Sundew: growing, planting and care at home

Watering Sundews.

Watering the Sundew is carried out only in the pan (through the bottom). Water for irrigation should only be distilled (H20), or reverse osmosis (super purified without mineralization). Water from the tap, boiled, frozen, from a regular filter, cooler, etc. cannot be used under any circumstances - the plant will die because of this. Distilled water can be purchased on tap at pharmacies that prepare their own medications. This water can also be found in chemical and medical laboratories. Distilled water is sold in car dealerships and gas stations, but keep in mind that the quality of their water is somewhat worse than pharmacy water, so if possible, try to use pharmacy water. Sundew is a marsh plant and does not tolerate dry soil. Don’t be afraid to overwater the plant—it will happily survive it. Be careful not to dry out the plant; it will not tolerate drought. But there is an exception to this rule - this is the sundew "Paradoxa". She likes moderate watering. For watering, you need to use high trays that hold a large amount of water. In summer, watering should be intensive. The water level in the pan can reach two-thirds of the height of the pot (ground level in the flowerpot). In the cool season - autumn, winter and spring, watering should be slightly reduced, and the tray should be filled to one third of the pot (to one third of the ground level). Sundew does not like spraying from above. Sticky droplets that serve as its trap are produced by the plant itself and dew depends on the quality of lighting, water quality and watering. If the sundew is sprayed from above, its own dew will be washed away, and the plant will waste a lot of energy on its formation.

Caring for sundew at home

For indoor growing, choose the hardiest species of the genus Drosera. In the catalogs of garden centers, nurseries and flower shops they appear side by side with a similar predatory flower - the Venus flytrap. Usually these are D. anglica and D. capensis. When choosing an indoor sundew flower, ask about its exact botanical name and origin.

Lighting

Sundew is kept in a very sunny place in the room. Tropical and subtropical species that grow all year will require additional lighting in winter. Can sundews be grown outside in summer? If the temperature is above 20°C, you can take the flower pot out of the room onto the terrace or balcony.

Light conditions favorable for plant growth and development:

• bright sunny location;
• a thin curtain to protect from direct sunlight at midday;
• location on a sunny balcony in summer.

In spring, plants should be gradually accustomed to bright light over 8–14 days. If you do not follow this rule, the sundew may get sunburned.

Temperature

The optimal temperature for a sundew flower in summer is from 20 to 30°C, in winter - from 10 to 18°C. Outdoors in summer, ideal temperature conditions are from 15 to 30°C. Heat-loving species need about 22°C all year round. For tropical and subtropical sundews, it is important that the temperature does not drop below 18°C ​​even at night.

Humidity and watering

Carry out regular watering from spring to autumn. When caring for sundews, it is better to use rainwater. Tap water is not suitable due to the high content of carbonates (lime). If it is not possible to collect rainwater, then use a mixture of distilled and settled tap water in a ratio of 10:1.

Maintain constant soil moisture in the pot and do not let the substrate dry out between waterings. Pour water until liquid collects in the pan. Or water from a tray (“from below”). Spray sundew every 1-2 days in summer.

Top dressing

Carnivorous plants do not need regular fertilizers. They get nutrients from their prey - caught and digested flies and mosquitoes. If we are talking about feeding insects, then you need to follow two basic rules:

• Do not place dead insects on the sundew.
• Feed no more than 1 insect at a time.

Give the plant a small live fly or mosquito to observe the process of capturing prey.

Transfer

Although the sundew does not use root nutrition, it needs replanting at least once every 2 years. Over time, the substrate loses its qualities, the peat decomposes, and the soil becomes less loose. The best time to transplant is early spring. Completely remove the old soil from the pot, rinse the drainage material and place it back on the bottom. Replace the substrate with fresh carnivorous potting mix.

Soil for sundew:

• peat - 50%;
• washed quartz sand - 20%;
• perlite - 30% perlite.

Many species and varieties of the houseplant Drosera grow slowly, remaining small even after several years.

A new pot for replanting can be taken the same size as the previous one. Plant several plants of the same variety or different ones in one container to make the rosette look denser.

Soil for the predatory Sundew.

The substrate should be prepared on the basis of acidic high peat with an acidity of 3.0-4.0 pH. Before preparing the substrate, perlite must be soaked in distilled water for one and a half to two weeks, draining and replacing the water 3-4 times a week. The substrate is prepared in a ratio of 2:1 or 1:1 (acidic peat: perlite). Perlite allows water and air to pass through very well and also prevents mold from growing. If you do not have the opportunity to prepare such a substrate yourself, you can purchase it from us. You can also add dry sphagnum to the substrate. Sphagnum will help the substrate retain moisture longer and prevent drying out, and it also acts as an antiseptic, disinfecting the soil.

Sundew nutrition

Croton - home care and how to water this plant

As natives of the subtropics, many varieties of sundews take root well and reproduce in captivity, that is, at home. These plants require special care. The most interesting thing in this situation is the issue of nutrition. You don’t have to feed the drossera, hoping to replenish the necessary products from the soil. But then it will grow slower. Therefore, you need to give the sundew 2-3 flies per week, but not very large ones.

Flowerpot for Sundew.

To grow Sundew, you need to use only a plastic pot or glass flowerpot with holes in the bottom so that water can circulate easily. Planting plants in ceramic or clay pots is prohibited. The basis of the substrate for Sundew is high-moor acidic peat. When ceramics interact with such peat, they release harmful salts that have a very detrimental effect on the plant. Therefore, use only plastic or glass pots. The diameter of the plastic pot is 5-15 cm and depends on the size and variety of the plant. The diameter of a glass flowerpot for a florarium is limited only by the size of the plant and your imagination.

Description of the plant

Sundew is a carnivorous plant that grows in swamps; in America it is nicknamed “sun dew.” There are more than 500 species of insectivorous plants; they are located in all parts of the world; even in cold Siberia their representatives can be found.

Often the plant prefers a temperate climate, but can also withstand severe Siberian frosts. The sundew forms a bud, it is frost-resistant and due to this it survives. If desired, it can be stored in a bag that does not allow air or sphagnum moss to pass through for 3-5 months.

Sundew rotundifolia - The flower received this name due to the drops of liquid that stand out on the hairs located on its leaves.

The plant is perennial and can easily grow in cold climates.

