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Dwarf sundew

Drosera brevifolia

Also called Shortleaf Sundew

Dwarf sundew
Photo: Irvin Louque, CC BY 4.0

Dwarf sundew is a small carnivorous plant with red, wedge-shaped leaves that trap insects on sticky glands. It grows best in consistently moist, nutrient-poor soil in full sun.

Family
Droseraceae (Sundew family)
Grows as
Annual
Light
Full sun
Water
Keep the soil constantly moist, preferably by standing the pot in a tray of water or using rainwater or distilled water.
Soil
Peaty or sandy mix with low nutrients, such as sphagnum moss and perlite, or live sphagnum.
Temperature
15–30 °C; protect below 5 °C
How easy
Moderate
Native range
C. & SE. U.S.A., S. Mexico to Belize, Cuba, S. Brazil to NE. Argentina
Climate
subtropical

About

Drosera brevifolia (the dwarf, small or red sundew) is a carnivorous plant of the family Droseraceae native to the Americas. This species differs considerably from the pink sundew, Drosera capillaris, by its wedge-shaped leaves, and distinctly deeper red to reddish purple color, noticeable when side by side with D. capillaris.

According to the USDA, it is endangered in the State of Kentucky and threatened in the State of Tennessee.

Where it grows

This species can be found in the southeastern United States. Its range stretches from eastern Texas eastward to Florida, and north to Virginia.

Other Drosera plants

Scented Sundew · Drosera acaulis · Drosera adelae · Peninsula Sundew · Slender Leaved Sundew · White Sundew · Drosera albonotata · Australian sundew · Pygmy Sundew · Drosera amazonica · Drosera andersoniana · Drosera androsacea

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Drosera brevifolia by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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