Drosera capensis, commonly known as the Cape sundew, is a small rosette-forming carnivorous species of perennial sundew native to the Cape in South Africa. It has become one of the most common sundews in cultivation.
Drosera capensis or the Cape Sundew is one of the easiest of all carnivorous plants to grow. It is medium-size with long strap-like leaves, loaded with red tentacles. It has a nice overall green and red appearance and glistens brightly in the sunlight. Insects are lured to the plant and get mired in the sticky dew of the tentacles. The leaves slowly roll over on to the prey in about 30 minutes, creating an effective digestive pouch around the victim. Digestion takes a few days and the leaf uncurls to leave the prey remains behind. It is a tropical plant growing year round, as long as the conditions are warm and bright. In cooler temperatures it stops growing, but holds its traps.
