Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 14:32:11 EDT From: CMDodd@aol.com To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3234$foo@default> Subject: Re: Fly-traps
With all the talk on Fly-traps in the last digest, I was wondering: Is anyone
doing any line-breeding for size in Dionaea? I am thinking of isolating all
of the larger clones I have and interbreeding them to see if the size can be
pushed a bit. A 12" diameter plant with 3" traps might be a reality?!?
Also this is an interesting plant to me for other reasons as well. I have
noticed that different cultivars respond quite differently this far south. I
have grown some 2nd and 3rd generation plants from seed and the plants seem
very happy (no, they don't smile, but then with Dionaea you are never quite
sure) with our mild winters and minimal dormancy. Plants of other 'northern'
cultivars often seem very stressed here and seem to 'burn out' after a few
years.
Even the plants adapted to our area show strange patterns, some years
producing large quantities of seed, then a year later none. I usually let
insects do the work so it may depend on the timing of flowering from one year
to the next.
Many of the plants do not seem to produce the spindly summer tall leaves and
instead keep the tight ground-hugging rosettes year-round. These are much
prefered. Is this known to be genetic or cultural?
One thing that seems to be cultural is inside of the trap color and the batch
of peat moss used. I suspect it is the acidity of the particular bag of moss
that causes this. Plants from the same seed batch planted under otherwise
identical conditions have shown marked differences in color when two different
bags of peat were used. Unfortunately there is no way to tell before buying
the peat how it may effect color.
Any thoughts?
Cliff
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