Fresh Drosophyllum seed giveaway

[DJ57]

My bushy old mother Drosophyllum decided it was time to flower in January/February and produce its last crop of seed. Sadly, the drosos in this pot have reached the end of their life cycle after 4 great years, but have given me many progeny to fill the void.

I have two packets for giveaway, each containing 8 freshly harvested seed. They will be shipped in a padded envelope and I will pay postage. Put your name in list form, copy/paste from post above yours and add your name to list, with a short comment on your experience level growing the more difficult species of CPs and I will pick two people (see below) on Thursday, May 15, and PM them for shipping info.

My preference is to give these to people who have the experience and/or knowledge to germinate and grow this awesome sundew as they have different requirements than most other CPs.

Mother plant last summer, R.I.P.

[/url]Drosophyllum 2013 by Djoni C, on Flickr[/IMG]

[/url]Drosophyllum flowers by Djoni C, on Flickr[/IMG]

 

[Maiden]

I will pass, but its a very generous offer

 

[theplantman]

1) theplantman -- I think you'll remember our correspondence during my Drosophyllum seed germination experiment, which I greatly appreciated!! I got the plant not only to come up, but to look really great---except my stupid greenhouse collapsed in the wind! The plant dropped, pot shattered, and after replanting I still got it to live for 5 weeks!! After which I imagine the injury helped it succumb to root rot. I am dying to try again and I think I can nail it this time. I also expect to have significantly better germination now that it's warm outside. The threat of damping off has largely passed. Really, really sorry to hear about your plant--it was gorgeous!

 

[birdman]

1) theplantman -- I think you'll remember our correspondence during my Drosophyllum seed germination experiment, which I greatly appreciated!! I got the plant not only to come up, but to look really great---except my stupid greenhouse collapsed in the wind! The plant dropped, pot shattered, and after replanting I still got it to live for 5 weeks!! After which I imagine the injury helped it succumb to root rot. I am dying to try again and I think I can nail it this time. I also expect to have significantly better germination now that it's warm outside. The threat of damping off has largely passed. Really, really sorry to hear about your plant--it was gorgeous!

2) Birdman- I have grown this species for many years, but sadly my last plants died prematurely without flowering and I had no seed left. I have been quite successful with the 24 hour GA3 pretreatment. Thanks for the offer! (BTW- I would be very happy with 1/2 an envelope = 4 seeds)

 

[jimscott]

The pictures are like wow!

 

[JB_OrchidGuy]

1) theplantman -- I think you'll remember our correspondence during my Drosophyllum seed germination experiment, which I greatly appreciated!! I got the plant not only to come up, but to look really great---except my stupid greenhouse collapsed in the wind! The plant dropped, pot shattered, and after replanting I still got it to live for 5 weeks!! After which I imagine the injury helped it succumb to root rot. I am dying to try again and I think I can nail it this time. I also expect to have significantly better germination now that it's warm outside. The threat of damping off has largely passed. Really, really sorry to hear about your plant--it was gorgeous!

2) Birdman- I have grown this species for many years, but sadly my last plants died prematurely without flowering and I had no seed left. I have been quite successful with the 24 hour GA3 pretreatment. Thanks for the offer! (BTW- I would be very happy with 1/2 an envelope = 4 seeds)

3)JB_orchidguy- I have zero experience with these guys. I have five seeds I'm trying to germinate atm but I'm not sure if they will. IDK if I have done something wrong or not. I would love to try again. Thanks!!

 

[PiranhaPlant]

1) theplantman -- I think you'll remember our correspondence during my Drosophyllum seed germination experiment, which I greatly appreciated!! I got the plant not only to come up, but to look really great---except my stupid greenhouse collapsed in the wind! The plant dropped, pot shattered, and after replanting I still got it to live for 5 weeks!! After which I imagine the injury helped it succumb to root rot. I am dying to try again and I think I can nail it this time. I also expect to have significantly better germination now that it's warm outside. The threat of damping off has largely passed. Really, really sorry to hear about your plant--it was gorgeous!

2) Birdman- I have grown this species for many years, but sadly my last plants died prematurely without flowering and I had no seed left. I have been quite successful with the 24 hour GA3 pretreatment. Thanks for the offer! (BTW- I would be very happy with 1/2 an envelope = 4 seeds)

3)JB_orchidguy- I have zero experience with these guys. I have five seeds I'm trying to germinate atm but I'm not sure if they will. IDK if I have done something wrong or not. I would love to try again. Thanks!!