When in winter the plant has buried its buds in the moss, in the spring, with the arrival of warmth and the first sun, young annual shoots begin to grow from the buds. The shoots are thin, small and located in the thickness of the moss.

There are leaves on the surface of the moss; one such plant has more than 10 leaves. The leaves are small, about 2 cm in diameter. Each sundew leaf is covered with a large number of fine red hairs.

On each such hair, at the very edge, there is liquid, which is why the plant received such an interesting name. Due to the dew, which is located on thin hairs, the carnivorous sundew preys on insects.

Sundew blossom

Some sundew species produce beautiful color, but not every species can bloom, and you may not even know that your species is a flowering species. Since you can simply miss the growth of the ovaries and their pollination, from which they may die.

Therefore, as soon as the first ovaries appear, the plant must be taken out onto the balcony or street. The insects will do everything themselves. Such pollination can be done independently within a week by transferring pollen from one ovary to another, then the fruit will soon set and a seed box will form. The seeds can be collected and used for further propagation.

Lighting for Sundew.

Sundew loves sunlight very much. Therefore, the flower pot should be placed on the south window, south balcony, on the south side of the house. It is very good for the sundew when it has a long sunny day. In the summer, when the sun becomes very intense, you can make dissected lighting for the plant, that is, use mesh material so that the sun's rays are dissected. To do this, you can use light shading nets, gauze, mosquito nets, and the like. With a lack of light, sundews may lose dew and stop forming new leaves. Dissected sun rays are acceptable, but not shadow. The more sunlight your plant gets, the better it will be for it. At a minimum, the plant should receive 4-5 hours of direct sunlight per day and the rest of the daylight hours should be diffused bright light. But there is a sundew - a special lover of very bright sunlight - Drosera "Paradoxa". When growing this type of sundew, you should not use any nets that cut through the sun's rays. The more sunlight falls on it, the more beautiful and healthy the plant will be. Carnivorous plants do not really like being rotated around an axis, so it is advisable to make some kind of mark on the pot regarding the cardinal direction and try to always adhere to this direction.

Artificial lighting is also suitable. The plant can be illuminated with very bright lamps, daylight or flora, with a power of ~36 W or more - full daylight - 12-16 hours with a lamp, 8 hours - at night, without a lamp. The distance of the lamp from the plant is 10-25 cm. The lamp for the plant should not glow!

We present to you some types of Sundew with photos

Sundew Roundifolia

This is the most common type of Sundew. Most often it is found in peat bogs in temperate climate zones of Europe, America, and Asia. In Russia too. It is surprising that this predatory flower is popularly called affectionately - God's dew, Solar dew, Tsar's eyes, Rosichka. The flower has basal leaves with a rounded leaf plate, which is framed by hairs - red tentacles that secrete sticky mucus. The plant has a stem about 20 cm long. It blooms in mid-summer with white flowers. The fruits ripen in late summer in the form of single-lobed capsules. This species reproduces by seeds, which are collected in the fall and sown in greenhouses on the surface of moist peat soil. This is a winter-hardy species of Sundew. By winter, it forms special wintering buds, which go deeper into the thickness of sphagnum moss. When the sun begins to warm up and the snow melts, annual shoots appear from these buds.

This may be interesting: Types and varieties of Venus flytrap

The ground part of the round-leaved sundew is used for medicinal purposes. It contains ascorbic acid, tannins and dyes, organic acids. Decoctions of Sundew leaves are used for coughs as an expectorant (see above).

Sundew Cape

This type of Sundew is the most beautiful. It is most often grown at home. It grows all year round. An absolutely unpretentious plant. Can adapt to any living conditions. The Cape Sundew has a low stem, thin elongated leaves and numerous attractive white flowers. The plant reaches only 12 cm in height. But this does not prevent him from being just as dangerous a predator for insects as his tall relatives. The Cape Sundew has white hairs - tentacles with dew droplets at the ends, with the help of which the flower catches and absorbs food. The process of digesting prey usually takes several days.

Sundew Intermediate

This type of carnivorous plant is found most often in peat bogs in the United States, Cuba, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and in many places in Europe. This is a low plant, five to eight cm in height. Its leaves are collected in a basal rosette and have an arched, back-lanceolate shape. The surface of the leaves is covered with numerous red hairs with glands, at the ends of which droplets of sticky mucus are secreted to hold and swallow insects. Flowering of Intermediate Sundew occurs in July – August. The flowers are white, very small. The plant does not have a winter dormancy period. It is considered the easiest to grow indoors.

English sundew

English sundew is poisonous

This species grows in the Hawaiian Islands, and is also common in Russia, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Prefers damp, sandy and sphagnum bogs. The height of the plant ranges from 7 to 25 cm. The leaves are thin on long petioles, reach a size of 10 cm, and are directed upward. Their shape is lanceolate. Blooms in mid-summer with white flowers. The fruit is a single-locular capsule with grayish-brown seeds. English Sundew is a poisonous representative of predatory plants and has medicinal properties. Use the entire above-ground part of a healthy plant. However, it is strictly prohibited to use blackened or dark brown grass for medicinal purposes due to its high toxicity.

All parts of English sundew contain ascorbic acid and other organic acids, naphthoquinones, and enzymes similar to pepsin. The plant has anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, bactericidal, diuretic, antispasmodic, expectorant and sedative effects.

Sundew Bisyllabic

This species of Sundew is native to New Zealand, Stewart Island, the Chattam Archipelago, and the southern coastal regions of Australia. Some varieties of this plant grow and bloom with white flowers all year round. Others go into a dormant state in winter. Sundew bisyllabic differs from others in its narrow, branching, forked leaves and impressive height - up to 60 cm.

Alicia's Sundew

Alicia's sundew hairs move prey to the center of the leaf

This subtropical sundew species came to us from South Africa. It has unusual leaves - in the shape of miniature plates, the surface of which is covered with numerous hairs - tentacles with droplets of mucus at the tips. These hairs are very sensitive. At the slightest touch they begin to move, bend and move their prey to the center of the sheet. Gradually, the leaf curls up around the insect and turns into something like a small stomach. When digestion is complete, the leaf unfolds and is again covered with drops of sweet, fragrant dew. Alicia's sundew blooms in racemes with small pink flowers.

