DS020 Drosera rotundifolia Sundew

Drosera rotundifolia – Round-Leaved Sundew

Drosera rotundifolia, commonly known as the Round-Leaved Sundew, is a beautiful hardy carnivorous plant native to the UK, Europe, North America and other cool northern regions. It is one of the few carnivorous plants that can be found growing naturally in Britain.

This compact sundew forms a low rosette of distinctive round leaves covered with red, sticky tentacles. Each tentacle produces a glistening droplet of mucilage that attracts and traps small insects.

Once an insect becomes caught, the surrounding tentacles slowly move towards the prey. The plant then digests the insect and absorbs nutrients that are naturally scarce in the acidic, nutrient-poor bog habitats where it naturally grows.

When grown in plenty of sunlight, Drosera rotundifolia can develop superb red colouration. It is particularly well suited to an outdoor peat bog garden and can be grown outside all year round in the UK.

How to Grow Drosera rotundifolia

Light & Position

Drosera rotundifolia loves plenty of direct sunlight.

For the best growth and colour, grow it in a sunny position outdoors, in a cold greenhouse or planted directly into a suitable carnivorous plant peat bog garden.

Good sunlight encourages compact growth, strong red colouration and plenty of the sticky dew used to capture insects.

As a hardy temperate sundew, Drosera rotundifolia is an excellent carnivorous plant for growing outdoors year-round in the UK.

Excellent for an Outdoor Peat Bog Garden

Drosera rotundifolia is one of the best sundews for a peat bog garden in the UK.

Once established in a suitable sunny, permanently moist peat bog garden, these hardy sundews can be left outside throughout the year, experiencing the natural seasonal changes they require.

They combine particularly well with other hardy carnivorous plants and can gradually establish themselves in suitable conditions.

A peat bog garden also provides the plant with greater protection from temperature fluctuations than a small individual pot and allows it to follow a completely natural growing cycle.

How to Water Drosera rotundifolia

Always use rainwater, distilled water or reverse-osmosis water.

During spring and summer, stand potted plants in approximately 1–2 cm of water and keep the compost consistently wet.

Plants growing in an outdoor peat bog garden should also be kept consistently moist, particularly during hot or dry summer weather.

Avoid ordinary tap water, particularly in hard-water areas.

Best Compost for Drosera rotundifolia

Drosera rotundifolia naturally grows in acidic, nutrient-poor peat bogs and requires a specialist carnivorous plant compost.

Remember these sundews start to die back for winter rest at the end of August and form a winter resting bud 

For growing and repotting Drosera rotundifolia, we recommend our COM1 Carnivorous Plant Compost.

COM1 provides the acidic, low-nutrient and moisture-retentive conditions required by this species and is the reliable compost we use ourselves at Hampshire Carnivorous Plants.

Never use ordinary multipurpose compost, garden soil or compost containing added fertiliser.

Repotting Drosera rotundifolia

Drosera rotundifolia does not require frequent repotting. Repot when the existing compost begins to deteriorate or when the plant needs more space.

Late winter or early spring, before vigorous new growth begins, is a good time to repot.

For best results, repot using fresh COM1 Carnivorous Plant Compost and water thoroughly with rainwater.

Winter Dormancy

Drosera rotundifolia is a hardy temperate sundew and requires a proper winter dormancy.

As temperatures fall during autumn, the summer leaves naturally die back and the plant forms a compact winter resting bud known as a hibernaculum.

This is completely normal and an essential part of the plant’s natural growing cycle.

The hibernaculum remains dormant throughout winter before fresh new growth emerges in spring.

There is no need to bring Drosera rotundifolia indoors for winter. Plants established in a suitable peat bog garden can remain outside all year round in the UK.

Is Drosera rotundifolia Hardy in the UK?

Yes. Drosera rotundifolia is fully adapted to the British climate and naturally experiences frost and cold winter conditions.

This makes it a superb choice for anyone creating an outdoor carnivorous plant bog garden in the UK.

Plants grown in very small pots are more exposed to prolonged freezing than those established in a larger peat bog garden, so some protection may be beneficial for small containers during particularly severe conditions.

Feeding

There is no need to hand-feed a Round-Leaved Sundew.

When grown outdoors, the sticky leaves naturally catch plenty of small insects such as midges, gnats and small flies.

Never feed the plant meat and never use conventional plant food or fertiliser.

Flowers

During the growing season, established Drosera rotundifolia plants produce slender upright flower stems carrying small white flowers above the rosette.

Plants can also produce seed and may naturally spread around a suitable peat bog garden over time.

Is Drosera rotundifolia Easy to Grow?

Yes. Drosera rotundifolia is an excellent hardy carnivorous plant for outdoor growing in the UK.

For the best results:

● Grow in plenty of direct sunlight

● Keep consistently wet

● Use rainwater, distilled water or reverse-osmosis water

● Grow and repot using COM1 Carnivorous Plant Compost

● Excellent for an outdoor peat bog garden

● Can be grown outside year-round in the UK

● Allow the plant to experience its natural winter dormancy

● Never use ordinary compost or conventional fertiliser

With the correct conditions, Drosera rotundifolia is a long-lived and rewarding hardy sundew that returns each spring with fresh rosettes of beautiful, glistening insect-catching leaves.

Hampshire Carnivorous Plants – specialist UK growers of hardy Drosera and other carnivorous plants.

Sent out ready potted 

Check out our YouTube channel link below for detailed instructions 

https://youtu.be/8caWCiApcbg