4. PiranhaPlant - I have limited experience growing this species but I would like an attempt to give it another shot.

 

[Gs'Cps]

) theplantman -- I think you'll remember our correspondence during my Drosophyllum seed germination experiment, which I greatly appreciated!! I got the plant not only to come up, but to look really great---except my stupid greenhouse collapsed in the wind! The plant dropped, pot shattered, and after replanting I still got it to live for 5 weeks!! After which I imagine the injury helped it succumb to root rot. I am dying to try again and I think I can nail it this time. I also expect to have significantly better germination now that it's warm outside. The threat of damping off has largely passed. Really, really sorry to hear about your plant--it was gorgeous!

2) Birdman- I have grown this species for many years, but sadly my last plants died prematurely without flowering and I had no seed left. I have been quite successful with the 24 hour GA3 pretreatment. Thanks for the offer! (BTW- I would be very happy with 1/2 an envelope = 4 seeds)

3)JB_orchidguy- I have zero experience with these guys. I have five seeds I'm trying to germinate atm but I'm not sure if they will. IDK if I have done something wrong or not. I would love to try again. Thanks!!

4. PiranhaPlant - I have limited experience growing this species but I would like an attempt to give it another shot.

5. Gs'Cps - I have a nice hobby greenhouse with several species of sundews, pings, cephs and nepenthes I am forever reading on drosophyllum as this species caught my eye in 2010 i would love to give this species a go and i am familiar with all the different germination techniques, i have been holding off to get seeds of some drosophyllum because i never know if they are fresh viable seeds. this seems like a perfect opportunity to get me some healthy seeds that will florish in my Mediterranean style greenhouse

 

[mass]

) theplantman -- I think you'll remember our correspondence during my Drosophyllum seed germination experiment, which I greatly appreciated!! I got the plant not only to come up, but to look really great---except my stupid greenhouse collapsed in the wind! The plant dropped, pot shattered, and after replanting I still got it to live for 5 weeks!! After which I imagine the injury helped it succumb to root rot. I am dying to try again and I think I can nail it this time. I also expect to have significantly better germination now that it's warm outside. The threat of damping off has largely passed. Really, really sorry to hear about your plant--it was gorgeous!

2) Birdman- I have grown this species for many years, but sadly my last plants died prematurely without flowering and I had no seed left. I have been quite successful with the 24 hour GA3 pretreatment. Thanks for the offer! (BTW- I would be very happy with 1/2 an envelope = 4 seeds)

3)JB_orchidguy- I have zero experience with these guys. I have five seeds I'm trying to germinate atm but I'm not sure if they will. IDK if I have done something wrong or not. I would love to try again. Thanks!!

4. PiranhaPlant - I have limited experience growing this species but I would like an attempt to give it another shot.

5. Gs'Cps - I have a nice hobby greenhouse with several species of sundews, pings, cephs and nepenthes I am forever reading on drosophyllum as this species caught my eye in 2010 i would love to give this species a go and i am familiar with all the different germination techniques, i have been holding off to get seeds of some drosophyllum because i never know if they are fresh viable seeds. this seems like a perfect opportunity to get me some healthy seeds that will florish in my Mediterranean style greenhouse

6. Mass ~ I've got a couple year's experience growing Drosos thanks to you. Sadly mine died during an 8 day power outtage this winter. How I miss it so..

 

[planturd]

nice looking parents (plant) looks like it gets big for windowsills, just wondering if any one tried the "liquid smoke" method? what about just putting it in my smoker? to germinate.

 

[adnedarn]

1) theplantman -- I think you'll remember our correspondence during my Drosophyllum seed germination experiment, which I greatly appreciated!! I got the plant not only to come up, but to look really great---except my stupid greenhouse collapsed in the wind! The plant dropped, pot shattered, and after replanting I still got it to live for 5 weeks!! After which I imagine the injury helped it succumb to root rot. I am dying to try again and I think I can nail it this time. I also expect to have significantly better germination now that it's warm outside. The threat of damping off has largely passed. Really, really sorry to hear about your plant--it was gorgeous!

