Drosera — the sundew, its leaves studded with glistening, sticky tentacles. The largest carnivorous-plant genus, and home to some of the best beginner plants there are.
Bright light — strong light makes the dew sparkle and brings out red coloration. A sunny window or a grow light.
Keep it constantly wet, standing in a tray of mineral-free water.
Peat with perlite or sand; some species prefer pure sphagnum.
An enormously varied genus. Subtropical sundews — like the Cape sundew, Drosera capensis — grow year-round with no dormancy and are famously hard to kill, making them an ideal first carnivore. Temperate sundews need a cold winter rest; tuberous and pygmy types have their own specialized cycles.
They readily catch gnats and fruit flies. No feeding needed, though you can offer a fruit fly to the dew if you like.
Dew that disappears usually means too little light, low humidity, or mineral water. Be warned that the Cape sundew self-seeds enthusiastically — you’ll soon have spares to trade.
Carnivorous plants are wildly diverse. Within every group, individual species can have their own specific needs — particular light levels, temperatures, dormancy triggers, or water depth — that aren’t covered here. Treat this as a starting point: check a species-specific guide, or ask the community, before committing to a particular plant.