Native to the Atlantic Seaboard from Connecticut to Florida, threadleaf sundew stands apart from its sundew relatives by the shape of its leaves alone. While most Drosera species hold flat, spoon-shaped rosettes, this one sends up erect, thread-like stems that uncurl from the base in tight spirals, exactly like fern fiddleheads, and remain fully extended at 4 to 12 inches tall. Each stem is studded end to end with sticky, glandular hairs that trap passing insects, which are then digested by plant enzymes. Small lavender-rose flowers rise on leafless stalks in fall, offering one of the few genuine late-season moments of color in a bog garden.

Threadleaf sundew is among the easier carnivorous plants to cultivate. It grows in whole-fiber sphagnum or a lean mix of peat and coarse vermiculite, always kept moist with distilled or rainwater and never fertilized. Unlike the pink sundew, this species is genuinely perennial and requires a cool winter dormancy to persist long-term. Plants can be divided while dormant, and the Florida variety (var. floridana) offers striking red and orange foliage for those in warmer zones. A bog garden, a deep trough, or a container set in a water-filled saucer all make fine homes.