all the nutrients in the insect leaving only the external skeleton.

If you are looking to own a carnivorous plant, Green Lady Gardens recommends sundew as your first. We believe they are the easiest and most beginner-friendly species of carnivorous plants to care for. We also believe they are the most efficient at catching fungus gnats!