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Plant Stalk Growth ??????

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evillars50

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Ten days after receiving a sundew (drosera) by mail, a stalk started growing. The rate of growth is about one half inch per day! It's now about six inches above the plant, curled at the end, with bulb-like appendages. Are these seeds? If so, what do I need to do to propagate? Totally mystifed....
 
Hey Evillars

First WELCOME!!
smile.gif


Secondly, it is a flower scape. Normally there are several flowers that will open over the course of a week or so ( somtimes longer )

To get seed, you will need to pollinate the flowers.
 
Evillars,

Greetings from a former Coloradan and welcome to the forums.

The "stalk" growing from your Drosera is a flower scape. The bulb-like appendages are the flower buds. You don't need to do too much to get seeds from them as many Drosera flowers will self pollonate when they close, if you want to make sure just tease the flower with a toothpick or small brush after it opens. When the seeds mature you can either let them fall where they may and see if anything grows or collect them and distrubute them out. But that will be a while down the road, until then sit back and enjoy your plant and its flowers.

Pyro
 
My D. spatulata will be opening its final flower (out of 22) in a day or two. How will I know when the seeds are ready?
 
Probably the lower buds have set seed already. Wait a week or 2, and then cut the scape below the buds, and place it in an envelope. Keep it open and loose to avoid mold. Label the envelope right away, or you will forget what is what! (The more species you have the more likely this will be) The pods will dry and split, and the seed will be visable at the bottom of the envelope. More may be released by gently rolling the pods with your finger. Keep some to sow, and send the rest off to other growers ASAP: fresh seed germinates the best.
 
H Harvon,

Well, this is what I use. A folded up piece of paper also works. The seeds are very small, and can easily escape through any opening, so take care, and congratulations on your first seed!
 
Thanks again. I'll be sure to offer seed to members of the forum when it's ready. :biggrin:

(Edited by havron at 6:20 pm on Mar. 20, 2002)
 
hey...my D. spathulata is growing a stalk now..its about 3-4 inches above the rest... my question is ... how long before it flowers? im already really excited at just the thought of being able to grow more! please help me out... =)
Wally
 
It will be several weeks, at least it was in my case. Did you get it from PFT? If so, you should have lovely pink flowers. =D
 
It would be a good idea to provide relatively high humidity for it, especially if you want the flowers to open. I find that 50-60% humidity for the plant is ok, but the flowers need higher humidity in order to open all the way, closer to around 100%. I put an inverted bottle over the flower stalk with a smaller cap full of water underneath in order to accomplish this.
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I like using the flower stalks for propogation, instead of hoping it will set seed.
 
Alvin,
You are correct, the plant requires a clonal variant in order to achieve pollination, a good thing too. My plant pollinated and the seed is everywhere in my pots, worse than capensis as a weedy species!
 
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