Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Rambling Sundew bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Rambling sundew, Branched sundew (Drosera ramellosa).

More about rambling sundew

About Rambling Sundew

Drosera ramellosa · also called Rambling sundew, Branched sundew · flowering

Drosera ramellosa is a fan-leaved tuberous carnivorous perennial endemic to a wide region of Western Australia, from Kalbarri south to Cranbrook and east to Mount Ragged, where it grows in winter-wet sandy or sandy-clay soils that dry completely in summer. It produces 1–3 erect stems 4–12 cm tall with yellow-green to orange-red foliage and flowers between July and September. The most important care fact is its strict Mediterranean rhythm: grow in wet conditions in winter, then allow the substrate to dry out completely for the 3-month summer dormancy or the tuber will rot. Drosera species are not listed in the ASPCA database; treat as mildly-toxic for pets.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons rambling sundew isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming rambling sundew traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding rambling sundew a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get rambling sundew to flower

Maximise sun. Give rambling sundew the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for rambling sundew and get the feeding right with the rambling sundew fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Rambling Sundew flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full rambling sundew care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Rambling Sundew blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my rambling sundew flower?

Rambling Sundew blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make rambling sundew bloom?

Give rambling sundew the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does rambling sundew normally bloom?