The Sundew (Drosera capensis) is the most delicate-looking carnivorous plant: narrow leaves covered in glistening, dew-like droplets that are actually sticky glue. An insect that lands on a leaf is trapped, and the leaf slowly curls around it. In sun, the tentacles glow red, and the plant looks like it is covered in jewels.
Sundews are forgiving for a carnivorous plant — Cape sundew is one of the easiest to grow — but the bog rules still apply: rainwater or distilled water only, nutrient-poor soil, no fertiliser, and plenty of light. The droplets are the health indicator: a sundew in good light and clean water glistens; a sundew in poor light or tap water loses its dew. This guide covers light, watering, humidity, temperature, soil, repotting, feeding, propagation and the common problems that show up when something is off.
Sundew at a glance
| Care factor | What this plant needs |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Drosera capensis |
| Light | bright direct |
| Water | weekly; keep soil damp with distilled/rain water only |
| Humidity | high |
| Temperature | 60–80°F (16–27°C) |
| Repotting | every 1–2 years |
| Pet safety | non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Light
Give your Sundew bright direct light. A spot near an east- or west-facing window is usually ideal, or a metre or so back from a bright south-facing window. In the right light the plant grows steadily and keeps its colour; in too little light growth turns weak and stretched, and the plant loses the look that makes it worth growing. Our grow-light calculator can help work out whether your spot is bright enough.
Give it bright direct sun — a sunny windowsill is ideal, and the more light it gets, the redder the tentacles and the stickier the dew. In low light the leaves stay green, the dew disappears, and the plant stops catching anything. A grow light a few centimetres above the plant works well if you have no sunny window.
Watering
Water weekly; keep soil damp with distilled/rain water only. Tap water minerals will kill a sundew, so use rainwater or distilled water, and keep the pot standing in a shallow tray of it so the soil stays damp at all times. Never let the soil dry out — a dry sundew loses its dew and may not recover.
Humidity and temperature
Sundew needs high humidity and temperatures of 60–80°F (16–27°C). Humidity is the care factor most homes get wrong: heated indoor air in winter is far drier than most houseplants like, and the first sign is usually brown, crispy leaf edges. Grouping plants together, a pebble tray under the pot, or a small humidifier near the plant all help; a humidifier is the only method that reliably lifts humidity enough. Misting does very little — the water evaporates in minutes. Our humidity and temperature checker can tell you whether your room suits this plant.
High humidity suits it, and the tray of water underneath helps. Good airflow is still important: in a sealed, stagnant container the damp soil grows mould, so leave the top open or use a terrarium with ventilation.
Soil and potting
Sundews need nutrient-poor, acidic soil: sphagnum peat moss mixed with perlite, with no fertiliser, no compost and no ordinary potting soil. Ordinary potting mix is far too rich and will burn the roots. Use a plastic or glazed ceramic pot, not terracotta, which can leach minerals into the soil.
Repotting
Repot every 1–2 years, in spring, or sooner if roots are circling the drainage holes. Move up only one pot size — a pot that is too big holds wet soil the roots cannot use, and that is a fast route to rot. Our repotting calculator can help you work out the next pot size and how much fresh mix you will need.
Repot every 1–2 years in spring, using fresh peat and perlite. Sundews have small, delicate root systems, so handle them gently, and repot before the old mix breaks down and turns sour.
Feeding
Do not fertilise a sundew — fertiliser will kill it. It feeds itself: a plant on a sunny windowsill usually catches enough small insects on its own. If it catches nothing for months, you can offer one tiny live insect to a leaf every few weeks, but never feed it meat or dead insects, and never fertilise the soil.
Propagation
Sundews are propagated from leaf cuttings or by division. For leaf cuttings, cut a healthy leaf with its stalk, lay it on damp sphagnum moss, and keep it warm, bright and humid — plantlets will sprout along the leaf within a few weeks.
Cape sundew also self-seeds readily: the tall flower stalks produce tiny seeds that germinate on damp peat. Division works too — separate a clump at repotting time, giving each piece roots of its own.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow leaves | Overwatering | Let soil dry more between waterings; check drainage. |
| Brown leaf tips | Low humidity | Trim brown tips; raise humidity; use filtered water if tap water is hard. |
| Slow growth | Too little light or pot-bound | Give more bright light; repot if pot-bound. |
Yellow leaves
Likely cause: overwatering. Yellow leaves most often mean the soil has stayed wet for too long. Let the top of the soil dry out before watering again, check that the pot drains freely, and remove leaves once they are fully yellow. If several leaves yellow at once, check the roots — soft, black roots mean rot, and you should cut the rot away and repot in fresh mix. Water less in winter, when the plant grows more slowly and the soil stays wet for longer.
Brown leaf tips
Likely cause: low humidity. Trim the brown tips with clean scissors, following the leaf's shape, and raise the humidity around the plant — a pebble tray or humidifier helps more than misting. If your tap water is hard, switch to filtered or rainwater, since salts can also crisp the edges. Check the humidity with our humidity and temperature checker and move the plant away from radiators and hot, dry draughts.
Slow growth
Likely cause: too little light or pot-bound. First check the light: move the plant a little closer to a bright window and see whether new growth picks up over the next month. Then check whether it is pot-bound — roots circling the drainage holes mean it is time to repot into a pot one size larger with fresh mix. Do not try to force growth with extra fertiliser; a plant that is short of light or root room will not use it, and the salts can burn the roots.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I water Sundew?
Weekly; keep soil damp with distilled/rain water only. Check the soil with your finger before watering rather than watering on a fixed day — pots dry out at different rates depending on light, pot size and the season.
How much light does Sundew need?
It needs bright direct light. Too little light gives weak, stretched growth, while harsh direct sun can scorch the leaves, so a bright spot out of direct midday sun suits most plants in this guide.
Is Sundew safe for cats and dogs?
According to the data used for this guide, this plant is non-toxic to cats and dogs. Keep it out of reach of pets that chew plants, and if a pet eats any of it, contact your vet.
When should I repot Sundew?
Repot every 1–2 years, in spring, or sooner if roots are circling the drainage holes. Move up only one pot size so the fresh mix does not stay wet for too long.
Why has my sundew lost its dew?
Lost dew usually means too little light or minerals in the water. Move the plant to a brighter, sunnier spot and make sure you are using rainwater or distilled water only — tap water is the most common cause. New leaves in good conditions should glisten again within a few weeks.