PLANT FINDER
Florida Red Thread-leaf Sundew
Drosera filiformis 'Florida Red'
Height: 18 inches
Spread: 12 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 5a
Description:
A carnivorous plant presenting long, red, threadlike tentacles that reach upward, covered with numerous sticky nodules that glisten in sunlight; prefers open, sunny bog conditions; pink flowers on tall scapes in late spring; a showy, unusual garden accent
Ornamental Features
Florida Red Thread-leaf Sundew features showy spikes of pink flowers with purple overtones rising above the foliage from mid to late spring. Its attractive narrow leaves emerge light green in spring, turning red in color throughout the season. The red stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.
Landscape Attributes
Florida Red Thread-leaf Sundew is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.
This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Florida Red Thread-leaf Sundew is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- General Garden Use
- Groundcover
- Container Planting
- Bog Gardens
Planting & Growing
Florida Red Thread-leaf Sundew will grow to be about 14 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!
This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. As a rule, this plant should never be fertilized. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in poor soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species.
Florida Red Thread-leaf Sundew is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
Characteristics
Applications
Ornamental Features