D. cistiflora germination

[carnivorous23]

Well, I recieved a small amount of D. cistiflora seed about 5 months ago, and planted it in August, along with some peltata seeds. I was ready to give up on the cistiflora seeds two months ago, when 1 seedling came up died, and the peltata seeds germinated. Today I looked into the pot, and counted 11 seedlings! Yesterday I looked at them, and couldn't see a single seedling. I'm not sure why they came up all at once after such a long time, though it's been slightly cooler and cloudier than usual the past week, maybe that had something to do with it. Anyways, this is incredible, I guess I'll just see how well the seedlings grow now...

 

[Pyro]

Congratulations on that, these seeds are supposed to be very difficult. I gave up on mine after 6 months. The cool might have something to do with your germination, in habitat these guys grow during the winter months. I have heard from a couple growers that a drop to 40F or so can help to "tell" the seeds that it is the right time.

 

[Tamlin Dawnstar]

I think with the South African wintergrowers this is very much the case. I just got germination of Drosera trinervia sown in late August, and I put it down to the cooler temps. Neither D. galabripes or esterhuseniae germinated during the warm nights of late summer and early fall, but came up as soon as the nights were cooler. I am going to try a brief strat. in the fridge now of the other sown species: cistaflora, pauciflora, burkeana and slackii that have shown no germination so far.

Regarding cistaflora, remember this is a short day grower. Keep the photoperiod at 11 hrs, or less or the plants will be confused.

 

[Martin]

The key seems to be cold nights but maybe the seed also benefits for standing around during the hot summer months (kind of stratifaction).
I wouldn't store them in the fridge.

I had sown my Drosera prolifera during summer 2001 and got germination after several months in late autumn 2001.
This is how the seedlings looked around November 2001 :

They are very very very !!!!! slow growers and this is how they looked in May 2002, some days before they died back (i tried to keep them wet year around but they didn't care and went dormant)

The biggest plants had been less than 1cm in diameter.

I kept the pot dry but very slightly moist (very difficult !) and I thought that I lost all of them but in October 2002 more than ten of them came back from the dead

They are still very small.

Keep these Drosera very (!) bright and cold during their growing cycle. i think they are almost impossible to grow in German winters without strong artificial light.

The guy I got the seed from told me that Drosera pauciflora will need several years to flower if grown from seed.

good luck with yours
Martin

 

[Pyro]

On the growing cycle, I talked to the guys at BestCP and they indicated that their plants actually don't seem to care about photoperiod or temp as and inducer of dormancy, they just die back when they feel it is time. The cistiflora I got from them last month were just entering into dormancy and I know that the Czech republic is in the Northern hemisphere so...

 

[Tamlin Dawnstar]

Travis remember how Jay said he has his seasons reversed and grows the plants in the summer? Maybe you are going to have a case like that with your plants!