Description
When scrolling through pictures of carnivorous plants, nothing is more eye-catching than a well-established Drosera Regia. It is also called the “King Sundew,” which is certainly warranted!
While truly a magnificent specimen, it can be challenging to grow because although it’s classified as a Drosera, it needs to be grown more like a Heliamphora or Highland Nepenthes in order to thrive. Still, this is a beautiful plant and a must-have for any serious collector.
REGIA CANNOT BE GROWN LIKE REGULAR DROSERA SUNDEWS.
Be sure to read the care guides below to ensure a happy plant.
(This plant is BEST grown like a Heliamphora or a Highland Nepenthes)
Basic Growing Guidelines:
Light: Regia’s prefer dappled sun. They like very bright light without the harsh afternoon sun. The plant’s root system must NEVER be allowed to overheat or it will die.
Soil: This plant appreciates a well-draining, airy medium. Anything with a decent amount of perlite or sand should be fine. In addition, live Sphagnum can be used as a top dressing to help keep root temperatures low. This plant does well in a Cephalotus / Butterwort mix. (1 part peat, 1 part perlite, 1 part silica sand) A basic nepenthes mix will also work well.
Feeding: This plant is a very heavy feeder and will benefit from frequent foliar feeding and soil fertilisation. 2 to 4 osmocote pellets every 6 months pushed into the soil near the growth point works well. (This must not be kept with other plants as the water drain off containing this fertiliser can kill other plants)
Humidity: 50 to 60% on average is ideal, but this plant isn’t too fussy about humidity.
Water: Keep the soil damp by watering from overhead every day, twice a day on hot days. Continue watering until excess water pours out the bottom of the pot, saturating the soil. DO NOT LET THE POT SIT IN TRAYS OF WATER if you are fertilising via the root, as this can leach out into the water and kill other plants. If they are in a tray by themselves, you can treat them like normal Drosera and water via the tray method. Use Reverse Osmosis, Distilled or Rain Water Only.
Temperature: Regia needs cool to warm daytime temperatures with lots of bright light and much cooler nighttime temperatures. They grow best when the roots are kept colder than the rest of the plant. They can tolerate daytime temperatures of up to 30 degrees Celsius, so long as you flush the roots with water and keep them cold during the day. During winter, the plants are tolerant of frosts but avoid long exposure to extreme cold.
Dormancy: Regia do not require a winter dormancy rest period, however if temps do drop too low, growth will stop.
A summary of plant care is provided with each plant.
For more detailed information on how to care for your plant, refer to our Care Guides Section.
