Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 20:50:57 +0000 From: "Mark and Karen" <marked@xtra.co.nz> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2106$foo@default> Subject: re; D.arcturi germination
Filippo Tassara wrote:
> Hi All!
> does anybody have any experience with germination of Drosera arcturi?
> (It's a nice, alpine species from New Zealand, and it seems to be quite
> difficult to grow).
> I've already tried two times without success. This is my third chance and
> these seeds are fresh.
> Maybe they require stratification (also D.rotundifolia and D.anglica require
> stratification, but also without this they germinate after some months; my
> D.arcturi never germinated)
I've never grown D. arcturi from seed due to the ease of obtaining
live plants but here is some info which may help.
In the wild both D. arcturi and stenopetala literally grow like
weeds in open seepage areas with water moving around the plants
sometimes submerging them. They seem to germinate well in the wild
with tiny seedlings popping up all through the alpine mosses. Being
alpine to sub alpine plants the Summer day temps can get fairly high
but the nights are always cool. In Winter the plants are buried
beneath snow ( well over a metre in places)
The arcturi I have in cultivation grows best shaded from our harsh
NZ Summer sun and I water mid-day to cool the soil which is in a
large white polystyrene tray (same conditions as my Darlingtonia)
The shading is removed in Autumn and the plants are exposed to severe
frosts freezing the potting mix solid but no snow. I have grown
arcturi & steno. before without this treatment which resulted in
them getting smaller each year until they finally died 3 years
later. Therefore if you live in a warm region you would be wasting
your time even trying to germinate them unless you can keep them cool
artificially. Fresh seed (as you have) would be important in the
germination as the actual seed is not overly thick and hard nor is
the protective case surrounding it making it vulnerable to rapid
deterioration. D. stenopetala on the other hand has a larger seed
with a hard shiny case.
I would sow the seed now keeping the water table up near the top
of the mix and I would expect no germination until they have had a
good long period of stratification. (Perhaps try Gibberalic acid on
half as well) Keep them cool out of full sun over summer then
expose them to the coldest winter you can give them.
Good luck
Mark
especially the steno hard shiny case and
keep a very high water table. A good stratification would also be
necessary. They seem to germinate well in the wild with tiny
seedlings popping up all through the alpine mosses.
-----------------------------------------
Mark and Karen (marked@xtra.co.nz)
8 Rugby Street, Levin, New Zealand
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