Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 11:06:14 +0000 From: "Susan Farrington" <sfarrington@ridgway.mobot.org> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2359$foo@default> Subject: Drosera sunshine requirements
In our cp bog display I'm finding it difficult to grow good
specimens of Drosera filiformis, D. binnata, D. dichotoma, and even
Drosera capensis! I'm suspecting that the problem is not quite enough
strong sunshine, but my other theory is that they're not quite wet
enough. I have excellent specimens of each growing in our back-up
area (which is outside in lots of sunshine, with the plants sitting
in trays of water).
The plants in the bog (indoors in a conservatory which is kept at 40
degrees in the winter and is 80 to 100 degrees in summer) stay alive,
but do not thrive: they went dormant last winter, and emerged from
dormancy, but their growth is spindly, and the taller types
never seem to unfurl and make "dew." Drosera capensis is a
vicious weed in my back-up area, and grows beautifully in the trays,
but is thin and spindly and sad looking in the bog display.
Rosetted types of sundews do much better in my display, all kept
together in a trough that gives them extra sunshine and moisture.
Drosera adelae (which needs less light) does well. Pitcher plants of
all species are doing well, except Sarracenia purpurea ssp. venosa,
and I'm assuming that they are not staying wet enough.
Would it be fair to say that taller types of sundews need more sun
than just about all the other types of cp's? Or is it more likely
that they want to be more waterlogged than the others? I can try
sinking them in undrained pots in the bog. For the moment, I've
decided to keep rotating the collection to keep nice ones in the
display.
Thanks for any help!
Susan Farrington
Missouri Botanical Garden
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