Burman's sundew

Burman's sundew leaves wrap around prey in a few seconds

Grows in subtropical areas of Australia and Southeast Asia. The difference from other species is that it is the fastest carnivorous plant in the Sundew family in swallowing insects. Its leaves wrap around the prey in a few seconds, while in other Sundews this process takes minutes or even hours. Burman's Sundew has short stems and wedge-shaped leaves 10 cm long, forming a dense basal rosette. White flowers form tall racemes. There are up to three of them on one plant. The plant reproduces by seeds. Flowers on a long peduncle are self-pollinating. This species received its name after the scientist Johannes Burman, who first described it in his book “On the Flora of Ceylon” in 1737.

Sundew Filamentous

This rather large representative grows up to 50 cm in height. It has erect, linear, shimmering leaves. This species has two subspecies. The first subspecies includes the Threaded Sundew, Florida Red and Florida Giant. The second subspecies, Threaded Sundew variety Trace, grows in the northern Gulf Coast.

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Sundew Otryskovaya

The sundew can reproduce with its mustache

Sundew grows at an altitude of 1200 meters above sea level on the cliffs and rocky shores of Australia. Small heart-shaped leaves on long petioles form a dense rosette with a diameter of about 6 cm. In the hot season, the leaves are pale green and yellowish in color. With the arrival of cold weather, they change their color to orange, red and purple. New specimens of the plant are formed on the peduncle where they come into contact with the ground and spread very quickly. In addition to traditional methods of reproduction, Sundew propagates, like our strawberries, by tendrils that form on the plant after it blooms. The speed of swallowing prey in this sundew species is average - folding a leaf around the victim takes about 20 minutes.

Sundew Glanduligera

The glanduligera sundew, with the help of the movement of its shoots, throws the insect into the center of the leaf, like a catapult

The glanduliger sundew has a unique mechanism that, like a catapult, throws the insect into the center of the leaf. This process is carried out with the help of the movement of the processes, which, due to changes in fluid pressure at the base of the processes, move at lightning speed (16 cm per second). Scientists biologists discovered this feature recently, and the process has not been fully studied. It is only known that such a process works only once. After which it dies, and a new one grows in its place.

Rosyanka Chereshkova

Sundew petiole has small trap leaves compared to other species

Grows in Australia and New Guinea. It has long narrow leaves forming a basal rosette from 5 to 30 cm in diameter and 15 cm in height. Compared to other sundew species, petiolate trap leaves are small. This is explained by the fact that it grows in areas with a hot climate, with temperatures up to 30 - 40 degrees. and lack of moisture. The flowers are common for Sundews, white.

Sundew Limonnikova

Schisandra sundew is also called jagged sundew or heart sundew.

It grows in Australia on the heavily shaded sandy banks of streams in the state of Queensland. A distinctive feature of this species is the notch at the top of the flat oval leaves. For this, she was nicknamed the jagged or heart-shaped Sundew. This is the most capricious species of Sundews to care for. This is explained by the fact that Schisandra Sundew has very thin, almost “papery” leaves, which are easily damaged and require high humidity. It also needs a lot of aeration. It will only grow in a dark place where the sun's rays do not reach.

Sundew Cistus

Sundew Cistus has the largest flowers

This species grows only in Africa, in the Northern and Southern Cape provinces of South Africa. This Sundew received its name due to the similarity of the inflorescences with flowers of the Cistus family. The plant is active during the colder months in moist, sandy substrates. In the extreme hot and dry conditions of South Africa (November-March), the plant survives by storing water and nutrients in the thick, fleshy and fibrous roots. The height of the stem reaches 40 cm; the leaves, 2 to 5 cm long, have no petioles and are located directly on the stems. The color of the leaves ranges from yellowish-green to red. Sundew Cistus has the largest flowers, more than 6 cm in diameter, which bloom in August-September.

This species is very variable. Almost every plant differs in its shape, height and leaf color. The color of the inflorescences can also be very different - from white, pink and orange, to crimson and red. In the vicinity of Darling, South Africa, you can find a rare, endangered form of Sundew Cistus, blooming bright red, with black veins down the center of the flower, making the flower very similar to a blooming poppy.

It can be assumed that the species of Cistus Sundew will be divided into subspecies and varieties in the near future.

Rosyanka Ordynskaya

Horde Sundew grows on sandy soils in Western Australia. A distinctive feature is wide petioles, densely covered with silvery tentacle hairs. The plant forms rosettes from 8 cm to 30 cm in diameter. The numerous leaves of Sundew Ordynskaya consist of a long, hairy petiole supporting an almost round leaf blade covered with tentacles. During the dry season, the leaves become smaller and dormant. Flowering occurs from December to April. The flowers are white and pink, about 1.5 cm in diameter. The plant requires a lot of light, the optimal growing temperature is +18...+30 °C. Does not withstand frost.

Sundew Bulbous

This is a low, broad-leaved, tuberous plant about 6 cm in diameter. The color of the leaves at the beginning of the growing season is pale green, and towards the end of the growing season it gradually becomes golden yellow and redder. Sundew bulbous grows in Western Australia. It has a typical rosette of leaves. It blooms from April to June with white flowers. The difference is the presence of yellow pollen and stems that form an annular space (crown) around the open tip of the ovary.

In this article we introduced you to the types and varieties. Read more about caring for Sundew at home.

Feeding the Sundew.

For any carnivorous plants, insects are fertilizers. In order for the Sundew to live and develop well, it does not need to eat too many insects, only 3-4 insects per year. If you want to feed the plant, then you need to remember that it cannot be overfed, because... it can become oversaturated with fertilizers from insects. You can feed it no more than once every 3-4 weeks - just one insect per leaf! If the insects are very small, for example, fruit flies or mosquitoes, then the sundew can eat more of them. Prey is usually digested from 2 days to a month, depending on the size and density of the insect. The plant from the insect sucks out the necessary nutrients, and the chitin remains. Under no circumstances should carnivorous plants be fed with anything other than insects. This is detrimental to the plant. Sundews live remarkably well for several months in a row without feeding at all. So in winter you don’t have to worry about feeding at all. And in spring, summer and autumn, the plant will independently find its prey. When purchasing a sundew, many are sure that it always wraps its leaves around the victim. But this is not entirely true. It takes a plant a lot of energy to roll a leaf. But the plant is not so stupid as to waste its energy at random. If the victim is very large and there are enough nutrients in it to replenish the energy expended on curling, and still reach the whole plant for good growth, then the sundew will curl the leaf around the insect. But if the insect is very small, then the sundew will only turn all its nearest antennae with dew towards the victim. Each sundew leaf can be folded up to 4 times. But there are sundews that do not fold their leaves at all, but only pull their dewy antennae towards the victim. These are, for example, Drosera Adelae, as well as filamentous sundews (Drosera Filiformis, “Hybrida”, etc.). Humidity and air temperature. Humidity is 45-70%, as for most indoor plants. Home conditions are acceptable. Air temperature in summer is 25-35 °C.

