Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Cistus-Flowered Sundew (Drosera cistiflora)— schedule & NPK
Also called cistus-flowered sundew.
More about cistus-flowered sundew
About Cistus-Flowered Sundew
Drosera cistiflora · also called cistus-flowered sundew · houseplant
Drosera cistiflora is a spectacular tuberous sundew from South Africa's Western Cape, prized for its unusually large, showy flowers — typically deep red, pink, or white — that rival a rockrose in size. It follows a Mediterranean-type seasonal cycle: active in the cool, wet winter and dormant as a tuber through the hot, dry summer.
Growth habit: Tuberous geophyte producing a slender upright or arching stem to 30 cm in the growing season, clothed in stalked carnivorous leaves. Dies back to a deep-set tuber in summer. Produces one or more conspicuously large flowers (3–5 cm across) in late winter to spring.
What fertiliser cistus-flowered sundew actually wants — and why
Cistus-Flowered Sundew is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for cistus-flowered sundew: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed cistus-flowered sundew, and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For cistus-flowered sundew:
Do not fertilise. Supplement with small live or freeze-dried insects (fungus gnats, fruit flies) offered to the leaves during active growth if grown under glass with no natural prey access. Treat that as sparingly through the growing season between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when cistus-flowered sundew is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for cistus-flowered sundew
Half strength is the safe default for cistus-flowered sundew — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water cistus-flowered sundew first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the cistus-flowered sundew watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding cistus-flowered sundew
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for cistus-flowered sundew:
- Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering.
- A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim.
- Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops.
- Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered.
Signs you are under-feeding cistus-flowered sundew
- Uniformly pale or yellow-green leaves, oldest first.
- Noticeably small new leaves and stalled growth in good light and season.
- A generally tired, lacklustre look despite correct watering and light.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full cistus-flowered sundew care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of cistus-flowered sundew with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for cistus-flowered sundew
Organic options
A diluted seaweed or worm-casting feed, or fish emulsion if you can tolerate the smell indoors. UK: Westland or Baby Bio Organic, dilute seaweed; US: Espoma Indoor! or Neptune's Harvest fish & seaweed. Slow, gentle and hard to overdo.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A general-purpose houseplant liquid at half strength — UK: Baby Bio, Westland Houseplant Feed or Phostrogen; US: Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food or Schultz. Convenient and fast-acting; the only risk is overdoing it.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising cistus-flowered sundew — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does cistus-flowered sundew need?
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula. Cistus-Flowered Sundew is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
How often should I feed cistus-flowered sundew?
Do not fertilise. Supplement with small live or freeze-dried insects (fungus gnats, fruit flies) offered to the leaves during active growth if grown under glass with no natural prey access. Do not fertilise. Supplement with small live or freeze-dried insects (fungus gnats, fruit flies) offered to the leaves during active growth if grown under glass with no natural prey access. Treat that as sparingly through the growing season between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
What strength of feed for cistus-flowered sundew?
Half strength is the safe default for cistus-flowered sundew — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding cistus-flowered sundew look like?
Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering. A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim. Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops. Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered. Feeding cistus-flowered sundew year-round on a fixed schedule, including dark winter months, is the most common mistake — it cannot use the nutrients in low light and the surplus simply burns the roots and crusts the soil.
Should I flush the soil of cistus-flowered sundew?
Flush the pot of cistus-flowered sundew with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Keep reading
- Cistus-Flowered Sundew care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water cistus-flowered sundew — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise aloe microstigma
- How to fertilise aloe minima
- How to fertilise aloe mitis
- All 6887 fertilising guides in the Growli library