D. admirabilis struggling

[jimscott]

I had a colony of seeds that sprouted a few years ago. Between attrition and trades I am down to two plants. One has a little bit of dew and the other is now dewless. They are on my plant rack, by the window, a few inches under a Grolite. With the exception of now struggling D. spatulata and a few other struggling dews I just moved there, the other sundews are just glistening with dew, and a few are sending up flower scapes. I looked in my CP books and this species isn't even mentioned. What do they want? what do they need?

 

[droseraguy]

Mine grow right along w/ the rest. 65 days / 60 nights now. Humidity pretty high and lights on about 16 hours.

 

[jimscott]

I have the lighting for about 15 hours, but only have open tray humidity. Higher temps?

 

[Capslock]

Jim,
I grew this in cooler conditions under fluorescent tubes and it grew like crazy. I'd take some leaf cuttings and maybe repot the parent plant? Something has happened that it doesn't like!

Here's what it looked like (I traded it away a year ago):

Capslock

 

[Drosera36]

Are they like in this thread Jim?

You didn't seem too concerned then but maybe it's something different? My plant just took a little while to get back to normal; it's fine now.

-Ben

 

[jimscott]

Max, those plants are stunning! Cooler temps? Morning sun? Are they like D. aliciae, needing top watering?

 

[Capslock]

Mine were grown under cheap fluorescent tubes in highland temperatures. I used the tray method of watering. Took a while to grow that much though! I probably had them for 3 years.

Capslock

 

[jimscott]

I have one that dates back to 2004 and one that just got from BCK, a few months ago, probably an older plant. How long does a given plant live?

 

[Jefforever]

I have grown some Admirabilis for about 4 to 5 years now. Quite easy!

It's no problem if they look a little down, they always come back.

I've heard many of the S. African sundews look ratty from time to time.

Max, have you noticed their disproportionally long roots?

 

[jimscott]

Long roots? Doesn't that usually indicate a dry climate or at leat a dry season?

 

[Not a Number]

Hmmm, I recall Pyro mentioning he's observed active and in-active growth phases in South African Drosera and it's best not to mess with them in the in-active phases (i.e. repot). Perhaps they phase in and out of semi-dormancy as many of the temperate and sub-tropical rosetted Drosera do.

 

[jimscott]

I'll just keep them where they are and not do anything obtuse.

 

[jimscott]

Okay, that particular plant died. I don't really know why. The other one in the pot, on that I've had a for 4 years, looks okay. It has dew.