Growing South American Drosera: Peat or Sphagnum

[Peatmoss]

Good day,

I recently received a number of fine quality South American Drosera from (left the name out, for Andy).

The species in question are:

D. gaminifolia
D. rorimae
D. camporoupestris

I also received D. kaiturensis and D. esmeralda from a member on another forum a while back.

Now, the first three Drosera I listed, arrived as clumps of four or five plants.

I was curious as to which soil medium is better to grow these in, so I planted them half and half in either peat/sand or sphagnum/sand. I wanted to deduce which side is correct, at least in my conditions.

The plants have now been in my care for about one week, and I find the results surprising, considering the main opinion is that sphagnum is better for growing these species.

(Keep in mind, these plants are growing in my extremely sub-optimal conditions of 90* plus temperatures for the last few days.)

I have observed results for all three species:

D. gaminifolia

Peat/sand: Both plants in this mix are doing very well, and producing new leaves. Very impressed by apparent ease of growth!
Sphagnum/sand: One of the plants in this mix, appears to have aborted the latest leaf, but the growth point has some green, so I hold out hope for it's survival. The other plant is showing no new growth since it arrived.

D. rorimae:

Peat/sand: Both plants in this mix are doing very well, and producing new growth! Much better than expected...
Sphagnum/sand: The plant in this mix is doing badly, but the bunch of plantlets are doing fairly well in living sphagnum...

D. camporoupestris:
All plants of this species appear to be doing fairly well...


The D. kaiturensis and esmerelda are both in a peat/sand mix, the esmerelda is doing very well, but the kaiturensis does not like my conditions, and is at risk of dying...


Just another note:

I also received D. ultramafica from (vendor) and put it in peat/sand as recommended by Mey et al. This plant is producing many new leaves... Very nice!


Can anyone else post information to add to this? I know I have not been growing them for long, but I want to get a conversation started... What soil mixes to your SA Drosera do best in?

Photos will come when the plants start looking better.

Thanks,

Gabriel

 

[bluemax]

I do grow a few South Americans but the only species you named that I have is D. roraimae. I have only had them for a few weeks but they seem to be happy in very sandy peat. I also grow D. graomogolensis and D. ascendans. The graos have always seemed to be do better in long fiber sphagnum but I am trying peat and sand on them. The ascendans I sprout in lfs but transplant to peat/sand, where they seem to grow well.

I hope this helps and I'm looking forward to your photos.

 

[Peatmoss]

Thanks for the info Mark! I just received ascendans last week, and look forward to getting it growing!

I lost the rorimae that was in the sphagnum, glad I planted the majority in peat and sand.

Everything else is doing great also, all developing new leaves, although they seem to be having some trouble coping with my really bright lights.

~Gabriel