Care for Hens and Chicks Sundew (Drosera prolifera)
Drosera prolifera, or the Hens and Chicks Sundew, is a member of the "Three Sisters of Queensland," a trio of closely related sundew growing only in Queensland's tropical rainforests. D. adelae, D. schizandra, and D. prolifera make up the trio, each with their own specific requirements and difficulty levels. Tropical rainforests are quite the difference when compared to a bog, a much more common sundew habitat! With this different habitat comes different care than other sundews that you may be more familiar with, such as D. capensis Cape Sundew), D. filiformis (Threadleaf Sundew), or D. binata (Staghorn Sundew). As the honorary Cedar Bridge Botanicals' slogan goes, "They're not hard, just a little different!" This is extra true when it comes to D. prolifera. Knowing where these plants come from is key to understanding their care and encouraging them to thrive in your home!
Habitat
The Three Sisters of Queensland each occupy their own niches, growing in slightly different microclimates than that of each other. The Hens and Chicks Sundew can be found growing on creek banks, moist rock ledges, and other areas where mosses can also thrive above the floodplain. They are often found growing under ferns on the forest floor in the dappled bright shade, sometimes found in fairly heavy shade. These areas stay moist all year long. Knowing where they naturally occur means growers, both professional and hobbyists alike, can recreate the conditions they would find in nature, which is key to allowing your plants to thrive.
Lighting
Typical sundews would want to have as much light as you can provide, but take a moment to think about the forest floor. There is a dense canopy of trees above, and often shorter herbaceous plants even above D. prolifera, which only grows a few inches tall. Direct outdoor sunlight can cause sunburns, which should be avoided. Direct light can only be found outdoors or under strong grow lights. Indoor lighting is never direct, unless the windows are open and there is not a screen. The screen itself filters enough light to be considered indirect lighting and double pane windows have a layer of argon gas between them to help protect carpets from fading. This gas also filters light that plants need in order to photosynthesize. You can place your sundew in an area where it will receive bright, indirect light, such as in a north, south, or west facing window or under moderate to low intensity grow lights. If you notice your plants turning red, this is okay! They will stress red under intense light as a way to protect themselves from sunburns. It's like a tan!
Should you decide to move your plants outside for the warm growing months, make sure to place your plant in an area with dappled shade or bright shade, such as on a table under a tree, or under a covered, open porch.
Humidity
Humidity isn't something that is always front of mind when thinking about plant care. For most plants, both houseplant and carnivorous plant alike, humidity isn't crucial. Snake plants, venus flytraps, other sundews, and many more can tolerate low humidity well or experience low humidity in their natural habitats. You may have noticed Nepenthes, or tropical pitcher plants, not producing pitchers, or brown edges along prayer plants- those are signs that more humidity is needed. D. prolifera is a plant that requires higher humidity in the warmer months. Strive for ambient humidity between 60-90%. This can be achieved either with humidity domes, grow tents or cabinets, or sometimes, simply placing them outdoors in a shady area! During cooler months and temperatures (<70F), they can tolerate lower humidity, sometimes down to 25% or below, though it is still best to keep elevated humidity if possible. If repotted recently, keep your plant in elevated humidity to help with transplant shock.
Watering
Water is one of the most important aspects of carnivorous plant care and where most people go wrong. Other plants can tolerate even the hardest of tap water, but carnivorous plants have an allergy. Plants became carnivorous because where they grow in nature, whether it is in a rainforest, bog, seep, or wet cliff face, their substrate is nutrient poor. With little to no nutrients in the soil, they had to find the energy they need to grow somewhere else. With this nutrient poor soil, their roots became extremely sensitive to mineral content, especially that which can be found in tap, well, and spring water. Even bottled drinking water isn't safe for them, often the label will state "minerals added for taste." The only safe waters to use with carnivorous plants are rain, distilled, or reverse osmosis water. You can also use water that is accumulated from a dehumidifier. All of these water types will have zero minerals in them. Filtered water often isn't filtered enough. Brita filters and most filters that come with your fridge are still leaving behind to many particulates of minerals. The only filter that is trustworthy is the Zero water filter. Leaving water out on the counter for a day will not make the water safer for carnivores, it will only make the mineral content more concentrated as they are left behind while the water evaporates. Using a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) meter will help you to determine if your water is safe to use for the plants. Aim for 0, but anything below 50 is acceptable.
D. prolifera is best kept moist, but not sopping wet. You can use either the tray method or watering the soil more frequently, keeping the soil moist. To use the tray method, fill a tray and allowing the plant to absorb the water until the tray is dry, letting it sit without water for two to three days, then refilling the tray. Similar watering to that of a tropical pitcher plant or butterwort. Check the soil at least twice per week to determine if it needs watering. Do not allow soil to dry.
Soil
Soil is another important aspect that is influenced by the sensitivity of the roots. They require soil with little to no nutrients. Regular potting soil has fertilizers infused into the soils and will burn the roots and kill your plant. The Carnivorous Plant Soil listed here is designed to suit a variety of carnivorous plants and is what the hens and chicks sundews are grown in here. There are ways to grow sundew without the use of traditional soil. Many growers prefer to use dried or live sphagnum moss, both of which hold onto moisture more than carnivorous plant soil. With live sphagnum moss, the moss will continue to grow at a slow pace. This does have the potential to overtake plants in pots, but is easily controlled with either a pair of snips or a strong pinch. Keep an eye to make sure the crown of your plants, or the center of the rosettes, are not submerged in moss, as this can cause rot.
Pots
Going along with soil, pots that carnivorous plants are grown in must also be low nutrient. That may be strange to think of, but terra cotta, unglazed ceramic, and metal pots can leach their nutrients into your nutrient free soil and slowly kill your plants. Safe plant pot materials include plastic, glass, or fully glazed ceramic- no exposed clay. Pot height is not crucial for this species, and many growers prefer short pots, but tall pots do not seem to hinder growth.
Feeding or Fertilizing
It is not recommended for new carnivorous plant growers to use fertilizers on their plants. Fertilizing can be tricky and can lead to plant death if done incorrectly. If grown outdoors, your plants will catch their own foods. Feeding your plant is a safer way to provide nutrients without causing harm to your plants. Many prefer fish food or freeze dried blood worms placed on the tentacled leaves once or twice monthly. If you happen to have reptiles who eat fruit flies, you can also feed some of these or other small insects to your plants. 14 day old crickets are small enough, but 1/4 inch crickets will likely escape the sticky leaves. Do not apply a large amount of food, live or dried, or molding can occur. This is the most similar to the plants catching their own food in the wild. Heavily diluted liquid fertilizers can be applied to the leaves and the leaves only, but it is not recommended for beginner growers.
It may seem like there are a lot of instructions and rules to take care of carnivorous plants, but they are, and this species especially is, easy to care for once you know all of their requirements. They are easier to care for than a pet, and, in some cases, easier to care for than other plants! If you have any questions or are worried about your plant in any way, shoot an email with some photos to cedarbridgebotanicals@gmail.com. The more photos and information on care you have been providing, the easier I can help!
Happy growing!
<3 Gina