Drosera adelae

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Drosera Adelae

COMMON NAME: Australian Sundew, Sundew.

PLACE OF ORIGIN: Queensland Australia.

GENERAL INFO: An absolute wonder of a specimen,  Drosera Adelae is an extremely hardy and magnificent species of sundew.  Adelae can be found growing in water-logged grottos and the edges of rivers and streams in its hot, yet shaded climate in Queensland Australia.  (The only place in the world this species is found in nature at the time of writing).  In cultivation, this plant has proven to be one of the most reliable species of carnivorous plants due to it’s extreme hardiness, versatility and speed of growth.  Expect very fast growth of the mother plant, complete with year-long displays of tiny, cascading Chinese firework shaped flowers and many tiny plantlets to sprout rapidly.  (see cultivation requirements section for details on plantlets)

CULTIVATION REQUIREMENTS:

WATER: 2 X Daily. Tap water is okay depending on water quality.  Water the medium from overhead until water flows from the bottom.  Lightly misting the leaves will keep the plant properly humid.  A tray under the pot allows water to collect the keep the plant’s soil saturated throughout the day. 

LIGHT: Adelae can tolerate both low or high light levels.  Expect increased mucilage (dew) and slender, red leaves in higher light, and less sticky, wide green leaves under lower light levels.  NOTE: These plants can put on beautiful color changing displays if moved from lighter to shadier areas throughout growth, but do so slowly to avoid stress.

FERTILIZATION:  We recommend only using MAXSEA brand fertilizer for all carnivorous plants, as tests have shown these sensitive plants respond best to this brand alone.  The plants will naturally catch flying insects like gnats and house flies, and these can be ‘fed’ to the plant by simply ‘sticking’ them to the tentacles! Fertilize 1 every 2 weeks in spring and summer, and once a month in winter.
PLANTLETS: Adelae is BEAST of a plant.  Many new growth points will rapidly form plantlets as the mother plants roots fill the pot.  These can be easily pulled from the medium and placed into their own pots of simply medium (half peat half perlite) to form a new plant.  Or simply throw them away if you prefer the look of a singular plant in the pot.  Over time the plants will need up-potted and dead leaves removed.