Byblis

[enoc22]

Hi
i will be geting 30 Byblis liniflora seeds some time this week or next and i want to be ready to plant them as soon as they arrive
i was wondering how is the best way to plant them and what soil mix do i use
also might have 10 extra seed to trade for other Drosera(escp.any pygme or tuberous)
LMK
Oliver

 

[Spectabilis73]

Can't quite help you there, because my B. seeds never sprouted

But, you should not trade for any pygmy seeds. they rearely produce seeds, and even if they do they rarely sprout. Don't get any tuberous either. you may as well just buy plants, as tuberous seeds may take many years to sprout

 

[cephalotus88]

well, you can never say never with seeds. My pygmies set seed awhile ago and they sprouted (nitidula). For byblis, i have had luck just by scattering them on peat/sand (moist, not wet) and plasing the pot on a dish of water and placing it under growlights or windowsill. My seeds sprouted, but the plantlets died due to my own fault lol (heat...way too much). Good luck-Zach
PS: dont be scared that byblis seeds may take some time to sprout, mine sprouted after a month or two for some reason

 

[Tom]

I usually sow my seeds on the common cp soil (2:1 to 1:1 peat:sand). I spread the seeds in their 'permanent' place, since repotting seedlings can be risky (they hate to have their roots disturbed, kill 2 Byblis filifolia once like this), so place them where you want them to be.

They can sprout in 'normal' condition, but heat is your friend when it is time to germinate. As with a lot of species, a temp around 80°F can be useful to have faster germination, but i have found it unncessary: they will sprout anyway, but sometimes after a longer period, in slightly cooler condition.

They love sun, and I usually water them with the tray method, letting it dry for a short period before I water again.

If the seeds are fresh, germination generally occurs in 2 weeks in my experience, but I had germination over a 3 months period, so don't throw away anything (it is the golden rules in CP seeds sowing) before you are more than sure that nothing will grow in the pot (I sometimes wait for more than a year in some cases... and it is sometimes rewarding!).

Hope this help.

 

[eBeyonder]

I would just like to share my limited experience

I sow my seeds on 2:1 sandeat. I agree that heat is important. I have an initial batch of seeds in the shade and nothing happened for 2 mths. Then I got another batch and after something like 3 weeks of non-activity, I put the whole pot (covered with plastic wrap) in the sun. About 2 weeks later, I got 8 sprouts. I'm now putting my other seeds in the sun too. I hope they germinate too.

So as far as I can tell from my limited experience, heat is an ally with Byblis liniflora seeds.

Tom, in your experience, how long does it take for them to get from seed to the flowering stage?

 

[Tom]

Within a year if i remember well... I got this species few years ago (more than 5), and then, I got rid of it (what a mistake!). I am now growing it back, but it seems to be a little slow on growth. Perhaps it is because I grew it on a windowsill before, and now it is under fluorescents tubes... My seedlings sprouted by the end of summer, so it won't help much neither for their growth speed (the light are now on 12/12...). But i think that I got my first flower after about 6 months, and then it never stopped flowering until it died... It is a really nice plant, and it is making me realize that I should take some culture notes... it would be more useful than my memory

 

[eBeyonder]

Thanks for the info

I'm looking forward to the plant growing up... does it set a lot of seed when it flowers?

 

[Tom]

Definatly less than a Drosera capensis

... I don't remember on this one... 10-15? Surely someone else can answer this one... Here is a little picture of one plantlets I have, a bit out of focus...

 

[PlantAKiss]

Mine gave about 20 seeds per pod when I had it.

 

[Joseph Clemens]

Byblis liniflora seems to need some assistance in fertilizing its flowers, the most interesting way I've done this was to hold a pot of Byblis in one hand and then touch a vibration source to the pot or hand holding the pot. The vibration causes the pollen to be released and a few weeks later the dark--ripe seed can be seen through the translucent seed pod walls.

 

[enoc22]

Hi
Thanks every one for all the replys(i will have to read through hem a couple a time before i can rember all the info but i think i got the jist of it)
i havn't got my seeds yet but now i am even more exsited than ever
thanks a bunch evryone
Oliver

 

[Forbes]

Byblis liniflora reaches maturity at an alarming rate. Its seed usually germinate in two weeks, and it is off and flowering by the end of its second month. Ask whoever you are receiving seed from when it was collected. I’ve found old seed to germinate best. If you are getting fresh seed, let it sit around for a few weeks.
Special treatment is wasted on B. liniflora. Peat and sand mixes work well, but I don’t see any reason to bother mixing stuff to create a suitable substrate. Pure, relatively fine silica sand works great, and is nearly identical to the podzol that coats its indigenous habitat (If I remember correctly).
Don’t bother covering the pot for germination. It won’t speed the process, will necessitate a gradual acclimation to your growing environment and could result in a pot covered in damp-off debris.
I place the pots with their tops four to six inches from florescent tubes. You’ll be hard pressed to give them too much light, and they tolerate quite a lot of heat. They grow nicely sitting in a centimeter or two of water. I usually let the tray dry out fairly often but haven’t found any advantages to doing so other than discouraging algal buildup.

-Forbes