Scarlet Sundew (Shaggy sundew) care

Light

Scarlet Sundew needs sun on the leaves, not just bright ambient room light. Full sun or very bright indirect light for 5–6 hours daily is essential to maintain the intense scarlet coloration; insufficient light produces etiolated, pale-green growth with reduced mucilage. A south or west-facing windowsill in the northern hemisphere is the default; anywhere else, expect the plant to stretch and pale out within a season.

Watering

Water scarlet sundew tray method in winter–spring; reduce or cease in summer dormancy. The actual day count varies with pot size, light, and season — the finger test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a fixed calendar. Empty any drainage saucer afterwards so the pot isn't sitting in water. Sit the pot in 1–2 cm of distilled or rainwater during active growth; gradually reduce watering as temperatures rise in spring and allow the top layer to nearly dry out in summer — the stipule bud must not be flooded during dormancy.

Soil and pot

Scarlet Sundew grows best in 2:1 peat and sand. Use 2 parts peat moss to 1 part coarse washed sand; the mix should be nutrient-free and moderately moisture-retentive — avoid perlite-heavy mixes that dry too fast for this surface-rosette species. 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

Scarlet Sundew sits happiest at around 40–65% humidity and 5–28 °C (41–82 °F). Moderate humidity is fine; excessively high humidity in warm conditions encourages crown rot, so ensure good air circulation around the rosette particularly in summer. If you keep the room above 5–28 °C 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 scarlet sundew sparingly. Propagate via gemmae rather than feeding for best vigour; during active growth a few tiny live or dried insects placed on the leaves monthly provides adequate nutrition. 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 scarlet sundew in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Gemmae failure to germinate — Gemmae are produced in the crown centre in autumn and must be dispersed promptly; left in place they can rot — scatter them onto the surface of fresh moist peat–sand mix as soon as they mature and they will sprout within 1–3 weeks.
• Crown rot in warm humid conditions — High temperature combined with high humidity and wet soil is fatal; reduce watering and improve airflow as temperatures exceed 25 °C, allowing the plant to transition to its natural summer dormancy.

Propagation

Gemmae collected from the crown in autumn and surface-sown on moist peat–sand (the primary and most reliable method); leaf cuttings and seed are possible but slower. 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

Scarlet Sundew is mildly toxic to pets. Drosera species are not listed in the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant database; they contain plumbagin (a 1,4-naphthoquinone) that may cause mild gastrointestinal irritation in cats and dogs. Classify as mildly-toxic until an authoritative non-toxic confirmation is available. 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.

Scarlet Sundew deep-dive guides

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

• Common scarlet sundew problems & fixes
• Scarlet Sundew watering schedule
• Scarlet Sundew light requirements
• Best soil mix for scarlet sundew
• Scarlet Sundew fertilizing guide
• When to repot scarlet sundew
• How to propagate scarlet sundew
• How to prune scarlet sundew
• What's eating my scarlet sundew?
• Scarlet Sundew growth rate & size
• Scarlet Sundew cold hardiness
• Scarlet Sundew temperature & humidity
• Is scarlet sundew toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is scarlet sundew toxic to cats?
• Is scarlet sundew toxic to dogs?
• All 46 Drosera varieties

Featured in these plant shortlists

Scarlet Sundew qualifies for 3 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• 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 full sun — Houseplants that want direct sun — the species for a hot south or west-facing windowsill where shade-lovers scorch.
• 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.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Scarlet Sundew is also known as Scarlet sundew, Shaggy sundew, and Scorpion sundew.

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