> I've read that Drosera capensis is a self pollnating plant that requires no
> dormancy. My D. Capensis is about to send up a flowering stalk and
> I wonder if there is anything I should do or will the seeds just
> fall out?
Yep - onto neighbouring pots, the water tray, the windowsill,
sticky leaves, everywhere. And you'll have thousands of seeds.
I know a lot of growers cut the flower stalks off before they
produce seed to save on weeding, though it never seems quite
right to me to stop them doing what comes naturally. If only I
didn't feel compelled to sow all the seed, I might be able to
get into the back room again :)
> Also, I have some U. terrestrial bladderworts growing with my
> D. Aliciae. There are many white flowers with a yellow mark on
> top. Now, this part of the plant falls off after a few days!
That doesn't quite sound like it should happen - if there are several
flowers 3-6mm wide, per long scape, and the leaves are fine and
grasslike but short, I'd take a wild guess that it might be U.
bisquamata (though there are a lot of other Utrics out there.)
Mine leave a small, round capsule containing a few seeds after the
flowers have shrivelled. Perhaps more humidity and/or less light
would improve things.
> Is this supposed to happen and if so, should I collect the white
> flowers and treat them like seed?
>
> Lastly, Since the D. Capensis requirees no dormancy, would it be better
> to give it a dormant period for 3 months? Would this create
> longer stalks and a more healthier plant?
A lot of mine live outdoors in coldframes (well, there's no damn
room left in the house,) and undergo dormancy, but they're more
scraggly and less vigorous than the ones indoors - they also seem
more prone to insect and mould attack (though that might be the
coldframe environment.)
and blymn@awadi.com.AU (Brett Lymn) writes:
> My D. Capensis have been doing fine without dormancy - they get a bit
> scraggly when the plant is older. IMHO D. Capensis looks nicer when
> it has just become mature. After a few years they tend to have long
> brown stalks that make the plant look a bit ugly to me.
I'm quite fond of the miniature palm tree effect of a 4 inch trunk
with a leafy crown and the dead growth removed - sort of like I'd
imagine a bonsai Roridula - I think an extremely tall, standard
capensis would have its merits too if only there was a way to
thicken the trunk...
Happy growing,
Peter