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Letting VFT plants have sex

Joseph Clemens

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<span style='font-size:12pt;line-height:100%'>When my collection of VFT clones began to bloom several months ago. I encouraged it. I worked at carefully swapping pollen between the several different clones I am currently growing which were flowering concurrently, so that every flower received pollen from a different clone.

I was rewarded with quite a few seed which I sowed together on a topping of black sand in a 2 inch square pot on 29Feb04. The black sand makes it easier to observe the germination process. Within 4 days several seed had already initiated thier first root. Now, 14 days later most are completing the process of escaping from their seed coats. From the first moment the cotyledons are visible, some can be seen to have strong red pigmentation while most do not. The arrows indicate where a red seedling has been identified.

The theory is that because of the sexual nature of this form of reproduction that each plant that grows from a seed will be unique, different from any other VFT plant in the world.

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Cool beans!!!

And in only two weeks... That's a lot faster than I have ever seen them germinate Joseph.

My three from last year are slowly putting up growth outside from their winter slumber, I will be encouraging the blooming stalks this year since I divided them all last year and have at least two of each. Bloom stalks should arise from the larger plants simultaneously I would assume anyway, two of the three of them did last year at the same time.

I would hope to try the same experiment and see what the seed yields for initial differences in germination.

Cheers,
Sean

Quick question...
Since these are new crosses of your own making, do you intend to grow them out to adult size to see if there are any marked differences from those already available in the trade???
 
Cool. I was hoping to do this this year too, but alas, my first flowering plant got a fungle infection :p ... I'm sure the fast germination is in part due to the freshness of the seed.

One question though, isn't that black sand a little risky or did you some how manage to get the volcanic type?
 
WOW! Most excelent sprouting time!
 
Just curious. Since the red plants don't have any roots to speak of yet, wouldn't it be easy to transplant them now?

SF
 
Hey, when those start to bloom abit more, pull one out of teh roots, ill pay ya some cash for one of those babies! Were talking 5-20 bucks here!
 
Great work Joseph but how in the heck will you know which seeds came from what cross pollinization?  
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  What if you get an Alibino...
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That whole experiment intrigues the heck out of me.  Please keep us informed and post pics as they "grow up".
 
<span style='font-size:12pt;line-height:100%'>Well, I'm not really worried about parentage because these are not hybrids. You can't create hybrids with a genus of only one species, unless they can cross with different genera, as some other plant groups can do, such as orchids. They are just different clones, not different species or hybrids.

If I were doing this to track heritability or other genetic foibles of VFTs, then keeping track of which is which might be important. Even doing it this way, helter skelter, can still provide interesting information.

In other words, lineage doesn't matter much. Even if we never knew Albert Einsteins lineage it wouldn't reduce his significance much, if at all. Outstanding human beings derive from the species #### sapiens sapiens, outstanding VFTs derive from Dionaea muscipula.</span>
 
how did u get the new ones to grow so fast
can u give tips
mines flowring now and i want to know stuff
post in my thread plz thank you
 
  • #10
<span style='font-size:12pt;line-height:100%'>Update:
Well, there were ten seedlings whose cotelydons were quite red, noticeable contrast to the majority which were a nice green color. I separated these red ones into their own pot. I will continue to monitor the initial pot and plan to isolate any others who show the same characteristics, yet who might come along later.

- - - - - - -

Bignaturalbrock,

I did my usual for sowing most fresh CP seed. I prepared a pot with a top dressing of black silica sand, then sprinkled the black pear-shaped VFT seed on the sand. It virtually disappeared. I then "watered them in" (sprayed them lightly with pure water). Next I placed them inside a ziploc freezer bag, sealed it and placed it under 6 - four foot, cool white, fluorescent lamps with a 15 hour on cycle. I folded over the top of the bag to make it shorter, then it fits under the lights so the bag is touching the lights. Then I watch and wait. The black sand makes it easy to notice when germination starts. In this case the radicle of a couple of seeds emerged within 4 days. Most followed within two weeks, but there are still late comers even now.</span>
 
  • #11
Congrats! I plan on pollinateing my vft this year. I wonder if those red seedlings will amount to anything? Keep us posted!
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  • #12
PinguiculaMan, when after all your VFTs flower do they weaken a bit?
Have you any losses from flowering? Also after your VFTs flower, do they have enough energy to flower again the next year? Thanks for the pics and information. I'm having trouble in deciding in either having my 2 VFTS flower or not.
 
  • #13
<span style='font-size:12pt;line-height:100%'>uglypho,

I have seen a wide variety of responses various VFT plants have had to letting them flower. I can honestly say I have rarely seen one die as a result of having flowered and set seed.

Usually while they are flowering they do not form new trap leaves. And often it takes a few weeks after the ripe seed is collected before they start making new leaves again.

I am perfectly willing to endure these things in order to bring more unique little VFT plants into the world.</span>
 
  • #14
I also think the more diverse the better. I plan to cross my two most vigorous and red trapped VFTs to create something cool.
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Could I just let the plant flower outside? It is dry and hot outside where I live(Sou Cali) and do I need any special conditions for the plants to flower like high humidity and cool temps? Thanks.
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  • #15
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they also put less color into any traps they were growing before, my "Red Head" is now totaly green after trying (and failing miserably) to flower. It's my fault, I broke my own rule, "No flowering untill I've had it for at least one dormencey", but I got greedy and let it try to flower after only having it for 3 months. *Sigh* plant is fine though.
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Just waiting for it to start growing again.
 
  • #16
No, just adjust it to the low humidity, higher light and temp levels slowly. Find the coolest shadiest place to start it off in and keep the pot in an inch or two of H2O, then you can slowly move it to less shaddy and lower water levels.
 
  • #17
Mine is still growing traps only at a much reduced rate,I noticed that the new traps are much smaller,reder,and on early filiform petioles.
 
  • #18
Hey, this is cool! You guys have flowers already! My VFT's only woke up two or three weeks ago. I had to clip one flower scape (the plant's not looking too good), but there are three other (two GD's, and one that I think is a typical) that have flower scapes emerging.

I got a couple of seeds from Wildbill last August (FRESH seeds), and they germinated in uder two weeks. I think fresh is the key. Anyway, four of the eight or nine seedlings are bigger than a silver dollar now with traps almost 1/2" (less than a year, thank you very much), and a fifth only slightly smaller....Three of them are still tiny, but showing signs of picking up speed.
My tip: as seedlings, stuff their faces. Let them eat as much as they want. I happened to have a aphid infestation on my peppers at the time I has these guys as sprouts, and the ones that ate more aphids are the ones that are larger.
 
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