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Drosera aliciae D8.5
![Drosera aliciae (Alice Sundew) – Carnivorous Plant [0]](https://gomagcdn.ro/domains2/eufloria.ro/files/product/medium/drosera-aliciae-d8-5-959352.webp "Drosera aliciae (Alice Sundew) – Carnivorous Plant [0]")
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![Drosera aliciae (Alice Sundew) – Carnivorous Plant [1]](https://gomagcdn.ro/domains2/eufloria.ro/files/product/original/drosera-aliciae-d8-5-959352.webp "Drosera aliciae (Alice Sundew) – Carnivorous Plant [1]")
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Drosera aliciae is a compact carnivorous plant from South Africa, with a perfect rosette of leaves covered in glistening red sticky tentacles. Easy to grow, requires bright light, moist substrate, and distilled water. Non-toxic plant, fascinating for all ages.
Note: Carnivorous plant
Approx height (including pot): 10 cm
Flowering state: No flowers
Country of origin: Denmark
Pot diameter: 8.5 cm
- Description
- Characteristics
- Reviews (0)
- FAQ
🌿 Drosera aliciae – A Glistening Rosette of Tentacles
Drosera aliciae is a compact and elegant carnivorous plant, valued for its perfect rosette of leaves covered with glistening, sticky tentacles. Each leaf is a natural trap that attracts and captures small insects, offering a fascinating miniature spectacle.
🌍 Origins & Botanical History
Drosera aliciae belongs to the Droseraceae family and is native to South Africa, particularly the Cape Province. It was described by Raymond Hamet in 1905 and named after Alice Rasse, a plant collector of that era. The genus Drosera comprises over 190 species distributed across all continents, and D. aliciae is one of the most popular in cultivation due to its beauty and ease of care.
🌿 Leaves – A Perfect Rosette of Glistening Tentacles
Drosera aliciae forms a compact, symmetrical rosette with spatulate leaves arranged radially. The leaves are covered with red glandular tentacles that secrete sticky, translucent droplets that glisten like jewels in the light. When an insect touches these tentacles, it becomes trapped, and the leaf slowly curls to maximize contact and digestion. The rosette color ranges from green with red tentacles to intense red, depending on the light received.
🌱 Growth Habit & Development
Drosera aliciae is a compact perennial plant with a diameter of approximately 5-7 cm. It thrives in bright direct or indirect light and requires constantly moist substrate made of peat and perlite. It is essential to water only with distilled or rainwater, as minerals from tap water can damage the roots. No fertilization is needed – nutrients are obtained from insects. It periodically produces flower stalks with small, pink-purple flowers.
Lungime: 10 cm
Greutate (kg): 0.25 Kg
Denumire: Drosera
Diametru: 10 cm
Cerințe lumină: Direct sunlight
Tip plantă: Decorative
Utilizare: Interior
Tip suport: Ghiveci
Material Suport: Plastic
Is Drosera aliciae toxic to cats and dogs?
No! Drosera aliciae and other commonly cultivated sundews are non-toxic to cats, dogs, and other pets. Carnivorous plants in general have no demonstrated toxicity to animals or humans. Ironically, the greater concern is the opposite – cats especially seem attracted to sundews and can easily destroy these delicate plants with their curious paws and teeth. The sticky mucilage appears irresistible to felines! To protect your sundew, consider placing it somewhere out of your cat's reach.
Why isn't my sundew producing dew on its tentacles?
Loss of dew production is usually caused by insufficient light, low humidity, or using tap water. Sundews need very bright light (ideally direct sun or strong grow lights) to produce their sticky mucilage. Low humidity can also dry out the droplets before they form properly. Most critically, minerals in tap water damage the plant and inhibit dew production – always use distilled water, rainwater, or reverse osmosis water. After correcting these issues, new leaves should produce dew within a few weeks. Note that newly shipped plants often lose their dew temporarily from transport stress.
Does Drosera aliciae need winter dormancy?
No! Unlike temperate carnivorous plants like Venus Flytraps, Drosera aliciae is a subtropical species that grows year-round without requiring dormancy. This makes it an excellent choice for indoor growing where you want continuous growth and interest throughout the year. While it can tolerate light frost (dying back to roots and regrowing in spring), there's no need to provide cold treatment. Simply maintain normal care year-round, and your plant will continue producing new leaves and potentially flowering at any time.
