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This South African plant is similar in appearence to
Drosera aliciae, but differs in that is smaller, about 2
cm and is overall more compact.
Drosera admirabilis is a pretty compact rosette Sundew,
easy to grow. The coloration is vivid with the tentacles
being a dark red and the leaves a vibrant green. The
leaves curl around any captured prey like a fist. Very
free flowering with pale pink flowers produced from May
to September.
It 's an insectivorous plant, it can survive in nitrogen
poor soils because it gets the nutrients it needs from
insects. The upper surfaces of leaves are covered with
hairs that secrete a sweet sticky substance. This
attracts insects, which become smeared with it and unable
to escape. The plant then exudes a digestive fluid that
enables it to absorb most of the insect into its system.
Hardiness zones 9, (-5°C/25°F) in Winter. They should
be grown in bright light, but with protection from full
midday sun. In cloudy coastal areas, artificial light is
preferable. If the plant gets enough light, it will
produce very nice red rosettes. Temperatures should be
kept between 20°C/30°C, 68°F/85°F. The plant does not
have a dormancy period.
They grow well in a standard peat moss/sand
which can be anything from 50% to 70% peat moss. The
humidity should be between 60-80%. There's no need to
fertilize, as the plant relies on insects for food.
Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out
between waterings. Water must be distilled or rain water
because they do not tolerate city or hard water. It is a
good idea to place a pie pan or large saucer, with about
an inch of water in it, under the pot. Elevate the pot by
placing pebbles under it so that the base of the pot is
barely in contact with the water, not submerged; the
growing medium must stay moist, but never soggy. This
will keep the humidity around the plant higher and it
will ensure that the plant has a constant source of
moisture.
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