Regia Help

[M Jacobs]

Recently I received a drosera regia root cutting and potted it up in a mixture of 1:1 perlite dead LFS. The plant has not done well in the 9 days that I have had it since shipping. Its temps are 82 high and about 70 low. Humidity is probably 75 % minimum (The hygrometer I had broke.) I have had two tries at drosera regia in the past however none have shown this rate of regression immediately upon arrival. All the leaves have essentially turned black except for the new, smallest leaf, but the black has spread extremely quickly. earlier in the day there were 2 other green leaves that are now totally black and it appears to be moving towards the crown quickly. I have looked over previous help threads to see if there were any things that obviously jumped out as problems but nothing really seemed out of place.I have read that they sometimes die back to the crown after shipping but there was only one good root on the plant so I don't know if it will make it through a potential dieback. Thanks for the help.

M Jacobs

Pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/94453443@N02/14577379437/
Also, how do you directly post photos?

 

[Brolloks]

Personally I have found Regia to be very hardy, I grow it outside in direct sunlight and it receives a temperature drop at night.
The temps outside drop to about 30 F during night time as compared to day time temps of around 86 F

I have heard that Regia enjoys a temp drop and you can grow it outside if you are in a US zone 9 or higher

I also don't let it stand in deep water. I actually let the water tray it's standing in dry out for a day before I refill it. And I use a bit of a larger pot for mine as well.

 

[NemJones]

What kind of lighting do you have the regia in

 

[M Jacobs]

I had it under 2 36 inch florescent tubes but moved it to a windowsill currently to see if that would help while I waited to see what everyone here thought about it.

 

[NemJones]

What are the tubes?

 

[M Jacobs]

http://cache3.smarthome.com/images/59350big.jpg

Two of these. They are what I have grown nepenthes and cephalotus under for years.

 

[ChronoKiento]

I've read a few articles about when growing D. regia from a seedling to give them a few osmocote pellets for extra food. I've never really done it myself, so I can't speak from experience but it might be something to try if you think the cutting will otherwise die.

 

[jimscott]

I've always struggled to keep this species going, indoors. In contrast, it does very well outside: