Drosera x Hercules
Ease to Grow: Very Easy
Dormancy: No
Native Range: Parents from Wet Bogs of the Cape region of South Africa
Zones: 7-9 (6-10)
The Hercules Sundew, Drosera capensis alba x aliciae, is a hybrid that looks like a fat Cape Sundew. It is an easy carnivorous plants to grow. It is medium-size with long, very wide strap-like leaves, loaded with red tentacles. It has a nice overall green and red appearance and glistens brightly in the sunlight. Insects are lured to the plant and get mired in the sticky dew of the tentacles. The leaves slowly roll over on to the prey in about 30 minutes, creating an effective digestive pouch around the victim. Digestion takes a few days and the leaf uncurls to leave the prey remains behind. It is a tropical plant growing year round, as long as the conditions are warm and bright. In cooler temperatures it stops growing, but holds its traps. It tolerates a wide range of growing conditions, but prefers open, sunny, boggy conditions in peaty soils. The flowers are pink on tall, multi-flowered scapes. One or two flowers open each day for several weeks. It can flower at different times of the year, but more profusely in the summer months. It readily produces seeds that can be sown immediately or stored in cool, dry conditions for a year or more. For maximum effect plant use multiple plants in a 6" pot.
Plants are shipped bare-root, wrapped in damp sphagnum moss. Photographs are representative of species, and not the specific plant shipped.
Height: 2" - 7+"
Plant Type: Perennial, Tropical
Soil: Lower Bog Mix or All-Purpose Mix
Light: Bright indoors, full sun to partial sun outdoors
Use: Grows well in the protected bog garden, greenhouse and indoors. It is an excellent terrarium plant.
