Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Roundleaf Sundew bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Common sundew (Drosera rotundifolia).
More about roundleaf sundew
About Roundleaf Sundew
Drosera rotundifolia · also called Common sundew · flowering
Drosera rotundifolia is the temperate roundleaf sundew native to acidic bogs across the Northern Hemisphere. Its flat rosette of round, long-stalked leaves bristles with red, dew-tipped tentacles that trap small insects. Fully cold-hardy, it forms a winter resting bud (hibernaculum) and demands a genuine cold dormancy, pure water, and permanently wet, acidic peat.
Plant type: flowering
The reasons roundleaf sundew isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming roundleaf 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 roundleaf 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 roundleaf sundew to flower
- Maximise sun. Give roundleaf 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 roundleaf sundew and get the feeding right with the roundleaf 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
Roundleaf 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 roundleaf sundew care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Roundleaf Sundew blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my roundleaf sundew flower?
Roundleaf 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 roundleaf sundew bloom?
Give roundleaf 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 roundleaf sundew normally bloom?
Roundleaf Sundew flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
What should I do with roundleaf sundew after it flowers?
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.
What is the single biggest mistake stopping roundleaf sundew flowering?
Feeding roundleaf sundew a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Roundleaf Sundew care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Roundleaf Sundew light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Roundleaf Sundew fertilising — the right feed for buds, not just leaves
- Should I water my plant? The simple check
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry
- Underwatered plant — signs and rehydration
- Why won't my peace lily bloom?
- Why won't my jade plant bloom?
- Why won't my tomato bloom?
- All 407 bloom guides in the Growli library