Spoon-leaved Sundew

Botanical name: Drosera spatulata
Synonyms: None
Common name(s): Spoon-leaved Sundew, Rosette Sundew

About:
Spoon-leaved Sundew is a small perennial carnivorous herb that forms compact ground-hugging rosettes. Its narrow leaves broaden into rounded, spoon-shaped tips covered with glistening glandular hairs that trap small insects. Although each plant is tiny, large numbers may grow together to form dense reddish or green carpets across bare clay, peat and other open, acidic ground.

Natural habitat:
Occurs on open, poorly drained and strongly acidic ground. Typical habitats include peat bogs, wet clay pans, damp banks, pakihi, seepages and exposed wetland margins.

It frequently colonises bare clay or recently disturbed surfaces where competition from taller plants is limited. Populations may become especially abundant after fire and can form dense turf-like colonies.

Growing environment:
Prefers full sun or very bright open conditions, high humidity and acidic, nutrient-poor soil. The growing medium should remain consistently moist to waterlogged during active growth.

Only rainwater, distilled water or reverse-osmosis water should be used in cultivation. It is intolerant of fertiliser, lime, rich compost, ordinary potting mix and mineral-rich tap water.

Endemic distribution:
Indigenous but not endemic to New Zealand. Found on the North, South and Stewart/Rakiura Islands. The species also occurs in Australia and across parts of eastern and south-eastern Asia and the western Pacific.

Height:
Rosettes generally 1–3 cm tall; flower stems commonly reach 5–10 cm

Width:
Approximately 2–5 cm per rosette, with colonies spreading much more widely

Flowering:
Usually spring to summer

Fruiting:
Usually summer to early autumn

Uses:
• Specialist carnivorous plant collections
• Native bog gardens
• Educational displays
• Wetland restoration
• Botanical collections
• Study of carnivorous plant ecology

Appearance:
Growth habit:
A compact rosette-forming perennial herb with numerous leaves radiating from a central growing point. Individual plants are small and often short-lived, but they produce abundant seed and may establish dense colonies.

Leaves:
Each leaf has a narrow petiole that widens into an oval, rounded or spoon-shaped blade. The leaves are commonly around 1–2 cm long, although size varies between populations and growing conditions.

Foliage may be green, bronze, orange-red or deep red depending on light intensity. Plants growing in strong sun usually develop the richest colouring.

Carnivorous glands:
The upper leaf surface and margins are covered with reddish stalked glands tipped with clear, sticky mucilage. These sparkling droplets attract and trap tiny flies, midges, springtails and other small invertebrates.

Once prey is caught, nearby tentacles slowly bend inward and the leaf may curl around the insect. Digestive enzymes break down the soft tissues, allowing nutrients to be absorbed through the leaf.

Flowers:
Small white, pale pink or rose-pink flowers are carried above the rosette on a slender upright stem. The flowers are usually arranged along one side of a lightly curved raceme.

Each flower is approximately 4–6 mm across and has five broad petals. Flowers commonly open individually and may remain open only in bright, warm conditions.

Fruit:
The fruit is a small dry capsule that opens when mature.

Seeds:
Seeds are minute, dark and produced in large numbers. They are dispersed mainly by wind, with water and wet mud also likely assisting local spread.

Ecology:
Spoon-leaved Sundew is adapted to acidic soils where nitrogen and other nutrients are scarce. Its insect-trapping leaves provide an additional source of nitrogen, phosphorus and trace minerals.

The species is an effective coloniser of open wet ground. Fire, erosion and soil disturbance may temporarily reduce competition and expose suitable clay or peat surfaces, allowing large populations to develop rapidly.

Dense colonies help occupy bare wetland surfaces and contribute to the distinctive plant communities of bogs, clay pans and pakihi.

Associated habitats:
Peat bogs, sphagnum wetlands, pakihi, clay pans, damp banks, seepages, wet heathland and recently burned ground. Associated plants may include sphagnum mosses, sedges, rushes, mānuka, tangle fern, bladderworts and other native sundews.

How to grow:
Grow in full sun or very bright filtered light using an acidic, nutrient-poor medium. Suitable substrates include live sphagnum moss or a mixture of unfertilised peat and washed silica sand or perlite.

Place the pot in a shallow tray of rainwater or distilled water so the medium remains permanently moist. The crown should remain at the surface and should not be buried.

Never apply fertiliser or lime. Avoid ordinary compost, garden soil and hard tap water. Good light is essential for compact growth, strong colour and abundant mucilage.

Propagation:
Propagation from seed is generally easy. Surface-sow fresh seed onto wet sphagnum or an acidic peat-and-sand medium without covering it. Keep the container in bright light and maintain constant moisture.

Seedlings are extremely small but may grow rapidly once established. The species frequently self-seeds into nearby carnivorous plant pots.

Leaf cuttings may also be attempted by placing healthy leaves on wet sphagnum or floating them in clean water under bright light. Established clumps may occasionally be separated, although the small rosettes should be handled carefully.

Only nursery-propagated plants should be used. Wild populations must not be removed or disturbed.

Cultural use:
No specific traditional Māori uses are widely documented. The species forms part of the specialised carnivorous flora of Aotearoa’s bogs, pakihi and acidic wetlands.

The name Drosera comes from a Greek word meaning “dewy”, referring to the glistening mucilage on its leaves. The specific name spatulata means spatula-shaped and describes the broadened, spoon-like leaf tips.

The spelling Drosera spathulata has sometimes been used in New Zealand literature, but Drosera spatulata is the accepted spelling.

Garden value:
A colourful and relatively easy sundew for specialist bog gardens, carnivorous plant collections and educational displays. Its compact rosettes, sparkling trapping glands and delicate white or pink flowers make it especially attractive when grown in groups.

Although individual plants may be short-lived, they usually produce abundant seed and can maintain themselves readily under suitable conditions.