Herb: Sundew


Latin name: Drosera peltata


Family: Droseraceae (Sundew Family)



Medicinal use of Sundew:

The plant is anodyne, blood tonic and carminative. It is used in India in making gold bhasma, which is antisyphilitic, alterative and tonic. The crushed leaves, with or without salt, have been used as a blistering agent. This can be of value as a poultice since it brings more blood to the area and helps speed the clearance of toxins in arthritis and rheumatism.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Annual/Perennial

Height:
25 cm
(9 3/4 inch)

Habitat of the herb:

Grassy slopes, 1500 - 3600 metres in the Himalayas. Wet places in Japan. Sunny hillsides in China.

Propagation of Sundew:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a free-draining soil with some charcoal added and with a layer of finely chopped sphagnum moss on top. Surface sow and keep the compost moist. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 2 months at 20°C. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.

Cultivation of the herb:

Grassy slopes, 1500 - 3600 metres in the Himalayas. Wet places in Japan. Sunny hillsides in China.

Known hazards of Drosera peltata:

The plant is slightly toxic according to one report.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.