Tuberous drosera

Clarke Brunt (clarke@brunt.demon.co.uk)
Sun, 1 Oct 1995 21:50:40 +0100

On 30 Sep 95 at 12:59, writserv@mi.net wrote:

> I envy you. I have never had the nerve, in this Canadian climate, to try
> tuberous Drosera. Apartment dweller. I am always afraid that the tubers
> will rot. After reading your post, I think my reticence may be well placed.

I think you should give some a try - but get seed if you can, then
it costs hardly anything if they fail.

It's only a few years since I started with a packet of mixed Drosera
seed, and among what I got were the possible D. erythrorhiza (this is
why they got mixed in with another species). I had no idea how to
grow them and just left them in the water tray for a year or two.
They grew rather strangely, but still didn't die, then I saw a copy
of one of Slack's book and got the idea of how to cultivate them
properly. I'd particularly recommend D. peltata - I find these come
easily from seed. In the northern hemisphere they come up about now -
October - with wiry stems and 'radio-antenna' leaves, and stay active
until about May or June. I then take them out of the water tray, and
just place the pots in the house (saves Summer space in the
greenhouse) with no water. In September or so, I just stick them
back in the water tray, possibly after repotting the tubers.
D. peltata might make just a rosette of leaves, or possibly a fairly
short stem, in its first growing season from seed. After that, they
are essentially full size, with stems maybe 20-30cm.

-- 
Clarke Brunt (clarke@brunt.demon.co.uk)