FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

For some reason a sundew plant started growing next to my Venus fly trap in the same pot??? Anyone have any idea why and should I leave it cause its getting bigger

That is a very common occurrence, many members have a similar experience.
Depending on what kind of sundew it is will dictate what should be done. A pic is worth a thousand words, and it might point to an ID to help us help you help it to live longer and more comfortably.

How is that possible? Was there a sundew seed or something in the pot?

It happens very frequently. I've had sundews show up in VFT pots, Ceph pots, and nepenthes pots. Some sundews that show up are my own "fault" and not really unexpected (I had a sundew that flowered in a pot not too far away . . . so yeah). Some sundews that show up are species I never acquired previously (hitchhikers), and likely came in through the soil of an acquired plant. Some sundews that show up were from seeds the year before or several years prior that I either didn't know about or forgot about. In the end, sundews grow like weeds for me. I have to pull and throw them away after a while, otherwise I'd have hundreds of sundews growing.

Some sundews are harmless next to VFTs. Others can cause problems. If the sundew is too large and is blocking light, or root space, with the VFT it isn't a great idea to keep them in the same pot. Just repot the sundew (or give it to a friend or compost it if you don't want it). I've had cape sundews growing next to most plants without any issue. Most pygmy sundews are likewise not a problem. Drosera Adelae, on the other hand, is a problem "companion" sundew. The roots take over everything and the leaves shade out the VFT.

To piggyback on the above comment, binatas are also not good companion plants as they have massive root systems and are next to impossible to eliminate once established.

I want a SunDew growing in my Athena so I can have a SunDew 0o0

Go ahead and put in a request with the seed bank for a TIer 0 sundew. That will get you started.

John smith wrote: ↑Mon May 02, 2022 5:28 am For some reason a sundew plant started growing next to my Venus fly trap in the same pot??? Anyone have any idea why and should I leave it cause its getting bigger

My friend with the commercial greenhouse would call that "gift with purchase". Sundews are good at hitchhiking with other carnivorous plants. My flytrap pots often have Drosera capillaris and intermedia growing in them.

Panman wrote: ↑Mon May 02, 2022 1:54 pm To piggyback on the above comment, binatas are also not good companion plants as they have massive root systems and are next to impossible to eliminate once established.

Back in January, I bought a Sarracenia flava (var cuprea Bill Hoyer x var ornata Bulloch County, Georgia) from David Green. About 3 weeks ago, I noticed a nice-sized Drosera binata sprouting next to the rhizome; kinda strange because the pitcher plant was shipped bare-root, and I didn't see anything clinging to it. Anyway, I'd like to see the sundew try to argue with the Sarr about who's the boss in that pot.

MikeB wrote:I'd like to see the sundew try to argue with the Sarr about who's the boss in that pot.

That would be quite a match-up.

I think capensis or binata would put up a good fight... Marston dragon would work well with all the root divisions.

So far, this one appears to be a shorter, colder-climate binata: the biggest leaf is about 3 inches (7.5 cm) tall, red highlights, single fork. I just spotted a flower stalk unfurling (in early May in eastern North Carolina - wow). I hope it's a tough little sundew because it'll be getting Sarracenia dormancy every winter.