What does Rosyanka look like?

Sundew is a perennial herbaceous carnivorous plant, at the base of which a dense rosette of leaves is formed. The petiolate or sessile leaves along the edges and their entire surface are covered with hairs, which, when in contact with living insects, become irritated and secrete an aromatic sticky substance that has paralytic properties and is similar in composition to digestive enzymes. It is with the help of this liquid that the flycatcher hunts insects. The liquid contains organic acids such as formic, citric, malic, ascorbic and benzoic, as well as digestive enzymes such as pepsin. They break down insect proteins into simpler compounds that the plant can assimilate.

Interestingly, Charles Darwin, while conducting numerous observations and experiments with Sundew rotundifolia, discovered that the plant is able to digest even pieces of cartilage and bone. After digestion of the insect, nothing remains of it except the chitinous shell, and even that is soon washed off from the surface of the opened leaf by rain or blown away by the wind.

The leaves of different sundew species vary greatly in size and shape. Their length ranges from 5 mm for the dwarf growing in Australia to two meters for the Royal, which is found in southern African countries.

Sundew is a flowering plant. Flowering occurs in the spring and summer months. At this time, long stems appear from the center of the leaf rosette. Sundew flowers are collected in an inflorescence - a spike of bright pink, white or cream color. A flower with a double perianth and a corolla consisting of several petals - from four to eight (usually five). The number of stamens is equal to the number of petals. The pistil forms a single ovary with a large number of seeds. The ovary is superior, rounded. The fruits usually appear in August. They are capsules with numerous small spindle-shaped seeds. The fruit opens into three doors.

Under natural conditions, Sundew reproduces by self-sowing. The seeds fall onto the soil and germinate a year later. Some species of Sundews are capable of self-pollinating, others need the help of insects. But, in all flycatchers, the stem with the flowers located at the top is much longer than the trap leaves, so pollinating insects do not get caught on the sticky fibers of the leaves, which is very important during plant pollination.

Wintering of the Sundew.

Most sundews are representatives of tropical or subtropical flora. They do not need a period of rest (wintering), but they definitely need additional lighting in the autumn-winter period. The additional illumination time is determined by a simple calculation: the length of daylight hours + so much artificial lighting time so that the total amount is 12 hours. For example, on the 20th of December we have 8 hours of daylight, which means we need to provide additional lighting for 4 hours. But there are sundews that naturally grow in temperate climates, that is, where there is a change of seasons, there is spring, warm summer, autumn and cool winter. In winter, these sundews rest, can partially or completely shed their leaves and form a wintering bud on the surface of the substrate, from which new beautiful dewy leaves will grow in the spring. Sundews of temperate climates include, for example: Drosera Filiformis Red, Drosera Filiformis, Drosera “Hybrida”, etc. Without this dormant period, the plant will be weak and may die. It is best for wintering to take place on the shortest sunny days. You can also navigate by the weather - with the arrival of cold weather, you can prepare for the winter. Until this moment, all these plants can live wonderfully outdoors all season long (outside in the yard, on the balcony, on the window). When the temperature drops to +7...+5, and even light frosts on the soil can occur at night, it means it’s time to winter. Usually this is November. We treat the plant with a fungicide to prevent mold from forming - Fitosporin M paste or Fundazol are very suitable. To do this, just spray the plant intensively with a spray bottle. A pot with a plant without a tray can be packed in a plastic bag, zip bag or plastic container; small holes must be left or made to allow some oxygen to flow in. About once every 2 weeks you need to check the soil for moisture and the absence of mold. The substrate in the pot should be slightly moist. Do not dry out under any circumstances. If there is not enough moisture, add a little water from above directly under the root. Plants that require a period of rest can be placed for wintering in a refrigerator, cellar, basement, on a glazed balcony, etc. The main condition for wintering is a low temperature ranging from +2 to +7 degrees. Higher temperatures are not suitable, since at high temperatures the plant’s vegetation does not slow down and it does not fully rest. The refrigerator is usually a stable +5, so this is the ideal temperature. Rosyanka does not need lighting at all during the wintering period. A baby and a teenager hibernate for 2.5-3 months, an adult Sundew winters for 3-4 months. Exit from wintering - as soon as the plants have spent the required period of rest, we take them out into the warmth, place them in a pan of water in bright light and continue to care for them as usual.

What does Sundew eat?

The structure of the trap leaves of the flower is quite original, corresponding to the type of nutrition of the Sundew. Their entire surface is covered with numerous hairs. At the tip of each hair, a drop of dew sparkles in the sun, which is not dew at all, but sticky, sticky mucus, which with its aroma attracts the attention of small insects and deprives them of the opportunity to escape. Having landed on a flower, flies, mosquitoes, midges instantly stick. Of course, they begin to desperately break out of their sticky captivity. But the sundew leaf is unusually sensitive. The lightest touch of a mosquito is enough for all its hairs to move, bending in an effort to cover the prey with sticky mucus and move it to the middle of the leaf. The leaf immediately begins to curl up around the victim and, with the help of enzymes located in the center of the leaf on the digestive villi, paralyzes, immobilizes the prey and begins to digest it. The digestion process lasts for different types of sundews from several minutes to a week, after which the petals unfurl again and are covered with sparkling dewdrops. The flower freezes in anticipation of its next victim.

Interestingly, the plant does not react in any way when small debris, sand, earth, pieces of bark or raindrops fall on the leaf. It has been scientifically established that Sundew tentacles only respond to organic objects that have nutritional value.

