D. Regia Needs Urgent help!!!

[Steven Magee]

Hi guys, My regia is in a bind. It's gotten smaller and smaller over the past month and I fear it may be on it's way out. At the moment it's no bigger than an inch wide, a few months ago it was 13-14 inches across. My conditions are a 12 hour photoperiod under 2 T8 bulbs ~50% humidity the soil is a spagnum perlite mix, tempature ranges from 70-78.

So does anyone know what I need to be doing instead? Are one or more of these conditions wrong for Regia? It seemed to be ok during the summer for the most part... Any help would be GREATLY appriciated!!!!

Thanks to all in advance...

Ah and heres a photo for refrence

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32333408@N08/3017386078/

 

[aaddaam]

ive never seen that happen but it might just die down and come back from the roots.

 

[jimscott]

I've seen my own plant alternate between reacting and recovering. Right now it is growing, even after a transplant, in a mix of sand and peat, with a good layer of LFS. The plant is on a south window sill, where it draws warmth from the room and the coldness of the sill. So it can get a good 15 F day/night differential. I'm using distilled water.

 

[Steven Magee]

Thanks Jim, I've read that it goes through cycles, But it just looks so pathetic right now! Yours is looking good though, Is it a root cutting? Cuz it looks like a root extending to the right

 

[Not a Number]

The consensus with growing Drosera regia appears to be that they like a nightly temperature drop (say at least 10F) and not to stand in much water.

As noted before they can often grow back from the roots.

 

[jimscott]

Actually, to the right was the original growth point that died. I went to transplant it and found that I had a black twig and underneath the LFS, to the left, was a new growth point, where you see this new growth. That whole setup is (was) a smorgasbord of plants - a Ceph cutting, a bunch of VFT sprouts, a couple Darlingtonia sprouts, D. filiformis & binata sprouts, and a stray pygmy sundew - but no Sarracenias! I've never seen roots, as we know them.

 

[Baylorguy]

It's not unusual for D. regia to reduce its size when the cooler months roll around. What ratio of peat and perlite are you using? D. regia likes a very open medium. My plant has reduced its size somewhat but has leveled off with 3-4 inch long leaves for now and is producing multiple growth points.

 

[RL7836]

Hi guys, My regia is in a bind. It's gotten smaller and smaller over the past month and I fear it may be on it's way out.

From the pic, I agree with your assessment.

As many have noted, D. regia is frequently a resurrection plant but from what I've seen, the die-back is still a sign that it's not happy with something. IIRC, the growers who have the best success do not have these die-backs. When I tried terrarium growing, the plants died. When I decided they could handle NJ summers outside - they died (except one summer). If it wasn't the heat, bugs got them.

It seems like they enjoy lower humidity than most dews and prefer to be treated to moderate highland temps. Also, they are magnets for sucking bugs - look closely for critters.