Date: 24 Aug 1998 12:43:00 +0100 From: Loyd Wix <Loyd.Wix@unilever.com> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2785$foo@default> Subject: Drosophyllum
Yet more mail trouble! The following message was retuned to
me on friday so I'm resending it! I hope the second message
I sent got through (Re.Unusual Ping flower), I cannot be
sure as I havn't received CP digest 1546.
Here goes:
Dear Mark,
I have been growing Drosophyllum since 1990 (i.e.
continuously!), and over this time I have raised many plants
from seed. IMHO the biggest difficulty with this species is
that it doesn't fit the classic 'lives in a bog' CP
stereotype. This means that you will not be successful if
you place the plants or the seeds in the water trays along
side your Sarracenia and Drosera.
Regarding the advice you have received:
>Some of the advice I've encountered:
>Sow seed 1/4 inch above the medium surface
I think you mean *below* the medium surface, I would not
disagree with this.
>Pour boiling water over said seed
Not necessary
>Scratch seedcoat with sandpaper
Don't I've tried it and got lower germination, the damage to
the seed coat can allow pathogens access to the seed. A high
proportion of seed I treated this way rotted.
>Don't scratch seedcoat with sandpaper!
Absolutely.
>Treat with Gibberellic acid
A waste of money, good Drosophyllum seed germinates well -
poor quality seed doesn't but if it's dead GA will not help
either. Reserve the GA for seeds which really benefit from
it e.g. Byblis gigantea.
>Soak in plain distilled water for 24 hours
Fine but not absolutely necessary, distilled water is fine,
rain water is also OK and I have even used Northamptonshire
(UK) tap water with no ill effect.
>Throw seed on 50/50 peat-sand and forget about 'em for a
>year
Probably better than keeping them in a cupboard and
forgetting about them for a year. I favour a more open
gritty (free draining) compost than peat/sand. Germination
times are erratic and you will need to keep an eye on things
i.e. compost conditions the appearance of germination. The
juvenile plants are delicate and less forgiving than the
adults. If you 'forget about them' you lose them. My best
years for Drosophyllum are those which involve little
overseas travel. Poor one such as this year involve allot of
overseas travel so I am not around to care for these
delicate youngsters.
>Germinates in a vermiculite mix after three weeks
Possibly if it doesn't dry out.
>Don't use vermiculite in the mix, it will damp-off the seed
Some of us use this material to allow free drainage to avoid
damping off e.g. raising Mexican Pinguicula. I have used
vermiculite for Drosophyllum in the past.
>Scarification by cutting the large end of the seedcoat
Again I wouldn't recommend this due to increased
susceptibility to pathogens.
>A wide variety of techniques. I've tried some of them with
>very meager results. Droso-philes...speak up!
I wrote an article for the UKCPS Journal last year which
covered Drosophyllum cultivation, I will see if I can find
an electronic copy and send it too you directly. Perhaps
with some modification I could convert this article into
something for the Cp archives if there is sufficient
interest out there (the article also includes Byblis
gigantea which Brian Cochran has already done an excellent
job on). However I can only comment on my experiences
through out the 90's with this plant and to state what has,
and has not worked for me. There is every possibility that
others may be enjoying success by very different means to
mine.
Kind regards
Loyd
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