How to Grow Tropical Sundews (Drosera)

No terrariums. No myths. No nonsense.
Practical advice based on decades of growing and propagating carnivorous plants.

Tropical sundews are among the most diverse carnivorous plants in cultivation, occurring in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Unlike temperate sundews, they do not require a cold winter dormancy and can be grown year-round under warm conditions. While individual species have somewhat different preferences, the commonly cultivated tropical sundews share similar basic growing requirements.

Drosera capensis

Drosera aliciae

Drosera spatulata

Drosera x Marston's Dragon

Drosera scorpioides

Drosera regia

Tropical Sundew Care at a Glance

Growing Requirement	Our Recommendation
Light	Provide several hours of direct sunlight with bright filtered light during the rest of the day. Avoid full shade and extremely hot summer sunlight.
Artificial Light	Use LED shop lights producing approximately 2,500 lumens or more, starting about 12 inches above the plant. Use a 14-hour daylight cycle.
Temperature	Grow as a tropical houseplant or outdoors where temperatures rarely fall below 55°F (13°C). Protect plants from frost and freezing temperatures.
Humidity	Most commonly grown tropical sundews adapt well to normal household conditions when their light and water requirements are met. A terrarium is unnecessary and can cause long-term problems.
Water	Use mineral-free water, ideally below 50 ppm dissolved minerals. Keep the soil wet by standing the pot in a shallow tray of water.
Soil	Use 1 part peat moss to 1 part perlite. Do not use conventional potting soil, compost, or fertilizer.

Grower's Key Point

Healthy sundews should produce the glistening droplets that give them their name. If your plant is growing but has little or no dew, inadequate light is one of the first things to investigate.

Want a printable quick reference?
Download our one-page Tropical Sundew Care Guide (PDF)

Where Do Tropical Sundews Grow in Nature?

Tropical sundews (Drosera) occur in warm regions throughout the world, with particularly diverse populations in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and South America. In their native habitats, frost is uncommon or absent.

Many grow in open, wet habitats such as boggy fields and hillside seeps, where nutrient-poor soils remain consistently moist and the plants receive abundant sunlight. These conditions provide a useful model for cultivation: plenty of light, mineral-poor water and soil, and consistently wet growing conditions.

Should I Grow Tropical Sundews Indoors or Outdoors?

Tropical sundews are adaptable and can be grown successfully indoors or outdoors when conditions are appropriate. Indoors, a sunny windowsill is often an excellent location, provided the plants receive several hours of direct sunlight each day. If adequate natural light isn't available, tropical sundews also grow well under artificial lights.

You can grow tropical sundews outdoors year-round if you live in a mild climate where temperatures rarely fall below 55°F (13°C). In colder climates, grow them indoors as houseplants year-round or bring them inside before temperatures drop too low.

Wherever you grow them, protect tropical sundews from freezing temperatures and strong, drying winds.

How Much Sunlight Do Tropical Sundews Need?

Tropical sundews need plenty of light to grow well and produce the glistening droplets of sticky mucilage that give sundews their characteristic dewy appearance. Provide several hours of direct sunlight each day, with bright filtered light during the remaining daylight hours.

Light requirements vary somewhat among species. Fork-leaved sundews, for example, can grow well in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight) and warm conditions, while many species native to South Africa and South America prefer abundant light with milder temperatures and partial sun (4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight).

When growing tropical sundews indoors, a bright, sunny window with unobstructed, direct sun can provide excellent results. Avoid full shade. If your sundew is growing but produces little or no dew, inadequate light is one of the first things to investigate.

Can I Grow Tropical Sundews Under Artificial Lights?

Yes. Tropical sundews grow very well under artificial lights, making them excellent plants for rooms without a sufficiently sunny window.

Use LED shop lights producing approximately 2,500 lumens or more. White LEDs work well, so specialized grow lights with red and blue diodes aren't necessary. Start with the lights approximately 12 inches above the plants and adjust the distance as needed based on their growth and appearance.

Use an electrical timer to provide approximately 14 hours of light each day. If your sundews produce weak growth or little dew, increase the light intensity by moving the plants closer to the lights or using a brighter fixture.

Want to learn more about LED lights?
See LED Lights for Tropical Plants .