In the wild, Sundew settles in swampy or sandy places where the soil is poor in nitrogen. Therefore, having caught and digested the next victim, the plant makes up for the lack of nitrogen and other minerals, such as magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium. In Russia there are only three species of Sundew: round-leaved, intermediate and English. They grow in the temperate climate of the European part of the country, the Far East and Siberia. They withstand cold winters by forming special, tightly folded, overwintering buds. Such buds can be stored in an airtight bag with sphagnum moss for up to five months.

This may be interesting: Sundew - care at home

Change of leaf at Rosyanka.

Sundews constantly change leaves. The old leaves die off from the bottom, and new ones grow from the center. When the leaves die, they turn black and dry out. It is not necessary to cut them off, but you can do this to make the plant look more aesthetically pleasing. It is important to know that you cannot tear off blackened leaves, because... You can damage the plant or tear it off from the base. Blackened leaves must be cut off, leaving 2-5 mm from the beginning of growth. The color of a healthy sundew leaf can range from completely green to completely red. This depends on the time of year, lighting, substrate composition and temperature conditions, in some cases on the Rosyanka variety. The temperature regime in this case is the fluctuations in day and night temperatures. The greater the temperature changes, the greater the likelihood of sundew coloring, if this is inherent in this variety.

The most popular species of carnivorous plant in floriculture

Round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) is found in marshy areas of the Northern Hemisphere. The leaves are small and rounded in the form of a blade, located on long petioles and covered with many cilia-hairs.

Drosera 'Roseana' is an Australian dwarf species (1-2 cm) that reproduces by viviparous gem buds - modified leaves produced to create a new sundew that is genetically identical to the mother plant.
Gems form inside a leaf rosette and germinate very quickly. The pink or greenish leaves of "Roseana" are densely covered with thin glands, making them look like fluffy balls.

Derby sundew (Drosera Derbyensis) is endemic to Western Australia.

The leaf petioles, collected in a basal rosette, are numerous, narrow and slightly pubescent, and the leaf blade itself is tiny and round with pink hairs.

Cape sundew (Drosera capensis) is a species native to Africa. The height of narrow green-yellow or red-brown petioles with blade-shaped leaves is about 15 cm.

It has beautiful blooms with dark pink or pale pink flowers. This type of sundew has become widespread in home culture.

Drosera affinis is another tropical crop species that adapts to a wide range of temperatures thanks to its characteristic thin petioles and leaf blades reaching a height of 25 cm.
In home cultivation it is represented by the Namibia variety. On a flower shoot up to 30 cm high, about 13 flowers are formed, which open alternately.

Alicia's sundew (D. aliciae) is a perennial tropical plant with a low basal rosette of 30 densely arranged oblong reddish or green leaves that reach 25-30 mm in length and 7 mm in width.
Leaf stems are absent. The lower leaves die off over time. The inflorescence of this species consists of approximately 2-12 purple flowers, which bloom alternately.

Royal sundew (D. regia) is native to South Africa. It got its name thanks to the long, up to 50 cm in height, spear-shaped leaves that form a crown. It forms several peduncles at once, reaching a height of 60-90 cm.

Lilac flowers are collected in loose inflorescences. The capture mechanism is very unusual - the leaves around the captured insects are wrapped as if in a knot!

Drosera nidiformis is an easily cultivated species from South Africa. D. nidiformis exhibits a reddish tint to the petioles and leaves when grown in bright light conditions. Does not tolerate cold temperatures.

When capturing a prey, the leaf curls around it to ensure contact with as many digestive glands as possible.

There are also a large number of such magnificent hybrids and cultivars as Drosera falconeri, D. capensis x pululata, D. dielsiana x nidiformis, D. Pululata, hybrid sundew “Charles Darwin”, etc.

Sundew pests.

It is very rare, but sometimes it happens that sundews are attacked by aphids. It is very small and white. To successfully combat this aphid, it is enough to treat the plant once with a spray bottle (spray) with some anti-aphid preparation purchased at a garden store. The main thing is that on the packaging of the drug, in the list of which insects it fights, aphids are also listed. “Aktara” is also effective against aphids. Sundew is constantly in a humid environment, so it is susceptible to disease from various types of pests and fungi. Means for treating plants against pests and diseases: - Aktara - an insecticide with enteric contact action. Very effective against small insects that have settled in the substrate and aphids. — Confidor maxi very successfully fights against aphids, which can sometimes settle on sundews, butterworts, etc. Yes, and with other insects this remedy is very effective. — Fitosporin M paste is a biofungicide for protecting plants from fungal and bacterial diseases. — Fundazol is a fungicide and disinfectant with a broad spectrum of action against a large number of fungal diseases.

If you grow Drosera in accordance with the above conditions, you will have strong, healthy plants that will delight you for many years. With proper care, Drosera lives 5-7 years and during this time reproduces many times.

Common types

It is impossible to describe all types of sundews - there are several hundred of them. Here is just a brief description of several of the most popular and visually interesting varieties.

• Round-leaved. It is found in Asia, America and Europe, thriving in temperate climates. Frequent guest in Russia. Popularly called the king's eyes, solar dew, God's dew. The leaves are basal, round in shape, the tentacle hairs are colored red. It blooms in mid-summer, producing a long (about 20 cm) stem on which small white flowers are attached. Propagated by seeds according to the principle of self-sowing or by the cultural greenhouse method. Winters well.
• Cape. A favorite guest on home windowsills and photos of amateur gardeners. Unpretentious in maintenance, grows all year round. The dimensions are small, only one rosette, from which several dozen elongated leaves extend. At the ends of the green “feathers” there are hairs with droplets of poisonous gluten. The process of digestion of trapped insects takes 1-2 days.

Round-leaved

Cape

• Intermediate. It is found in peat bogs in South America, as well as the USA and partly in Europe. Can adapt to home conditions and does not require special attention. The height of the plant is only 5-8 cm, the leaves are lanceolate in shape and tend to arch in the opposite direction. The surface is covered with glandular villi, at the tips of which a sticky secretion is secreted. The flowers are small and white. There is no winter dormancy; reproduction occurs in all the ways described above.
• English. Distributed in the Caucasus, CIS countries, and Hawaiian Islands. It grows in wet swamps, reaching a height of 7-25 cm. The leaves are thin, stretch upward, and become teardrop-shaped at the ends. The tops of the stems are covered with pink hairs. Flowering begins in mid-summer. The plant has a wide range of medicinal properties, actively used in folk medicine.
• Alicia. Homeland - subtropical forests of South Africa. It is distinguished by an unusual configuration of leaves that visually resemble miniature saucers. On the surface there are dense rows of hairy tentacles of a pinkish-red hue. The scheme for capturing a victim and digesting it is classic - the insect sticks to the viscous dew, the leaf slams shut, opening after the nutritional juices have been completely absorbed into the plant.

