Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Alice's Sundew (Drosera aliciae)
Also called Alice's sundew, Alice sundew, Alice's flytrap.
More about alice's sundew
About Alice's Sundew
Drosera aliciae · also called Alice's sundew, Alice sundew · houseplant
Alice's sundew is a compact, carnivorous rosette from South Africa's Cape, prized for spoon-shaped leaves studded with glistening, insect-trapping tentacles. It is one of the easiest sundews indoors: give it bright light, mineral-free water by the tray method, and lean peat-sand soil. ASPCA does not list it, so treat as mildly toxic and verify with your vet.
Preferred mix: Nutrient-free carnivorous mix — never standard potting compost or fertilised soil
Watch for — Browning leaves or sudden dieback: Most often mineral damage from tap or bottled mineral water, or fertiliser in the soil. Switch to rain/distilled water (under 50 ppm TDS) and repot into a nutrient-free peat-sand mix.
Why alice's sundew needs this mix
Alice's Sundew is an easy-going houseplant — it just wants a free-draining general mix that holds some moisture but never stays soggy.
- Alice's Sundew is adaptable, but like most houseplants it still needs air at the roots — a mix that drains freely while holding a working moisture reserve.
- A little perlite or bark stops ordinary compost compacting into an airless block over time, which is the slow, common cause of decline.
- It is not fussy about pH or special ingredients; getting the air-to-moisture balance right is what matters.
For the full picture on what makes up a good mix, see our guide to the main types of soil and potting media — it explains why each ingredient above behaves the way it does.
What goes wrong with the wrong mix
The wrong soil is one of the most common reasons alice's sundew struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates alice's sundew's roots.
- A pure peat mix that dries to a hard, water-repelling block is hard to re-wet and stresses the plant.
- No drainage hole turns even a good mix into a stagnant, root-rotting sump.
Reusing tired, compacted old compost or skipping the perlite. A free-draining mix in a pot with a hole solves most "why is it struggling" cases for alice's sundew.
pH — does it matter for alice's sundew?
Alice's Sundew is not fussy about pH — a slightly acidic to neutral mix (around pH 6.0-7.0), which a standard peat-free compost provides, is perfectly fine. No testing needed.
If you want to check or adjust it, the soil pH guide walks through testing and the safe ways to nudge a mix more acidic or more alkaline.
DIY mix vs a bagged one
A decent bagged houseplant compost works for alice's sundew as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.
Drainage and the pot
A pot with a drainage hole and a saucer you empty after watering is all alice's sundew needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Refresh alice's sundew's mix every 18-24 months; even good compost slumps and compacts, and fresh, airy mix is often the simplest fix for a tired plant. When the time comes, our repotting guide for alice's sundew covers the timing and technique step by step.
Alice's Sundew soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for alice's sundew?
3 parts peat-free houseplant compost : 1 part perlite : 1 part orchid bark or coco chips (optional). Alice's Sundew is adaptable, but like most houseplants it still needs air at the roots — a mix that drains freely while holding a working moisture reserve.
Can I use normal potting soil for alice's sundew?
Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates alice's sundew's roots. A decent bagged houseplant compost works for alice's sundew as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.
Does alice's sundew need a special pH?
Alice's Sundew is not fussy about pH — a slightly acidic to neutral mix (around pH 6.0-7.0), which a standard peat-free compost provides, is perfectly fine. No testing needed.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for alice's sundew?
A decent bagged houseplant compost works for alice's sundew as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.
How often should I refresh the soil for alice's sundew?
Refresh alice's sundew's mix every 18-24 months; even good compost slumps and compacts, and fresh, airy mix is often the simplest fix for a tired plant. A pot with a drainage hole and a saucer you empty after watering is all alice's sundew needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Keep reading
- Alice's Sundew care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water alice's sundew — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting alice's sundew — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- Should I water my plant? The simple check first
- Overwatered plant — signs and recovery
- Root rot — how the wrong soil starts it, and how to save the plant
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