Do Tropical Sundews Need High Humidity?

Most commonly grown tropical sundews do not require high humidity or a terrarium. They adapt well to normal household conditions when their basic growing requirements are met.

Adequate light is far more important than high humidity. If a sundew is growing but produces little or no dew, check the amount and intensity of light before trying to increase humidity. Raising humidity will not compensate for inadequate light.

A terrarium is unnecessary for these plants and can make cultivation more complicated than it needs to be. Learn to provide the plant with appropriate light, water, soil, and temperature first.

What Kind of Water Do Tropical Sundews Need?

Tropical sundews require water that is low in dissolved minerals. Rainwater, distilled water, and reverse-osmosis water are excellent choices. If your tap water is naturally low in minerals, you can also use it successfully. Water with less than 50 ppm of dissolved minerals is a useful guideline.

Keep the soil wet at all times. The easiest method is to place the pot in a shallow tray of water and replenish the water as it is absorbed or evaporates. Unlike Nepenthes, tropical sundews are bog plants and tolerate consistently waterlogged soil very well.

Avoid allowing the soil to dry out completely. Also avoid softened water and other water sources containing high concentrations of dissolved minerals or salts.

What Soil Should I Use for Tropical Sundews?

Use a mixture of 1 part peat moss and 1 part perlite. This mixture retains the moisture tropical sundews need while remaining low in minerals and nutrients.

Do not use conventional potting soil, compost, or fertilizer. These products contain nutrients and minerals that can damage or kill tropical sundews. Carnivorous plants are adapted to nutrient-poor soils and obtain supplemental nutrients by capturing insects with their leaves.

Don't want to mix your own?
Our blend is excellent for tropical sundews.

When Should I Repot Tropical Sundews?

Tropical sundews don't need frequent repotting. Repot them when they have outgrown their containers, when the soil has become old and compacted, or when you want to divide plants that have produced multiple growing points.

Spring is a convenient time to repot, although tropical sundews that grow year-round can generally be repotted whenever necessary. Use a plastic pot with drainage holes and the same 1 part peat moss to 1 part perlite mixture recommended above.

When repotting, handle the roots gently and position the plant at approximately the same depth at which it was previously growing. Water thoroughly afterward and return the plant to its normal growing conditions.

Do I Need to Feed My Tropical Sundew?

Tropical sundews do not need to be hand-fed. When grown outdoors, they readily capture small insects on their sticky leaves. Indoor plants may catch the occasional fungus gnat or other small insect, but regular feeding isn't necessary for healthy growth.

If you choose to feed your sundew, offer only small insects that fit comfortably on the leaves. Avoid meat or other human foods, which can rot and damage the leaves. You don't need to remove the remains of insects your sundew has captured; learn more in our Grower's Q&A about dead insects on sundews.

Remember that feeding cannot compensate for inadequate growing conditions. Plenty of light, low-mineral water, and the proper soil are far more important to the long-term health of your sundew.

Troubleshooting Tropical Sundews

When a tropical sundew isn't growing well, first check the basics: light, water quality, soil, and temperature. A healthy sundew should produce new growth and develop the glistening droplets of sticky mucilage that give these plants their characteristic dewy appearance.

Lack of dew, weak or elongated growth, and poorly developed leaves are often signs that the plant isn't receiving enough light. Browning older leaves is normal, but widespread decline or distorted new growth deserves closer investigation.

For help diagnosing specific problems, see these questions we've answered for other sundew growers:

Our Growing Experience

Every recommendation in this guide reflects the methods we've found to be most reliable through decades of growing and propagating carnivorous plants commercially. While every growing environment is unique, these techniques have consistently produced healthy plants in our nursery and helped thousands of customers grow with confidence. We regularly review and update our guides as we continue to refine our growing practices and receive feedback from our customers.

Want to learn more about Tropical Sundews?

• For seasonal growing reminders, visit our Monthly Care Guide.
• If you are new to carnivorous plants or want a more detailed explanation of how sunlight, water, soil, temperature, and humidity affect plant growth, see The Ultimate Carnivorous Plant Guide for Beginners.
• Still have a specific growing problem after reviewing this guide and the troubleshooting links above? Ask the Growers.