I recently got tuberous sundew seeds : D.auriculata ,D.macrantha ssp macrantha, and D.peltata. I read a little bit on germinathing tuberous sundews and apparently they need heat strafication, so I guess this is a good time to sow them, but what do I do after the few weeks of heat strafication and is it 4 weeks just like with sarrencia?
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Tuberous sundews
- Thread starter PiranhaPlant
- Start date
Hi PiranhaPlant. I've found that D. auriculata germinates readily without heat stratification (to my surprise). Then again that was the only tuberous species I've managed to have germinate ever.
I sowed some tuberous Drosera seed yesterday and they're currently sitting in a heated propagator, which I plan on doing for a month before switching to cooler days and nights. Hopefully I'll have something sprout this year, but in the end I might break down and buy tubers instead.
Cheers,
Amori
I sowed some tuberous Drosera seed yesterday and they're currently sitting in a heated propagator, which I plan on doing for a month before switching to cooler days and nights. Hopefully I'll have something sprout this year, but in the end I might break down and buy tubers instead.
Cheers,
Amori
If the seed was stratified by heat (i.e. baked in the summer sun) now is a good time to start them. Have GREAT patience, you might not see anything until December. I never throw out a pot sown with tuberous Drosera seed. I have had germination after nearly a 2 year wait, and I have also had subsequent germination in the same pot. Success is very unpredictable, and often relies on seed being fresh. I would sow onto a layer of white silica sand, and observe the seed weekly or so with a loup. If the seed gets moldy, it probably wasn't good to begin with. If the seed appears unaffected but does not germinate by midwinter, I would dry off the substrate, lable the pot and keep it dry and sheltered until next summer. Expose it then to the summer heat (the more the better) and return it to tray water the following cool season. Some species take up to 3 years to germinate. I have heard that D. erythrorhiza will only germinate subsequent to large scale burns in habitat, and that populations well away from the fire also germinate as a result. Smoke water would probably up your chances. I doubt you will need such for the species you mention, they are all willing growers, but patience is advisable: these are winter growers and they appreciate the cold weather.
My d. macranthra ssp. macranthra's, d. platypoda, and d. ramellosa all took 4 years to germinate, following the wet/dry seasons, and open to blazing summer sun. 4 years to germinate, and only 30 seconds to be stolen at a CP society meeting. So much for d. macranthra for me, and d. platypoda. I still have the d. ramellosa.
