Question
hi i bought a carnivorous plant [octopus plant] how long do they live and how big do they grow? and what do they eat

Answer

Drosera capensis Hello Gerald. The "octopus plant" is actually one of a very large family of plants, the sundews or Drosera. This particular plant that you have is a cape sundew, or Drosera capensis.

Drosera capensis have no winter dormancy and grow all year round. They are comfortable in temperatures that humans like and should be protected from becoming cold or freezing. They can live for many years and as the original plant grows a stalk where the previous leaves have died, it also produces baby plants, vegetative offshoots from around its base.

These offshoots can be separated from the "mother" plant when it is repotted and planted into their own growing containers. The original plant itself can be buried deeper into the growing medium when it is repotted, and it will grow roots and perhaps baby offshoots from the buried part of the central stem or stalk.

A large, mature Drosera capensis can become 8 inches (20 centimeters) or more in diameter.

Cape sundews are great plants and it's fun to see how the sticky leaves slowly curl around a captured insect and roll up like a jelly roll as it digests the insect.

Thanks for your question, and happy growing.

-Steve