Cape sundew

A carnivore with dewy tentacles

The Cape sundew is a carnivorous plant that forms rosettes of narrow, elongated leaves held semi-erect. Each leaf is covered in slender tentacles, every one tipped with a droplet of sticky mucilage that glistens in the sun like dew — hence the common name sundew. The droplets attract insects, which become stuck; the leaf then slowly curls around the prey, wrapping it up and speeding digestion.

Habitat and distribution

It is endemic to the Cape region of South Africa, where it grows in permanently wet, nutrient-poor habitats such as bogs and marshy edges, in full sun or partial shade. Catching insects provides the nitrogen that the poor soil cannot supply.

Cultivation

Unlike many carnivorous plants, it is sturdy and very easy to grow, so much so that it is the species most recommended to beginners. It wants plenty of light (even full sun), an acidic peat-and-sand substrate kept permanently wet — best by the tray method — and mineral-free water such as rain or distilled water. It grows fast, flowers with delicate pinkish blooms and produces many seeds, self-sowing readily.

Curiosities

The leaves are surprisingly mobile: they can bend around prey within a few hours. Even a single leaf detached and laid on moist substrate can give rise to a new plant.

Conservation

The species is common in cultivation worldwide and of no conservation concern; plants for sale come from propagation, not the wild.