Drosera Spatulata

Buy drosera spatulata and other round leaved sundew plants such as the drosera capensis x spatulata and drosera ultramafica x spatulata

The Drosera Spatulata is considered one of the easiest sundew plants to grow as a houseplant and is a good starting point for beginners to carnivorous plants. The Drosera Spatulata is commonly referred to as the Spoon-leaf sundew as its leaves resemble tiny green teaspoons. Like many in the Drosera species, the spoon-leaved Sundew is not a large plant and frequently measures about 1 inch or 2.5 centimeters across. It is covered with tiny red hairs that act like tentacles when small insects land on its leaves. In addition, it produces white or pink flowers.

The Drosera Spatulata is perfect for a sunny room but will also do just fine in part-shade. Too direct sunlight can scorch the leaves, so be sure to put a sheer curtain between your spoon leaf Sundew and a southern facing window. Short on windowsill space? The spoon-leaved Sundew can also thrive under a plant light. Aside from providing adequate lighting conditions, you will want to ensure the proper soil for your new carnivorous plant. Sundews prefer sandy, low-nitrogen soil. You can purchase a variety from our store or mix 50 percent peat moss and 50 percent horticultural soil.

Sundew plants do not require fertilizer; nitrogen-based fertilizers can burn their roots and kill the plant. Instead, as carnivorous plants, sundews will need a steady diet of small insects, such as house flies, ants, and spiders. Keep an eye on your plant so that you can monitor the number of insects sticking to its leaves. If you don’t see a steady stream of insects falling prey to your Drosera Spatulata’s sweet-smelling nectar, be sure to supplement either by trapping live insects or purchasing freeze-dried larvae and feeding them to the plant.

The Drosera Spatulata is native to warmer climates such as Southeast Asia and Australia, and as such, does not need a dormant period like other sundew plants. As a more tropical plant, the Spoonleaf Sundew is less cold-tolerant, however, so you will want to keep your Spoon-leaf Sundew as an indoor plant and ensure it is never in a room colder than 7 degrees celsius. In addition, because it never needs to hibernate, the spoon-leaved Sundew  will produce white or pink flowers almost continually in optimal conditions. The Spatulata is sometimes referred to as the “weed” Drosera since its flowers drop so many seeds that it self-propagates easily.

One of the few special requirements of this (and all) sundew plants is purified water. Sundews are particularly affected by the minerals in tap water; thus, you must water your Drosera Spatulata with distilled water or rainwater to avoid killing the plant.