Drosera macrantha
bridal rainbow
southern Western Australia and south-eastern Australia
Overview
Drosera macrantha is a climbing, carnivorous perennial sundew in the family Droseraceae, growing from an underground tuber. Slender stems scramble and climb 12–40 inches (30–100 cm) through surrounding plants. Along the stems sit small shield-shaped leaves, each fringed with red glandular tentacles tipped with sticky droplets that trap and digest small insects, supplementing the nutrients drawn from poor soils. Flowers are white, sometimes pink-tinged, and large for the genus at 0.6–1 inch (15–25 mm) across, with a light fragrance, opening through winter and spring. The plant grows in seasonally wet heath, woodland, and sand plains in southern Western Australia and parts of south-eastern Australia. It is dormant through the dry summer, dying back to the tuber and reappearing with autumn and winter rains. It needs a distinct wet winter and dry summer to complete its cycle, and it declines if kept wet year-round or if the tuber is disturbed. The climbing stems need surrounding plants or supports to lean on.
Native Range
Drosera macrantha is native to southern Western Australia and parts of south-eastern Australia, including Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia. It grows in seasonally wet heath, woodland, and sand plains on nutrient-poor soils.Suggested Uses
Grown by carnivorous-plant enthusiasts in pots that can be kept dry over summer. Planted in low-nutrient bog or sand-plain plantings with a wet-winter, dry-summer cycle. Grown among low shrubs or twiggy supports that the stems can climb.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 3'4"
Width/Spread6" - 1'
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
white, sometimes pink-tingedFoliage Description
green with red tentaclesGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grow Drosera macrantha in full sun to part shade in a low-nutrient, sandy or peat-based mix that stays moist through the cooler months. It catches its own insects and needs no fertiliser, which can harm it. Water with rainwater or low-mineral water through autumn, winter, and spring, then let the soil dry as the plant goes dormant in summer. The tuber rests underground through the dry summer and reshoots with autumn rains. A dry summer dormancy is needed, and year-round moisture causes the tuber to rot. It grows in acidic conditions.Pruning
Drosera macrantha needs no pruning. Dead stems can be cleared away once the plant has gone dormant for summer. The climbing stems are left on their supports through the growing season.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons