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Binata stem question

Ive noticed some binata plants have erect stiff stems, others have drooping stems that bend over the pot and hang. Why? What factor causes this, is it wind/air circulation or the light it receives.

thanx
 
New leaves are likely to be erect and older ones droop.
 
Seems a factor of light to me; my D. binata all droop and scramble when I have them indoors under artificial light, but grow in a very upright and compact fashion in the sun. Also, certain varieties, such as multifida, tend to have longer petioles than others.
~Joe
 
That is also true. I asked about my D. spatulata flower stalk a few years go and Tamlin said that it was a factor of sufficient lighting to remain upright.
 
Yeah, here's mine in full blazing socal sun.

forked_sundews.jpg
 
Guys, if the bright sun your giving your plants is outside, then you have to figure in the wind. The constant movement from the wind causes the cells in the stems to produce more cellulose (not sure that's what it was, but something like that) to strengthen the stalks so the wind didn't break them. This causes the plants to be shorter also, which also reduces wind drag.
 
Good point, Steve, but my plants grow stocky even when they're isolated from wind, like when I put them in my skylights for the winter. Wind is a factor, but I think etoliation is the real culprit. If it were merely wind, what's to stop the plants from just growing all lanky and scrambling over nearby low-lying vegetation? Much of the time, when petiole length increases, the plant effectively becomes shorter, because the leaves don't stand up at all.
~Joe
 
Wind can be a problem during the start of the growing cycle when there aren't many leaves. When they've got enough leaves, the leaves stick to each other forming a tight locking web. The density and stickiness of web can take some pretty good abuse from the wind.
 
Notuice that in Larry's picture, in spite of California sun, which goes a long way in keeping them erect, some leaves do droop.... the ones that are really old.
 
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