Drosera schizandra – notched sundew or heart-leaf sundew

You’ll fall in love with the heart-leafed sundew! If you can grow it…
Drosera schizandra is a carnivorous perennial herb with fibrous roots found in Wooroonooran National Park on Mount Bartle Frere in Queensland, Australia near its 2 other “sisters”, Drosera adelae and Drosera prolifera. D. schizandra grows in wet sand on the banks of rivers and creeks and on moss-covered rocks in rainforests and vine forests (Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants).
It is a low-growing plant that is often described as “carnivorous lettuce” because of its broad, green leaves. These leaves usually have a notch at the tip, giving the plant its common name. Drosera schizandra produces small flowers that can range from pinkish to darker purple hues and closely resemble those of schizandra’s sisters, Drosera adelae and Drosera prolifera (though the petals are rounder, resembling prolifera more than adelae’s star-like flowers).

Unique biology of Drosera schizandra

The trap of a Venus flytrap Dentate
Drosera schizandra close up of leaf, tentacles, dew

Trap characteristics

Drosera schizandra is believed to be moving away from carnivory. The tentacles on its leaves are short and sparse and often only produce dew on the leaf most recently produced. Because D. schizandra prefers dim, humid environments, prey that it does manage to capture can easily mold – if it isn’t stolen by neighboring ants first.
Drosera schizandra
Drosera schizandra

Growing & propagating

Considered the most difficult of the 3 sisters, Drosera schizandra has some rather unique growing condition preferences compared to that of most other carnivorous plants: it likes it cool, humid, and low-light.

Drosera schizandra flowers rarely, does not self-pollinate, and usually produces little seed when successfully pollinated but the plant does tend to clump, producing plantlets from its roots. It can also be propagated by leaf cuttings.

Other Sundew varieties, subspecies & hybrids