Drosera commonly known as the sundews comprises one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants. The genus includes annuals and perennials, large and small plants, and denizens of tropical, temperate, and polar habitats. They should not be confused with the ever popular Venus Fly Trap, Dionaea muscipula. These plants lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked mucilaginous glands covering their leaf surfaces. The insects are used to supplement the poor mineral nutrition of the soil in which they grow. Both the botanical name and the English common name refer to the glistening drops of mucilage at the tip of each tentacle that resemble drops of morning dew. Drosera has also been recorded for its medicinal use against warts, corns and sunburn. Ethnobotanically a tea made from the plant was also used as a tranquilizer and aphrodisiac. Whether indigenous or exotic, Sundews deserve a little corner in all carnivorous plant collections. They make fascinating indoor houseplants. These curiosity plants grow best in pots filled with a mix of our general Carnivorous Growing Medium.

Drosera regia, commonly known as the King Sundew, is a South African endemic species found exclusively in the Western Cape Province. The specific epithet regia is derived from the Latin for “royal”, a reference to the “striking appearance” of the species. Individual leaves can reach 70cm in length. It has many unusual relict characteristics not found in most other Drosera species, including woody rhizomes, operculate pollen, and the lack of circinate vernation in scape growth. All of these factors, combined with molecular data from phylogenetic analysis, contribute to the evidence that Drosera regia possesses some of the most ancient characteristics within the genus. A fun and educational plant!