2) Birdman- I have grown this species for many years, but sadly my last plants died prematurely without flowering and I had no seed left. I have been quite successful with the 24 hour GA3 pretreatment. Thanks for the offer! (BTW- I would be very happy with 1/2 an envelope = 4 seeds)

3)JB_orchidguy- I have zero experience with these guys. I have five seeds I'm trying to germinate atm but I'm not sure if they will. IDK if I have done something wrong or not. I would love to try again. Thanks!!

4. PiranhaPlant - I have limited experience growing this species but I would like an attempt to give it another shot.

5. Gs'Cps - I have a nice hobby greenhouse with several species of sundews, pings, cephs and nepenthes I am forever reading on drosophyllum as this species caught my eye in 2010 i would love to give this species a go and i am familiar with all the different germination techniques, i have been holding off to get seeds of some drosophyllum because i never know if they are fresh viable seeds. this seems like a perfect opportunity to get me some healthy seeds that will florish in my Mediterranean style greenhouse

6. Mass ~ I've got a couple year's experience growing Drosos thanks to you. Sadly mine died during an 8 day power outtage this winter. How I miss it so..

7. adnedarn- I sprouted 4 out of 6 seeds on my last attempt, one died shortly after leaving 3- 2 in one pot and 1 in another pot. They grew for over a year with no flower but when I moved, something changed about my conditions or maybe it was the 2 weeks they were inside a room under lights I'm really not sure but ultimately they passed. Although I still have the pots and dead plants sitting in the greenhouse. :X Thanks much for the consideration!

 

[jimscott]

1) theplantman -- I think you'll remember our correspondence during my Drosophyllum seed germination experiment, which I greatly appreciated!! I got the plant not only to come up, but to look really great---except my stupid greenhouse collapsed in the wind! The plant dropped, pot shattered, and after replanting I still got it to live for 5 weeks!! After which I imagine the injury helped it succumb to root rot. I am dying to try again and I think I can nail it this time. I also expect to have significantly better germination now that it's warm outside. The threat of damping off has largely passed. Really, really sorry to hear about your plant--it was gorgeous!

2) Birdman- I have grown this species for many years, but sadly my last plants died prematurely without flowering and I had no seed left. I have been quite successful with the 24 hour GA3 pretreatment. Thanks for the offer! (BTW- I would be very happy with 1/2 an envelope = 4 seeds)

3)JB_orchidguy- I have zero experience with these guys. I have five seeds I'm trying to germinate atm but I'm not sure if they will. IDK if I have done something wrong or not. I would love to try again. Thanks!!

4. PiranhaPlant - I have limited experience growing this species but I would like an attempt to give it another shot.

5. Gs'Cps - I have a nice hobby greenhouse with several species of sundews, pings, cephs and nepenthes I am forever reading on drosophyllum as this species caught my eye in 2010 i would love to give this species a go and i am familiar with all the different germination techniques, i have been holding off to get seeds of some drosophyllum because i never know if they are fresh viable seeds. this seems like a perfect opportunity to get me some healthy seeds that will florish in my Mediterranean style greenhouse

6. Mass ~ I've got a couple year's experience growing Drosos thanks to you. Sadly mine died during an 8 day power outtage this winter. How I miss it so..

7. adnedarn- I sprouted 4 out of 6 seeds on my last attempt, one died shortly after leaving 3- 2 in one pot and 1 in another pot. They grew for over a year with no flower but when I moved, something changed about my conditions or maybe it was the 2 weeks they were inside a room under lights I'm really not sure but ultimately they passed. Although I still have the pots and dead plants sitting in the greenhouse. :X Thanks much for the consideration!

8. I can only germinate them by total accident and ineptitude. I can kill them by transplanting and under-watering them.

 

[DJ57]

Okay, time to finish this up.

Birdman and theplantman will receive the fresh seed and PMs have been sent to them.

However, due to the unexpected amount of interest, if the rest of you (excluding the ones I have already PM'd) want to pay for postage, I have enough 1 and 2-year-old droso seed to cover the other names on the list. PM me for my address and shipping cost if you are interested in these. I don't do Paypal so shipping will have to be sent snail mail. Last year I successfully germinated 2-year-old droso seed, so know they have a "fridge shelf life" of at least 2 years.

Hopefully next year I will be able to get back into CPs full swing again and the droso babies I am raising now will produce enough seed for more people to take a shot at growing. I realize there is a learning curve to germinating and growing this awesome sundew, so would like to supply people with enough fresh seed to play around with different methods to find what works for them.

