Questions about Drosera graminifolia

[Wolfn]

Hello. I found a Drosera graminifolia for sale, and I'm pretty interested in it. I have some questions about it:

1) How big does it get?
2) What kind of light does it need?
3) I hear that they are tropical plants. Can they survive freezing temps?

 

[Tamlin Dawnstar]

Drosera graminifolia is a really excellent sundew. This is a Brasillian endemic species, and like all such has some requirements for best growth, most important of which is a 5-10 degree nightime drop in temps. I had fine success with growing it outdoors here in upstate NY during the warm months. Given good conditions the lamina (leaves) can max out 10 inches or more, although seldom more than 3 at a given time. I had no real difficulty growing from seed, achieving a flowering specimen in under 2 years. Mine were grown in pure milled live LFS, double potten so it sat in water to within a few cm of the surface. Use deep pots to allow for the deep root growth. In the hottest months, a used refridgerated PURE water, replacing the resavoir daily in the a.m. Plants were grown in full sun outdoors (here that is 40 per cent of the possible available sunlight. Colder months the plant sat beneath 8 flourescent tubes 50/50 cool white and growlux. They are light hungry like all Drosera, but the light in the Tepui's where this species grows is probably diffuse much of the time and of a more intense quality (the habitat being both equatorial and much elevated). I doubt you could give them too much, but with light comes also heat, and they don't like subsurface hot. I assume highland Nepenthes culture would be about ideal for this species. With all the Brasillian species purity of medium and water are essential for long term success. I had no success with obtaining seed from hand pollination, although leaf cuttings did bud they also refused to strike roots. Possibly the use of a rooting hormone might prove effective? Ummm, I also placed a crystal cluster on the top of the medium which the plant appeared to enjoy odd as that might seem. None of the Brasillian species will survive frost. Good luck with your cultivation!

 

[Wolfn]

I'll probably get one when the weather warms up.

 

[DrWurm]

Tamlin, my D. graminifolia is currently flowering. Do you observe rather low pollen production as I do?

 

[Tamlin Dawnstar]

I can't recall enough to confirm or deny. I no longer grow any of the Brasillian species, so it's all recollection. All I can really say was I failed to pollinate the three times I tried, and I tried at different times during the events.

 

[sgardner]

I have never pollinated any of my D. graminifolia and have always had lots of viable seed from them, I did check the flowers and i could not find any thing resembling pollin but i didnt have a magnifying glass.
I have also had the same experience with leaf cuttings, even when i tried rooting hormones, i found that they will root if they have lower humidity.

 

[Tamlin Dawnstar]

Thanks for the update and encouragement, my experience with this species was fairly limited so this is good to know

 

[Not a Number]

From my experience it is nearly impossible to see the pollen on most species of Drosera flowers. Maybe with high magnification you can see it.

 

[Baylorguy]

Mine did just fine indoors under both strong T12 and T5 lighting. Highs were around 75 and low 70. It absolutely thrived and the leaves got up to about 12 inches. Honestly, a very easy species to grow, but at the same time very rewarding. I found my mexican Pinguicula to be more difficult.

Good luck!

 

[sgardner]

I looked again this morning and could not see any pollen with a magnifying glass. I know it is there because i get lots of seed.
I have grown my graminifolia for about three years and they seem to be very simple and always look good. I grow them in a terrarium with D. regia. I use T5 lights and the day temps are 80-100 degrees and at night the temps will drop about 15 degrees. I was told that i would never be able to grow this plant in these conditions but obviously they dont mind the high heat. I also put a couple of them in the green house and they are doing good but are not as vigorous.

 

[Tamlin Dawnstar]

It's that good nightime drop in temps that is so important. Drosera regia wants that too.