Repotting guide

When & how to repot Climbing Sundew (Drosera macrantha)

Also called Climbing sundew, Bridal rainbow sundew, Large-flowered sundew.

More about climbing sundew

About Climbing Sundew

Drosera macrantha · also called Climbing sundew, Bridal rainbow sundew · flowering

Drosera macrantha is a scrambling to climbing tuberous perennial carnivorous plant endemic to south-western Western Australia, where it grows in winter-wet depressions in sandy, loamy, laterite, or quartzite soils. Its long stems — reaching up to 1.5 m — twine through surrounding vegetation using sticky glandular leaves as makeshift hooks. Like all tuberous sundews it follows a winter-active, summer-dormant lifecycle, and the single most important care rule is completely ceasing irrigation once dormancy begins in late spring. Drosera is not definitively listed by the ASPCA; treat as mildly-toxic for pets.

Mature size: Stems 0.5–1.5 m long; white or pale pink flowers 2.5 cm across.

Watch for — Stem collapse during dormancy transition: Stems become limp and mushy as the plant senesces — this is normal die-back, not disease; remove dead top growth and allow the pot to dry down gradually rather than cutting off water abruptly.

How to tell climbing sundew needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For climbing sundew, watch for these signs:

Flowering has tailed off year on year and the clump has become congested and overcrowded.
Lots of leaf and few flowers — a classic sign that climbing sundew bulbs or tubers need lifting and dividing.
Bulbs visibly bursting the pot or pushing each other to the surface.
It is the natural dormancy window (foliage yellowed and died back) — the only safe time to lift and split.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot climbing sundew

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest. Rather than a true repot, climbing sundew is lifted and divided once the clump congests and flowering drops off. Scrambling to climbing tuberous perennial with long twining stems; fully deciduous in summer..

What size pot to step climbing sundew up to

Pot size matters less than depth and spacing here. When you replant climbing sundew, set the bulbs or tubers at the correct depth (a rough guide: two to three times their own height of soil over the top) and space them so they are not touching. A wide, shallow pot suits a clump better than a tall narrow one.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot climbing sundew

The only safe window is dormancy: wait until the foliage has yellowed and died back naturally, lift and divide then, and replant before or at the start of the next growing season. Disturbing climbing sundew in full growth or flower sets it back badly.

Step-by-step: repotting climbing sundew

Wait for dormancy. Let climbing sundew foliage yellow and die back completely. Lifting while it is in growth wastes the energy it is storing for next year.
Lift carefully. Loosen the soil well away from the bulbs/tubers with a fork and ease the whole clump out without spearing them.
Separate the offsets. Gently pull the clump apart into individual bulbs or tubers. Keep only firm, healthy, blemish-free ones.
Replant at the right depth. Reset them in fresh sandy peat mix at the correct depth and spacing — not touching — so each has room to bulk up.
Water in and rest. Water once to settle them, then keep on the dry side until growth resumes. Do not feed until leaves are actively growing.

Aftercare

After replanting climbing sundew, keep the soil barely moist — not wet — until shoots appear; bulbs and tubers rot in cold, saturated soil. Once leaves are growing strongly, resume normal watering. Hold off feeding until the plant is in active growth again.

The right soil mix for climbing sundew

Climbing Sundew wants sandy peat mix. Use 1 part peat moss to 1 part coarse washed sand; the gritty mix drains freely when dry in summer yet retains adequate moisture during the wet winter growing months. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting climbing sundew — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot climbing sundew?

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest for climbing sundew. Climbing Sundew is lifted and divided, not "repotted". Every 3–4 years, once the foliage has died back and it is dormant, lift the clump, separate the offsets, and replant at the correct depth in sandy peat mix. Crowding, not pot size, is what reduces flowering over time.

What size pot does climbing sundew need?

When is the best time of year to repot climbing sundew?

Do you "repot" climbing sundew, or lift and divide it?

You lift and divide it. Climbing Sundew grows from bulbs or tubers, so instead of repotting you wait for dormancy, lift the congested clump, separate the healthy offsets, and replant them at the right depth and spacing. Doing this every 3–4 years restores flowering.

Should you fertilise climbing sundew after repotting?

Hold off feeding climbing sundew until it is in active growth again. Fresh soil already carries enough nutrients to get it re-established, and feeding disturbed roots too soon does more harm than good.