Alicia

English

Intermediate

Growing Sundews from Seeds

Plant seeds are very fine, like dust, and require special care when handling them.

Dilute the fungicide in distilled water in a proportion of 1 g per 1 l, respectively 0.1 g per 0.1 l. Shake well until dissolved. Place the substrate in the lower part of the mini-greenhouse. Spray with fungicide solution. Place the seeds on the surface of the substrate, do not bury them on top. Seeds must see light. Close the mini-greenhouse with a lid and place it in a tray with distilled water on a southern windowsill, or under a phytolamp (minimum 36 Watt) for 14-16 hours/day. They germinate at a temperature of 20-25 °C, with high air humidity and good lighting, in 3 - 4 weeks; germination can take up to several months. You only need to water into the tray. Plants are swampy, so it is necessary that there is always a little water in the pan, about 0.5-1.5 cm. After the seedlings have reached a size of 1-2 cm, they must be transplanted into separate pots. For transplantation, you can use tweezers and a toothpick.

How does sundew reproduce?

Sundew can be propagated by seeds, cuttings or division of the mother plant. All methods require caution. Beginners should try vegetative propagation first.

Using cuttings

Cut a stalk - a trap leaf 4 cm long. Fill a small pot with soil for carnivorous plants, add moss. Spray the substrate with rainwater. Place the leaf cutting with the hairs facing up, pressing lightly to ensure a snug fit to the ground. Place the pot in a partially shaded, warm area. Cuttings take 2–3 weeks to root, and the first shoots may appear after 5 weeks.

How to grow from seeds

The advantage of this propagation method is the ability to obtain a large number of young plants at the same time. Distribute the seeds on the surface of the substrate, sprayed with soft water. Press lightly on top. Cover the seed pot with cling film. The development of sundews from sowing seeds to obtaining an adult plant takes about 12 months.

Dividing the bush

Try growing a daughter sundew by dividing the mother bush. The task is made easier by the fact that plants can form several leaf rosettes from one root. Cut off the “babies” and place them in pots filled with moist substrate. Place in a bright and warm place. Maintain constant humidity and ventilate the plants regularly.

Planting and replanting Rosyanka:

1. Wet the substrate thoroughly with distilled water. 2. Place the moistened substrate in a plastic pot, filling it to the very edges, to the top. There is no need to compact the substrate very tightly. 3. Make a deep hole in the center. 4. If you are replanting a plant from a pot or from a mini-greenhouse, use tweezers, loosen the substrate, and carefully remove the plant from the root. Be careful, the roots are thin and long. 5. Carefully lower the entire root system of the plant in the center of the pot into the hole made in the substrate. Before the leaves begin to grow. It is very important that the roots of the plant are well buried. Try to touch the root of the plant with your hands as little as possible. For these purposes, it is very convenient to use tweezers or medical gloves. 6. Bury the remaining hole near the root. There is no need to hill up the plant. The substrate should be positioned horizontally to the very edge of the pot. 7. Place the planted pot with the plant in a deep tray. Pour distilled water into a 4-6 cm tray. 8. In summer, after planting, place the plant under diffused lighting for 3-4 days. After this time, place the plant in dissected sunlight. In autumn, spring and winter, when the sun is not too hot, after planting, immediately place the plant in bright light.

How can a plant hunt?

Hunting is the most important aspect of proper nutrition. In order for it to grow quickly, you need to know how it hunts.

1. It has special glands.
2. Thanks to them, small drops of a substance are produced that attracts insects.
3. The petals are completely covered with sticky hairs.
4. Having sat on such a petal, the insect sticks to it.
5. The plant senses this and curls up.
6. The victim falls into a kind of trap.

The insect can remain in such a trap for more than a week, slowly killing its prey. After this, the petal opens and again secretes a sticky substance. Most often, the predator can be seen in swampy areas. It is here that the flower feels a lack of nitrogen, and having caught the victim, the sundew receives the required amount of the substance it lacks. The hunting process is quite exciting, but it is rare.

Interesting facts about the carnivorous plant Sundew.

Carnivorous plants are not poisonous! Moreover, sundews are medicinal plants.

Sundews have been used as medicinal herbs as early as the 12th century, when an Italian physician from the School of Salerno, Mattei Platearius, described the plant as an herbal cough remedy called herba sole. It is widely used in cough preparations in Germany and other European countries. Tea with sundew was especially recommended by herbalists for dry coughs, bronchitis, whooping cough, and aspirin. Modern research has shown that Drosera exhibits antitussive properties. Culbreth's 1927 Materia Medica listed D. rotundifolia, D. anglica and D. linearis as stimulants and expectorants, and for the treatment of bronchitis, whooping cough and tuberculosis. Sundews have also been used as an aphrodisiac and to strengthen the heart, as well as to treat sunburn, toothache, and prevent freckles. Today, sundew is commonly used to treat conditions such as asthma, coughs, lung infections, and stomach ulcers. Medicines are mainly prepared using roots, flowers and leaves. Since all native sundew species are protected in many parts of Europe and North America, extracts are usually prepared using cultivated fast-growing sundews (especially D. rotundifolia, D. intermedia, D. anglica, D. ramentacea and D. madagascariensis) or from plants collected and imported from Madagascar, Spain, France, Finland and the Baltic countries. The drug droserine, obtained from an extract from sundew extracted at low temperatures, is widely known. In folk medicine, sundew found some use: the juice of its glands was used externally to exterminate warts; sundew was used internally as a diaphoretic and diuretic, for fevers, and for eye diseases. In Italy, sundew is used to prepare the liqueur “Rosolio”, and used to be part of the so-called “aqua auri”.