DJ

 

[jlechtm]

DJ,

I'm curious why you said that the plants were at the end of their life cycle after four years. Is this normal for the genus or the result of something else? I had assumed that they lived for many years in the wild (have heard of them growing long trailing stems, etc.).

At this moment, I have six pots of Drosophyllum seedlings (thanks to seed from Mike Wang). It's the first time I've ever tried to grow this plant from seed, and I was quite pleased with the germination rate after minimum effort (soaked the seed for 24 hours in water and then rubbed briefly on sand paper). Plants are about two months old now and approaching four inches if not a bit more.

I'm sure that I'll be lucky if I can get them to survive a full year with me, but It's a bit depressing to think that they'll only survive for three more even if I do as well as you do!

 

[Tanukimo]

DJ,

I'm curious why you said that the plants were at the end of their life cycle after four years. Is this normal for the genus or the result of something else? I had assumed that they lived for many years in the wild (have heard of them growing long trailing stems, etc.).

At this moment, I have six pots of Drosophyllum seedlings (thanks to seed from Mike Wang). It's the first time I've ever tried to grow this plant from seed, and I was quite pleased with the germination rate after minimum effort (soaked the seed for 24 hours in water and then rubbed briefly on sand paper). Plants are about two months old now and approaching four inches if not a bit more.

I'm sure that I'll be lucky if I can get them to survive a full year with me, but It's a bit depressing to think that they'll only survive for three more even if I do as well as you do!

Well, it seems like in many cases Drosophyllum often dies after flowering in cultivation. In fact, online people say they have a life cycle of two years, as after flowering in the second year they often die, so DJ must have been growing his Drosophyllum in really good conditions.

 

[theplantman]

Of the 5 plants I was able to germinate, they seemed indifferent to what media you start them in as long as it's sterile. They were sluggish to germinate in cool winter temps and I got better germination and overall health with warm temps. Faster germination occurred with scarification, but once I moved unscarified seeds into warm (75-85F) temps they popped right up. They seemed very tolerant of being root-fed and foliar-fed and it's my belief that they may need nutritional support to handle the demands of flowering/fruiting. They also had no problem with several fungicides I used to prevent damping-off. My main problem was that I got too excited, jumped the gun in December, and planted out everything. I should have kept a reserve and tried them in April.

My plants were seriously injured in a windstorm but otherwise performing beautifully right beforehand. The one plant I found was severely broken, no soil was attached to the root, but survived for ~ 1 month after being repotted. It began to decline and I tried two different fungicides to save it. It tolerated the chemicals fine but still rotted from the center of the plant outward. I did not have it tested by a pathology lab because it was too small, but it's also my hunch that the rot that killed it was bacterial.

My goal with these seeds will be (1) produce seeds to repay DJ's generosity and (2) get a plant to live 4 years or more. I know this is ambitious but I think Drosophyllum likes being germinated and grown in the warm seasons when the threat of many rots is reduced. If I can maintain a healthy plant going into next winter I expect it'll be smooth sailing.

 

[DJ57]

DJ,

I'm curious why you said that the plants were at the end of their life cycle after four years. Is this normal for the genus or the result of something else? I had assumed that they lived for many years in the wild (have heard of them growing long trailing stems, etc.).

At this moment, I have six pots of Drosophyllum seedlings (thanks to seed from Mike Wang). It's the first time I've ever tried to grow this plant from seed, and I was quite pleased with the germination rate after minimum effort (soaked the seed for 24 hours in water and then rubbed briefly on sand paper). Plants are about two months old now and approaching four inches if not a bit more.

I'm sure that I'll be lucky if I can get them to survive a full year with me, but It's a bit depressing to think that they'll only survive for three more even if I do as well as you do!

The end of their life cycle for me as the plants had outgrown the pot and the roots were sticking out the bottom, and the soil level had fallen really low in the pot. I use dead LFS to plug the hole to keep in the loose soil mix from falling out the bottom of the terra cotta pot and the LFS breaks down over time and eventually the soil slowly leaks out when I water or after a good rain. This pot was a 10-inch terra cotta pot. I keep my drosos outside in full sun from spring to the first frost, so move them under cover when we get rain for days on end and then into the unheated garage for the winter. I think when the roots start to come out the bottom of the pot they get damaged from being moved around. If you have yours in tall pots, you should be able to enjoy them for years.

