Drosera regia earns its familiar name through scale and movement. Long, tapering leaves rise from a substantial crown, and a trapped insect can trigger a conspicuous curl along the leaf. The king sundew is a perennial for growers who can provide space, bright light and a root environment that stays cool and moist through summer.
A distinctive South African species
Kew accepts the name Drosera regia Stephens, first published in 1926. The alternative combination Freatulina regia is treated as a synonym. That historical attempt to place it in a separate genus reflects its unusual features, but it is not the name used for this encyclopedia. Kew taxonomic account.
The sword-like leaves have a conspicuous central vein beneath and adhesive tentacles on the trapping surface. A mature specimen can make leaves approaching half a metre long. Its persistent rhizome can branch, so an old plant may have several growing points. Pink flowers appear above the foliage. Nigel Hewitt-Cooper's cultivation account documents both substantial mature plants and the progression from small winter leaves to renewed spring growth. Those dimensions describe established specimens, not a promised size for a newly purchased plant. Hewitt-Cooper's illustrated account.
Habitat and conservation
SANBI places the species in the Bain's Kloof and Slanghoek mountains of South Africa's Western Cape, in damp, high-altitude sites within sandstone fynbos. Its displayed national assessment is dated 2011 and categorises the plant as Rare, with a stable trend at that assessment. This is a dated national category; it should not be replaced with an unsupported claim that the species is globally extinct or down to a particular number of plants. SANBI assessment.
A 2022 field report describes peaty, gravelly seepage habitat and the difficulty of detecting plants during a winter visit. Failure to find foliage on one visit is not proof that a population has disappeared. For readers, it is a useful reminder that season, visibility and survey coverage all affect a population report. Field observations.
Establishing a plant in cultivation
Dan DiPietro reports success with strong artificial light, an airy medium and cooler nights. His plants grew at roughly 24–26°C or below during the day and around 16–18°C at night; these are reported growing conditions, not experimentally determined temperature limits. He also observed growth across a substantial humidity range. DiPietro's cultivation notes.
For an Australian collection, the practical implication is to assess summer conditions at the pot. A bright position that cooks a dark container against glass is different from a bright, ventilated growing space. Measure the conditions where the roots actually sit before changing several other variables to solve poor growth.
Keep a record of the supplied medium, watering regime and growth stage when the plant arrives. Establish it before experimenting. A large plant should have room for its spreading leaves without repeatedly brushing neighbouring pots or being handled to make it fit a shelf.
Feeding and seasonal changes
DiPietro's experience includes feeding seedlings and carefully controlled root fertilisation. This is a species-specific practice, not a reason to add ordinary fertiliser to every sundew tray. His report also describes continuous growth under controlled conditions. By contrast, Hewitt-Cooper reports a winter reduction in leaf size and growth under seasonal conditions. Both observations can be useful without turning either into a compulsory treatment for every accession.
If a plant becomes smaller, record whether it is making a sound compact centre or simply collapsing. Check recent temperature, light, water and disturbance together. Deliberately drying the entire pot because some Cape sundews have a dry summer rest is not justified by the accounts cited here.
Seed and vegetative propagation
Hewitt-Cooper reports successful surface sowing without special pretreatment and successful root cuttings. He also obtained seed from a single clone, despite the frequently repeated claim that the species is invariably self-sterile. Flower timing matters: pollen release and stigma receptivity do not coincide exactly. Two independently raised plants remain useful when aiming for a deliberate cross.
Label a root-derived plant as a clone of its parent and record a seedling separately. These records preserve the difference between multiplying a known individual and raising new genetic combinations. Keep the source identity with both. The reward is a collection that can explain its plants as well as display them.
Nano Nursery Drosera Encyclopedia — species profile. Related core chapters: 15 and 29. Reviewed 23 September 2026. Cultivation guidance concerns established plants; recently deflasked plants need separate acclimatisation.
