Bloomipedia
Pink sundew (Drosera capillaris)
Photo: Austin Pursley via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized

Flower profile

Pink sundew

Drosera capillaris

Pink sundew (Drosera capillaris) is a flowering plant in the Droseraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Pink sundew is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 4 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.

13states where USDA records it
4Bloomipedia state lists include it
12,294U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina

Quick look

Drosera capillaris, also known as the pink sundew, is a species of carnivorous plant belonging to the family Droseraceae. It is native to the southern United States, the Greater Antilles, western and southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. It is critically endangered in some places and thrives in unique conditions like fires, as it allows new growth to flourish.

  • It belongs to the Droseraceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 13 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina. NatureServe
  • In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–May. iNaturalist
  • In Mississippi, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–July. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 7,541 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #12 among the 151 flowers on our Florida list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 828 research-grade sightings of it in Mississippi, ranking #10 among the 154 flowers on our Mississippi list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 804 research-grade sightings of it in Alabama, ranking #70 among the 167 flowers on our Alabama list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (211 records)
Bloom time in the 4 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
FloridaNativeMarch–May7,541
MississippiNativeApril–July828
AlabamaNativefew records (15)804
South CarolinaNativefew records (4)479

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Florida
Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe: S5, secure in Florida. FAC 5B-40.0055
Mississippi
No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Mississippi.
Alabama
No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alabama.
South Carolina
No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in South Carolina.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AR (S1), DE (SH), MD (S1), TN (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records pink sundew in 13 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia.

Florida counties with USDA records: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Broward, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gilchrist, Glades, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, Washington.

Mississippi counties with USDA records: Hancock, Harrison, Holmes, Jackson, Jones, Lamar, Pearl River, Perry, Stone.

Alabama counties with USDA records: Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Conecuh, Covington, Escambia, Lee, Macon, Mobile.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Lower 48 states: Native; Puerto Rico: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 195 counties across 12 states; the most are in Florida (60), North Carolina (33), Texas (19).

Other Drosera on Bloomipedia (4): Round-leaved sundew, Spoonleaf sundew, Dwarf sundew, Tracy's sundew.

More from the Droseraceae family (5 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Venus flytrap.

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Sources