I wish you the best of luck with your drosos!

 

[DJ57]

Well, it seems like in many cases Drosophyllum often dies after flowering in cultivation. In fact, online people say they have a life cycle of two years, as after flowering in the second year they often die, so DJ must have been growing his Drosophyllum in really good conditions.

In my experience, they do not die after flowering. Mine flowered profusely for 3 years without any noticeable ill affect. One seedling in that pot flowered the same year it germinated, but I cut the flower stalk because it was just a seedling and I wanted the energy to go to leaf production instead. I know a couple other people whose Drosophyllum are doing great after 3 years. It could be that size/depth of the pot makes a difference along with conditions, but I can only speak from my personal experience and would love to hear from others who have been successful growing a droso for more than a couple years, can never stop learning about these. In my experience also I notice that Drosophyllum seem to require lots of sun or very strong lighting to do well over time, and they also like to have lots to eat. I am very fortunate to have the space to keep them outside in full sun 8-10 hours a day during the growing season and outside they catch lots of bugs.

Another thing I have read online is that you can't germinate or grow two Drosophyllum plants side by side in the same pot. In my experience I have not found this to be true, pic attached. These two germinated in the same plastic seedling insert cell with just a couple inches between them and I have had others do the same. I transplanted them into their forever pot when they were seedlings with just a few leaves unfurled, another often-read myth dispelled about transplanting them but this has only worked for me with very young seedlings. Normally I use little Jiffy "peat" pots to germinate seed and transplant the whole thing to minimize the possibility of root disturbance, but I had run out of those so used plastic seedling inserts instead.

Drosophyllum spring 2014, second year after germination by Djoni C, on Flickr

Of the 5 plants I was able to germinate, they seemed indifferent to what media you start them in as long as it's sterile. They were sluggish to germinate in cool winter temps and I got better germination and overall health with warm temps. Faster germination occurred with scarification, but once I moved unscarified seeds into warm (75-85F) temps they popped right up. They seemed very tolerant of being root-fed and foliar-fed and it's my belief that they may need nutritional support to handle the demands of flowering/fruiting. They also had no problem with several fungicides I used to prevent damping-off. My main problem was that I got too excited, jumped the gun in December, and planted out everything. I should have kept a reserve and tried them in April.

My plants were seriously injured in a windstorm but otherwise performing beautifully right beforehand. The one plant I found was severely broken, no soil was attached to the root, but survived for ~ 1 month after being repotted. It began to decline and I tried two different fungicides to save it. It tolerated the chemicals fine but still rotted from the center of the plant outward. I did not have it tested by a pathology lab because it was too small, but it's also my hunch that the rot that killed it was bacterial.

My goal with these seeds will be (1) produce seeds to repay DJ's generosity and (2) get a plant to live 4 years or more. I know this is ambitious but I think Drosophyllum likes being germinated and grown in the warm seasons when the threat of many rots is reduced. If I can maintain a healthy plant going into next winter I expect it'll be smooth sailing.

I have also discovered that they are indifferent to what medium you use to germinate them. Two years in a row now I got germination in a peat/perlite mix and heavy on the peat (these were sown untreated/unscarified in the heat of August and left outside exposed to the elements through winter in our PNW climate), and last year had my best germination rate with a thin layer of peat kept moist on top of my regular droso soil mix, sown outside in spring. I have also found the medium can be kept as wet as you would keep a sarracenia for at least the first month or two after germination - chicken out every time continuing to keep them that moist to see at what point they cannot tolerate it, another project I suppose. Being outside throughout the growing season mine get plenty to eat on their own and are often loaded with bugs, but in the unheated garage over winter they catch very few bugs so I spray them with a weak orchid fertilizer once in a while and they seem to like that. They slow way down in growth over winter with the cooler temps (in the low 40s at night during the coldest part of winter), so they probably don't even need to be fed but I do it anyway.

Ha, I appreciate the offer but probably don't need any seed from you as I am expecting mine to produce some next year, but it would be interesting to germinate some from an outside source to see if there is any difference in the plants. I don't have location data on mine, but have seen seed offered online with location data from different locations.

 

[DJ57]

This giveaway is now closed. All seed packets have been mailed out.