Should I cut off the flower stalks on my Drosera aliciae?
This is a personal choice with trade-offs. Flowering takes significant energy from the plant, which can slow leaf production and weaken smaller plants. If you want maximum vegetative growth and larger rosettes, snipping flower stalks as they emerge is recommended. However, the pink flowers are quite attractive, and since D. aliciae is self-fertile, allowing flowering produces abundant seeds for propagation. The flowers are held on tall stalks (up to 40 cm) specifically positioned away from the leaves so pollinators don't become trapped – a fascinating evolutionary adaptation!
How do I get my Drosera aliciae to turn red?
The vibrant orange-red coloration in Drosera aliciae comes from anthocyanin pigments produced in response to intense light. To achieve maximum color, provide the brightest light possible – direct sun for several hours daily, or very strong grow lights. Plants in lower light conditions will remain more green (though tentacles typically stay red regardless). Interestingly, heavy feeding can also reduce red coloration even under bright light, as well-fed plants don't need to invest as much in attracting prey. The most brilliantly colored plants are typically those in full sun that catch their own food.
How should I water Drosera aliciae? Is it OK to water from above, over the tentacles?
The recommended watering method for Drosera aliciae is tray watering (from below) — place the pot in a shallow tray with 1-2 cm of distilled, demineralised, or rainwater, and the substrate absorbs moisture through capillary action. This method keeps the soil consistently moist, avoids disturbing the sticky tentacles, and is the simplest long-term approach. Watering from above (over the rosette) will not harm the plant — in nature, rain falls directly on the tentacles regularly. However, water poured over the leaves can temporarily wash away or dilute the sticky mucilage (the "dew" droplets) on the tentacles, reducing the plant's insect-trapping efficiency. The plant regenerates its mucilage within a few hours to a day. Important: use only distilled, demineralised, or rainwater — tap water contains minerals (chlorine, limescale) that accumulate in the substrate and can kill the plant over time. Never allow the substrate to dry out completely. The water tray method is ideal precisely because it prevents accidental drying and maintains the boggy conditions this carnivorous plant requires.
Is Drosera aliciae a carnivorous plant? How does it catch insects?
Yes, Drosera aliciae is a carnivorous plant from the sundew family (Droseraceae). Its leaves are covered with sticky tentacles that secrete a glistening mucilage resembling dewdrops. Small insects are attracted to this mucilage, become stuck to the tentacles, and the leaf slowly curls around the prey to digest it with enzymes. The digestion process takes several days, after which the leaf unfurls and is ready for a new capture.
What type of water should I use for Drosera aliciae?
Drosera aliciae must be watered exclusively with distilled water, rainwater, or reverse osmosis (RO) water. Tap water contains minerals (chlorine, calcium, fluoride) that accumulate in the substrate and poison the sensitive roots. The ideal method is tray watering — place the pot in a saucer with 1-2 cm of water and let the substrate absorb it through capillary action. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
Do I need to feed Drosera aliciae with insects?
It is not necessary to hand-feed Drosera aliciae. If the plant is placed near an open window or outdoors in summer, it will naturally catch small flies, gnats, and other insects on its own. The sticky tentacles attract prey naturally. If you wish to feed it, you can occasionally place a small insect on the leaves. Avoid fertilizers — the roots are extremely sensitive to nutrients and can burn.
Does Drosera aliciae need winter dormancy?
No, Drosera aliciae does not require a winter dormancy period. Unlike the Venus Flytrap, this subtropical species from South Africa grows year-round without hibernation. Maintain temperatures between 15-30 °C, provide bright light and consistent humidity. During winter, make sure the plant receives enough light — if natural light is insufficient, you can use artificial grow lights.
What substrate is suitable for Drosera aliciae?
Drosera aliciae requires a nutrient-poor, acidic substrate that retains moisture well. The ideal mix is Sphagnum peat and perlite in a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio. Never use regular potting soil, compost, or fertilized substrates — excess minerals are toxic to carnivorous plants. The substrate must be kept consistently moist. Repot every 1-2 years in spring with fresh substrate.
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