Sundew as a house plant

In temperate climates, the plant is mainly grown as an indoor flower. First of all, it requires plenty of natural light. In describing sundew care, experts pay attention to the origin of species of this genus. Plants from the subtropics and tropics are demanding in terms of keeping conditions. The hardiest sundews are those that live in temperate climates.

The most popular and easy to care for:

Most species from the tropics or subtropics require a lot of light, high humidity and special conditions for a dormant period. They are less suitable for beginners than the plants listed in the table.

Description

Sundew leaves collected in a rosette, depending on the species, can be green, light green, yellow or reddish. Shape: small and round, long and wide or narrow, lying almost on the ground or petiolate. The length of the petioles on which the leaves are located ranges from 2 to 15 cm.

Growing a Venus flytrap at home - read here

The swampy peatlands on which the predator plant grows are practically devoid of nutrients, so over the years of evolution the sundew has been able to develop an unusual way of feeding with the help of insects.

Its traps are covered with thin, sensitive glandular red hairs that resemble cilia. The hairs produce a fragrant sticky substance, which is a digestive secretion of the predator plant and appears in the form of a droplet at the top of each hair.

Insects, attracted by the aroma, land on the leaf, and the sticky secretion immobilizes them, and the leaf slowly closes and the digestion process begins with the help of enzymes and formic acid. The process of food absorption takes several days.

Sundew flowers are produced on flower stems that are long enough to prevent the insects that pollinate them from getting caught in traps. The flowers of most species open only in the sun.

They are small - about 1.5 cm, but there are species with flowers 4-5 cm in diameter. Flowering occurs in late spring and summer and lasts 2-3 months. Such prolonged flowering can weaken the plant and affect its appearance.

The root system of all sundews is weak, although well developed. The roots of the crop are necessary only for water absorption and holding the plant on the soil surface.

In temperate climates in winter, the plant goes dormant and overwinters under the snow. Subtropical species grow all year round. There is an even larger group of Australian members of this genus whose underground tuberous thickening of roots helps them survive drought.

Healing properties of sundew rotundifolia video

Sundew is truly a unique plant in nature. It is very difficult to find to use for medicinal purposes. Exotic lovers dream of adding this plant to their home collection, but they must also remember that this is a predatory plant. It may not be safe for small children or pets, because sundews attract not only insects with their bright colors.

← Common chicory: medicinal properties, contraindications and features of the plant’s use ← Field grass: beneficial properties of the plant and use in folk medicine

Sundew Reproduction

Sundew - what kind of carnivorous plant is there
? There are three ways to propagate a flower. Let's look at them in order.

Sundew propagation by seeds

Fresh sundew seeds are placed in a container on damp moss and covered with a lid or polyethylene. The container is placed in a bright, warm place. The temperature of seed germination should be above 25 degrees. Within a month, the seedlings should sprout. Purchased seeds take much longer to germinate – up to five months. When they have three or four leaves, they can be transplanted into small pots with suitable soil. The first leaves of young Sundews are not yet carnivorous, since the plant is not yet ready to digest food. They will become adult plants in about four months.

Sundew propagation by dividing the bush

Sometimes a daughter rosette branches off from the main bush. It can be planted in your own personal pot without damaging the mother plant.

Sometimes, the overgrown basal rosette of Sundew leaves is divided into parts so that each has its own part of the root system. The cut areas are sprinkled with crushed coal. Each part is planted in its own pot. Rooting occurs quickly.

Propagation of Sundews by leaf cuttings

The cuttings prepared for rooting can be placed in a glass of water, adding rooting preparations, or rooted in a substrate of peat, sand and moss. In any case, make a greenhouse for the rooting period, covering the container with the cuttings with at least polyethylene. Make sure that the cutting has enough light, warmth and moisture. Then rooting will be successful.

Diseases

If the sticky droplets on the leaves of the Sundew begin to dry out, it means that the plant does not have enough moisture - the air in the room is too dry and there is little watering. Spray the flower. Place the pot in a tray with damp expanded clay. If you have a terrarium, cover the flower in it for a while and let it absorb moisture. Most likely, everything will work out.

If the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry, perhaps you often overwater the plant and the root system has rotted. You need to water with soft water without fertilizers and minerals. The flower must be removed from the pot and the rotten roots must be cut off. Transplant the plant into new soil, having disinfected the old pot beforehand.

If the sundews lose dew on the leaves and the leaf itself withers, it means the plant does not like the soil mixture in which it grows. The sundew should be urgently transplanted into a substrate suitable for its cultivation.

Pests

Insects often become prey to the plant, so they try not to bother it over trifles. Sometimes, however, aphids or spider mites appear. If you find sucking parasites on the plant, carefully spray the lower parts of the leaves with a preparation - an insecticide such as Fitoverm or Actellik according to the instructions. The procedure is repeated after a few days until the pests are completely eliminated. If aphids are infested on a peduncle, then it is better to remove the affected peduncle, since Sundew spends a lot of effort and energy on the formation of flowers, and they will be needed for the recovery of the plant.

Sundew is a very unusual indoor plant. You need to take good care of it, constantly worry about whether it is thirsty or starving. You can watch with interest how it eats. Probably none of your friends have such a pet. Buy this gentle green predator, tame it and enjoy its beauty and aroma for many years!

Where does the marsh insectivorous plant sundew (drosera) grow?

The sundew is a herbaceous, insectivorous plant found in many temperate regions around the globe.

There are about a hundred species of sundews around the globe, and sundews that grow in the tropics are much larger than their northern neighbors. In particular, in Australia there is a giant sundew, the stem of which reaches 60–100 cm. And in South Africa there is a royal sundew, which digests snails and toads.

In the flora of some countries, for example Belarus, in addition to the usual round-leaved one, three more species of these plants are found. In northern latitudes you can find a marsh plant, English sundew, with elongated leaves. Less common is the intermediate sundew, the name of which indicates that the shape of its leaves occupies an intermediate position between round, like the round-leaved sundew, and elongated, oblong, like the English sundew. And even less common in our country is the obovate sundew.

All these and other types of sundews reach the Arctic zone and can grow directly on rocks in the absence of peat moss. Several species of sundew live in Australia, Brazil, and the Cape of Good Hope. The giant sundew, growing in Australia, has a stem height of 60 cm and is covered with narrow leaves. The plant looks like a shrub. And if our sundews are content with only small insects, then the prey of the Australian sundew can be more significant. Its victims include snails, frogs and mice. In North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, sundews that grow there are hung on walls to control flies. Perhaps the invention of sticky paper was prompted by these plants.

