Plant DetailShow Menu

Drosera intermedia is often confused with:
Drosera rotundifolia Form
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Saururus cernuus Saururus cernuus
Hibiscus laevis Flowers
Smilax walteri The only red fruited Smilax in North Carolina. Winter, Craven C

Water Sundew Drosera intermedia

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
DROSS-er-uh in-ter-MEE-dee-uh
Description

Oblong-leaved sundew is a native carnivorous plant in the Droseraceae (sundew) family.  This diminutive plant grows in extremely wet, boggy conditions, in stream or pond margins, or is even seen growing on mats floating in the water. 

This wetland indicator plant grows in partial shade and withstands nutrient poor growing conditions getting some nitrogen from digested insects they capture on the sticky hairs that line the tops of their leaves.  It is a short-lived perennial.  

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#water garden#native perennials#wetlands#stream banks#pond margins#NC native#Coastal OBL#Piedmont Mountains OBL#wet soils tolerant#native carnivorus plant#flood tolerant#Audubon#boggy sites
 
Drosera intermedia
Form (Craven County,NC)-Spring Tom Glasgow CC BY 4.0
Drosera intermedia
Petiole and leaf close up (Craven County, NC)-Spring Tom Glasgow CC BY 4.0
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#water garden#native perennials#wetlands#stream banks#pond margins#NC native#Coastal OBL#Piedmont Mountains OBL#wet soils tolerant#native carnivorus plant#flood tolerant#Audubon#boggy sites
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Drosera
    Species:
    intermedia
    Family:
    Droseraceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Eastern North America, Europe, South America
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 1 in. - 0 ft. 3 in.
    Width: 0 ft. 1 in. - 0 ft. 3 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Carnivorous
    Native Plant
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Drainage:
    Frequent Standing Water
    Moist
    Occasional Flooding
    Occasionally Wet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
  • Fruit:
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Description:
    Dry, oval capsule splits open when ripe, to reveal redish brown bumpy seeds. Displays from August to October
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Pink
    Red/Burgundy
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Raceme
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Summer
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Description:
    Symmetrical blooms pink to red or white appear on a one sided raceme of 3 to 8 flowers from July to September. The thin bare flower stalk (scape) starts off curled and unravels into an "L" shape reaching well above the leaves as the flowers mature. This "L" shaped scape is a distinguishing feature for this species. Flowers are composed of 5 petals and 5 yellow tipped stamens, and a pistol with three styles.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Red/Burgundy
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Rosulate
    Leaf Shape:
    Oblong
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    Simple, bright green, paddle shaped leaves 1/8" to 3/16" wide by 1/4"-3/4" long. Red sticky hairs on top trap insects. At the base of the plant the leaves are more congested, spreading out as they move up the stem.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    3/8" to 3" long
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Pond
    Riparian
    Landscape Theme:
    Water Garden