Hibernaculum question

[curtisconners]

I was thinking about d. Capensis' ability to form a hibernaculum when it gets cold and I was wondering. Are there any sundews that form hibernaculum in times of draught? Besides tuberous dews.

By the way, I've been on terraforums for three months and this is my 300th post. WHOOOHOOOOO

 

[Benurmanii]

As far as I know, there are none. I assume it's because a hibernaculum forms above surface and so would lose the water it is trying to retain during a drought. The closest you'll get to a hibernaculum during dry periods would be the Mexican Pinguicula that form their succulent leaves in tight buds during the dry winter.

 

[fredg]

.......... it's because a hibernaculum forms above surface and so would lose the water it is trying to retain during a drought.

That's not so convincing an argument when I look at the hibernacula on my temperate Pinguicula or should I say I look at the hole where the hibernacula are buried below the surface.

 

[curtisconners]

Oh well, it would've been cool there was one. Thanks.

Update: This was in response to burmanii's response. Fredg's reply came up as this was being typed.

 

[corky]

D.hilaris?

 

[curtisconners]

D.hilaris?

Looks like it. I did some (very) quick googling and it appears that it has an optional dry, summer dormancy. Thanks, corky.

 

[corky]

Pygmy drosera maybe worth a Google, many south African winter growers , they die back to the roots, not a hibernacula but require dry warm dormancy and wet cool growing

 

[curtisconners]

I would like a terrarium full of tiny sundews, would it be appropriate to mix species? I wouldn't mind a terrarium with some capensis, spoon leaves and a few others.

 

[w03]

It's fine to mix species, as long as their cultivation requirements match up. E.g. mixing warm growing petiolaris complex with highland South American Drosera isn't going to go well.
D. capensis and D. spatulata / x tokaiensis (spoon leaves) have basically the same needs, so they should be fine. The only thing I'd be worried about is the D. capensis overgrowing any smaller plants you have in there. Pygmy Drosera might be more of a stretch since you'll need to account for the summer resting period.

 

[curtisconners]

Oh, I thought that pygmy sundews were tropical. perhaps I'll go with some spoon leaves and a few spatulata. Would plant lights for an aquarium be suitable to light the terrarium with?

 

[nimbulan]

Pygmy sundews are (sub)tropical, but generally have a drier summer dormancy period. It's not necessary for all species, in particular Drosera scorpioides will grow year-round.

 

[Benurmanii]

That's not so convincing an argument when I look at the hibernacula on my temperate Pinguicula or should I say I look at the hole where the hibernacula are buried below the surface.

Huh, I thought they mostly formed above the surface. Perhaps the images I have seen have been of oddball species.

 

[fredg]

Oh, I thought that pygmy sundews were tropical.

The Carnivorous Plant FAQ: Pygmy Drosera

 

[curtisconners]

Thanks for the link, Fredg.

 

[Benurmanii]

Pygmy sundews are (sub)tropical, but generally have a drier summer dormancy period. It's not necessary for all species, in particular Drosera scorpioides will grow year-round.

I've heard that you should always try to avoid this dormancy, as sometimes it can be hard to bring them back out alive. Do you know the species that would want the dry dormancy?

 

[nimbulan]

I've heard that you should always try to avoid this dormancy, as sometimes it can be hard to bring them back out alive. Do you know the species that would want the dry dormancy?

I've heard that as well, but I was under the impression that most species will go dormant whether you want them to or not. I could be wrong, I'm not really a pygmy grower.

 

[hcarlton]

Pygmy sundews as a whole generally don't go dormant so long as the soil is kept sufficiently moist. There are generally a few that always go dormant anyway, and it can be very difficult to revive them but my roseana tend to do so readily. And pygmies are the only ones I can think of that do have summer dormant "hibernacula;" tuberous dews die back to underground tubers, South African species die to the roots (I believe species like hilaris and ericgreenii etc. included), and others simply stall growth until conditions become favorable again.

 

[corky]

Petiolaris sundews also act like pygmy sundews in extreme draught, leaves shrivel and hairs are produced to protect the bud. D. hilaris is hard to find information on, mine in summer have produced a tight bud that starts to regrow when the summer heat(some years we don't have any) cools off and they are kept wetter again,

 

[hcarlton]

Forgot about the petiolaris group, yeah those guys are funky too (yet to grow them personally though); oh, and the word you're looking for is drought, draught is the old English spelling for draft

I wonder if D. hilaris kind of depends on the severity of conditions; some people I have heard it forms dormant buds for, while for a few others it dies back like cistiflora and its relatives.

 

[Benurmanii]

I thought D. hilaris was a year-round sundew. Does it die back only if conditions are too hot and/or dry, or does it need a dromancy?