Pink Sundew (hair-leaf sundew) care

Light

In the wild pink sundew grows on the bright edge of a forest canopy, not in the canopy and not in the open. Indoors, that translates to within a metre of an unobstructed window, sheer curtain optional. Requires strong bright light — at least 4-6 hours of direct or intense indirect light daily. A sunny south-facing windowsill suits it well. Under artificial lighting, 12-14 hours of fluorescent or full-spectrum LED keeps it vigorous and deeply coloured. The fastest test: a hand held at the leaf casts a soft-edged shadow at noon — sharp shadow means too much sun, no shadow means too little light.

Watering

Aim for tray method, continuously wet for pink sundew, but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule. A south-facing summer windowsill will dry the pot twice as fast as a north-facing winter room. Lift the pot; if it feels noticeably lighter than it did wet, water it. Maintain 1-2 cm of distilled, rainwater, or RO water in the tray at all times. Never allow the medium to dry; never use tap water. During cooler months reduce tray depth slightly but keep the medium moist throughout.

Soil and pot

Pink Sundew grows best in nutrient-poor peat-sand or peat-perlite mix. A 1:1 blend of sphagnum peat and horticultural perlite or washed silica sand is ideal. The mix must be free of fertilisers, lime, and organic matter beyond peat. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Pink Sundew sits happiest at around 50-90% humidity and 10-35°C (50-95°F). Tolerates a wider humidity range than many sundews given its coastal-plain habitat, but performs best above 60%. A humidity tray is beneficial in centrally heated homes in winter. If you keep the room above 10 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed pink sundew sparingly. Feed through prey capture only. Allow the plant to catch small insects naturally, or hand-feed freeze-dried bloodworms or fruit flies to one or two leaves per month during the growing season. No soil fertilisation. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on pink sundew in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Leaves flattening and losing red colour — Indicates insufficient light. Increase light intensity or duration. Plants in good light are compact and deeply red; shaded plants become green and elongated.
• Crown rot during winter — In cooler conditions with stagnant humidity, Botrytis can attack the growing point. Improve air circulation and remove dead tissue with sterile scissors.
• Seedlings swamping the pot — D. capillaris self-seeds prolifically and can overcrowd its container. Thin or transplant surplus seedlings to separate pots once large enough to handle.

Propagation

Self-seeds so readily that seed collection and sowing is the primary method — surface-sow on moist peat-perlite, do not cover, keep in bright warm conditions. Leaf cuttings laid on moist medium in a closed propagator also root successfully in 6-8 weeks. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Pink Sundew is pet-safe. ASPCA lists Drosera species as non-toxic to dogs and cats. The digestive enzymes in leaf mucilage are not harmful to pets in normal contact or ingestion amounts. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Pink Sundew deep-dive guides

Every aspect of pink sundew care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Pink Sundew watering schedule
• Pink Sundew light requirements
• Best soil mix for pink sundew
• Pink Sundew fertilizing guide
• When to repot pink sundew
• How to propagate pink sundew
• Pink Sundew growth rate & size
• Pink Sundew cold hardiness
• Pink Sundew temperature & humidity
• Is pink sundew toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is pink sundew toxic to cats?
• Is pink sundew toxic to dogs?

Featured in these plant shortlists

Pink Sundew qualifies for 9 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best pet-safe houseplants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — every one verified against the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.
• Best plants for a north-facing window — Houseplants for a north-facing window: bright, even, indirect light and no scorching direct sun. Each pick verified against its documented light needs.
• Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
• Best pet-safe plants for bright light — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and happy in a bright, sunny spot — safe plants for your best-lit windowsill.
• Best small & tabletop houseplants — Compact houseplants that stay under about 40 cm — desk, shelf and windowsill plants that never outgrow a small space.
• Best houseplants for a cool room — Houseplants that tolerate cool conditions down to about 10°C — for an unheated spare room, hallway, porch or a home kept cool.
• Best cat-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats (and dogs) — safe greenery for a home with a curious cat.
• Best dog-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to dogs (and cats) — safe greenery for a home with a curious dog.
• Best small pet-safe plants — Compact, tabletop houseplants that are also ASPCA non-toxic to cats and dogs — safe greenery for a desk or shelf.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Pink Sundew is also commonly called pink sundew or hair-leaf sundew.

• Sempervivum 'Killer' care — light, water and common problems
• Sempervivum 'Pacific Blue Ice' care — light, water and common problems
• Sedum dasyphyllum care — light, water and common problems
• All 6887 plant care guides in the Growli library