Sundew grows where there are sphagnum bogs or damp sand, near lakes, in damp meadows.

Sundew is a predator plant according to V. Alexandrova

Aphids on houseplants - how to fight them at home

A swarm of midges usually hover over the swamp.

One of the little mosquitoes settled on a sundew leaf. Either he was tired and needed to sit down somewhere to rest or spread his wings, or he was attracted by the red color of the leaf, shiny drops like dew, and their peculiar smell, one way or another, the mosquito carelessly sits right on the edge of the leaf. And what? Suddenly he feels that his paws are stuck to something. He tries to fly away, but it didn’t work out that way. It turns out that the shiny droplets are not dew at all, but thick and very sticky mucus, to which the mosquito stuck, like a fly to sticky paper. The mosquito wants to tear off its leg but cannot. Sticky, thick mucus stretches, but does not come off. The mosquito twitches and escapes, but in doing so it only touches more and more droplets of mucus. Not only were his paws stuck, but also his wings. The more it beats and moves, the more it becomes enveloped in thick transparent glue.

And suddenly something completely strange, almost mysterious, happens. Thin red hairs on the leaf slowly begin to move... Looking at this moment through a magnifying glass at a sundew leaf, it seems as if you see in front of you not a leaf of a weak plant, but some kind of terrible monster, capturing tasty prey with its many paws.

After about half an hour, the leaf blade itself closes over the caught mosquito, like the closed palm of a hand.

When, after two or three days, the sundew leaf opens again, only the remains of the mosquito will appear on its surface: wings, legs and yellow abdominal rings; everything else is destroyed - sucked up by the leaf.

How can this leaf suck in a mosquito?

It turns out that after the mosquito is already caught, the mucus becomes more liquid and acidic. Each hair begins to secrete formic acid, i.e. the same acid that ants spray when defending themselves from enemies.

And now, with the combined effort of all the tentacle hairs, the mosquito is doused with formic acid from all sides. After all, there are about two hundred tentacles on each leaf! And along with formic acid, the tentacles also secrete a special solvent substance, like the one found in the stomach of humans and animals.

Thus, the sundew leaf turns into a small stomach, and the “dew” that glistened on its tentacles turns into digestive juice. The mosquito in this juice liquefies and dissolves; Then it is sucked up by a sundew leaf. Only wings, legs and hard abdominal rings cannot dissolve in this juice. They remain from the mosquito like “horns and legs.”

Having received the necessary nutrients, the leaf seems to rest. Its tentacles straighten and remain dry for some time. The wind blows away undigested food residues from them. And then sticky “dew” appears on the leaf again, and the victim can stick to it.

Sundew rotundifolia

Small mosquitoes and midges get the worst of it, but sometimes larger insects - flies and even butterflies - stick to the sundew.

We talked about the sundew with round leaves. It is called round-leaved sundew. In total, there are about 100 species of sundews on the globe. They can be found in Europe, in Asia, in Africa, in America, and even in distant Australia.

Transfer

Sundew is transplanted in early spring, when its winter dormancy period ends. The soil is prepared from a mixture of peat, sand and sphagnum moss in approximately equal parts. Fluff all the components of the mixture well to make the soil light and loose. When replanting, try not to crush the soil too much with your hands. The acidity should be pH 4 or lower. The pot should be shallow, with drainage holes in the bottom. Shake off the old substrate completely from the root system. Also remove rotten or damaged roots. The replanting should be repeated every spring due to the fact that the substrate strongly cakes, oxygen ceases to flow to the roots, and they gradually die. If you skip the replanting procedure for a couple of years, the plant will die. With good home care, Sundews live a long time - up to 50 years. After transplanting, the dew disappears from the leaves of the Rosyanka for several days - this is a normal phenomenon. At this time, you can arrange a greenhouse for the flower - cover the pot with film to maintain a high level of humidity and prevent shock. In a maximum of a week, dew should appear again.

If you have a wide container, then you can plant several specimens of Sundew in it at once, even different species, as long as their leaves do not interfere with each other.

Slide Captions

Slide 1

Rosyanka Prepared by: Trishkin Vlad 3 “G” class

Slide 2

What is a sundew? A swamp insectivorous plant. Sundew gets its name from the word “dew”. Its scientific name, drosera, comes from the Greek word drosos, meaning “dew drops.”

Slide 3

Types of sundews This perennial plant produces vertical rosettes that can vary greatly in length - from tiny, about 1 cm, to meters - depending on which of the 164 species of sundews it belongs to. Some of the species can reach a height of three meters. And although these plants look fragile, they are surprisingly hardy and can be over 50 years old. Dwarf sundew Roundleaf

Slide 4

Types of sundews in Russia In Russia and neighboring countries there are four types of sundews: Round-leaved sundew English sundew, or long-leaved sundew Intermediate sundew Obovate sundew

Slide 5

Habitat Sundews are found on all continents, with the exception of Antarctica. Grows in sphagnum bogs, moss rafts

Slide 6

Why did the sundew turn into a predator? Because it lacks nutrients in poor marshy soils. So she feeds on insects.

Slide 7

How does the Sundew feed? The Sundew attracts insects with its smell. Sundews can catch and digest up to 25 mosquitoes per day

Slide 8

Why doesn't the insect fly away? it's the droplets covering the leaves

They are sticky enough to hold back an insect that has the temerity to be tempted by the sweet aroma of this plant.

Slide 9

Digestion Once the insect has stuck, the leaf begins to slowly curl up, surrounding its victim with more and more clear, sticky liquid. After the leaf has completely rolled up, the digestion process begins, which usually takes several days.

Slide 10

After this process is completed, the leaf unfolds and is again covered with droplets.

Slide 11

Reproduction of sundews Typically, sundew flowers are located on a long stem so that insects that pollinate the plant do not get caught in leaf traps.

Slide 12

Application Herbal preparations (mainly fresh juice) are also used externally for warts, calluses, and as a means to combat freckles and tanning. The plant is poisonous and should only be consumed on the advice of a doctor. An overdose can intensify a coughing attack, cause irritation of the oral mucosa, and diarrhea.