Drosera madagascariensis

Drosera madagascariensis is a subtropical sundew native to Madagascar, Botswana and South Africa. It is an extremely easy to grow and propagate. D. madagascariensis is very unique in that it can form tall stems and can even grow into a several foot-long vine! Drosera madagascariensis does NOT need dormancy, contrary to what others sources may say. It may die back to the roots in unfavorable conditions and regenerate growth when conditions improve. This sundew is great for new growers and grows best when fed often.
For a brief youtube video of this species, check out this link.

Media: Not picky. I use 1:1 peat: sand (silica). Small amounts of perlite can be added as well. Dead and living sphagnum have also worked well. Remember to rinse your media before you use it.

Media moisture: Drosera madagascariensis does well in normal to very moist soils.

Humidity: not much needed. I'd recommend at least 50%. Try 75-85+% if you like to be safe.

Pot height: I recommend 4 inches or taller to allow this plant to reach its full size. Drosera madagascariensis can develop branching root segments, but it seems to take a while. Therefore smaller pots work fine too.

Trapping speed: moderate. Leaves will curl noticeably around food within an hour.

Feeding: Feed once every two weeks for rapid, robust growth and flower production. See feeding page. Feeding encourages flowering. If left unfed, D. madagascariensis will grow very slowly. If fed a couple of times, you will notice a relative "explosion" of growth within the next month.

Food size: small to medium.

Plant dimensions: Drosera madagascariensis normally reaches ~6-8 inches tall before it starts to become a bit out of control. Old leaves tend to die and turn brown after a while, leaving the newest leaves all alone at the top of the stem which looks very unique.

Temperature: not picky. Has grown very well for me in the temp. range of 60-90 degrees F as long as it is continually fed. When not fed for a very long time, the tip may die off and plantlets should eventually come back from the roots. Make sure that the pot never dries out during the hottest months, or the plant (like any other sundew) will die back to the roots, and you'll have to wait a month or 2 until new plantlets emerge from the soil.

Lighting/Photoperiod: I grow mine under T-8 lights with a 16-hour photoperiod all year-round. Leaves of Drosera madagascariensis will turn red or orange-red under bright lighting. The newest leaves are usually yellow-orange or green with red tentacles, and gradually turn red over time.

Dormancy requirements: NOT required. D. madagascariensis can be grown for many years until the extremely long stem eventually dies and new plantlets will emerge at the base of the plant. However, you should never have to worry about your D. madagascariensis completely dying off if you grow it indoors during the cold months.

Flowers: Drosera madagascariensis produces pink flowers on a somewhat slender stalk. If growing under T-8 or T-12 lights, they will almost always end up shooting up into them and burning. You should raise the fixtures or grow this plant outdoors if you want to collect seed from it.

Propagation Techniques

(click here to learn more about propagating sundews)

Seed: generally easy if fresh seed is used, but can be much harder with older seeds. Cold stratification is not required.

Leaf-cuttings: moderate to easy. The water floating method works best. Pull off the petile along with the leaf for the most success. Place directly under lights for the hightest success rate.

Stem cuttings: extremely easy. This is by far the easiest method to propagate Drosera madagascariensis. When my plants get too tall and need to be trimmed, I simply cut the portion directly below the newest growth and bury a generous portion of the stem (with newest growth slightly above the surface) in moist long-fibered sphagnum. I let the cutting sit in the media for a few months before repotting it or trading it. Visit the stem cutting article for more detailed information

Root cuttings: very easy. The only problem is that my D. madagascariensis don't produce very long roots unless continually fed over a long period of time, so I usually only rely on stem and leaf cuttings.

Divisions: easy. D. madagascariensis tends to form clumps over time. While it may take some time to adjust, D. madagascariensis has ittle to no trouble dealing with repotting and root disturbance, so divisions can be taken easily (as long as you are somewhat careful).

Additional Questions or Suggestions?

Contact me at: sundewman(at)yahoo.com