Basics on how to grow Drosera regia?

[Wolfn]

Howdy. I'm seriously considering getting a Drosera regia but there are some things I need to know first.

1) How much light does it need? I hear it needs partial sunlight, not full sun or full shade. About as much for a Cephalotus?

2) What size pot should I grow it in? This is apparently a big plant but my terrarium is only 12'' high (this keeps the grow light closer to the plants. I'm wondering if I keep it in a low 4'' pot, that would allow plenty of space for the leaves to grow up.

3) I hear it needs a temperature drop at night. Would a day time temperature about 85f and a nighttime temp of 72f be good?


That's what I have for the moment. Will have more questions later.

 

[mato]

1) Strong light but not full sun, if that makes sense. Cephalotus is a good comparison.
2) If you keep it alive, you will need a very deep pot as the roots are huge. With the right conditions, it will outgrow your 12'' terrarium very quickly.
3) 72 at night is much too warm for regia. Again, the plant may live, but it will not grow well. For "really big" growth, this plant wants night drops similar to Nepenthes rajah and villosa, ideally in the 40s.

 

[Api]

I didn't realize D. regia needed such odd conditions. I think that you need a different grow space in order to successfully grow this plant. You could grow different SA and ZA dews with ease.

 

[DonH]

As mato has mentioned, they really need a deep pot to grow well. Given the height of the pot, a 12" high terrarium will probably not last long once the plant settles in. When they are happy, they throw out new leaves often with each successive leaf longer than the previous.

Basically:
1) deep pots - I would overpot and give them space to grow since they do not like being repotted. Mine sulked for over a month before picking up again.
2) well draining media - a mixture of peat, sand and hydroton works well for me
3) bright light- mine are currently doing OK right under a couple of T8s but were happier under T5s.
4) unlike other dews, regia will appreciate being fertilized. I use 4-5 pellets of osmocote on the surface of media.
5) a day/night temp drop. I don't think a 20F drop is needed but is preferred
6) if you want to see globs of dew, good humidity. I keep mine around 75% during the day.

 

[hcarlton]

So far I've had luck with my seedlings (including having one come back after killing the growth point) with bright light, not full sun, a large airy pot top dressed with live sphagnum (this they especially seem to like), about 60-70% humidity, and temps ranging from about 75-80F daytime down to between 55-65F at night.

 

[cpbobby]

they will grow with room temps tho(70F).....prob not ideal but will not die.

 

[corners]

So far I've had luck with my seedlings (including having one come back after killing the growth point) with bright light, not full sun, a large airy pot top dressed with live sphagnum (this they especially seem to like), about 60-70% humidity, and temps ranging from about 75-80F daytime down to between 55-65F at night.

My regia dont really like it when i get to 80f.

 

[corky]

mine seems to grow well in only 50% humidity 65%ish at night have fertilized to the roots once a month with half strenght orchid fert ,i water mine from the top every couple of days,and its growing pretty well,also good amounts of dew

 

[kulamauiman]

things in the pic for size reference. Large pot. probably could use a larger one. Went with lighter color hoping it would reduce impacts of heat on the soil/root areas. I fertilize every few moths with a few pellets of a timed release fertilizer. Grows outside in unheated greenhouse. Temps can reach the 80s in the day but drop down to the 60's at night in the summer. Winter months they get high 30's low 40's over night low..... They are inside the greenhouse because they are sensitive to excessive amounts of UV light. they get sunburn and die in my area.

media mostly lava rock, might have added some orchid bark chunks. Based this on an article regarding media for tray watering for the regia. Tray water may not work with all media. might keep to wet and make roots unhappy. Top dressed with live sphagnum.

my climate condiitons are similar to Capetown, South Africa

 

[mass]

I'm starting to hate this species. My typical and big easy were doing just fine and dandy.. then boom, insta-death for no apparent reason.
I've grown regia with plenty of success over the past few years.
Starting to think there's a lot of variation as far as tolerance levels from plant to plant.

 

[Wolfn]

My Cephalotus is thriving in my current terrarium. If a Cephalotus does good, can I expect the regia to do well in same conditions?

 

[corky]

i think regia would grow fine alongside a ceph,mass don't throw the towel in ,you have the skills dude your plants are great,did you fert?

 

[RL7836]

My Cephalotus is thriving in my current terrarium. If a Cephalotus does good, can I expect the regia to do well in same conditions?

Ime, Cephs have a wider 'happy' range than D. regia (ie: they can grow well in temps that would make a regia too hot).

John Brittnacher wrote a nice tutorial on the ICPS site that is worth reading. There are also several other threads on D. regia if you haven't yet searched TF.

 

[mass]

mass don't through the towel in ,you have the skills dude your plants are great,did you fert?

I'll never fert another sundew as long as I live. Learned my lesson the first time..
The two plants were from root propagations. Which leads me to believe (since I've heard it before) that young regias tend to be simple up to a certain size. At which point they can unexpectedly crash out. Not sure if that's true in this case, or any other.. but I can't think of any other reason they'd crash since conditions were ideal, and consistent.
I'll just do what I did last time.. toss the remains into propagation and start all over again.

 

[amphirion]

i think what corky was trying to say was that regia likes ferts...

 

[RL7836]

I'll never fert another sundew as long as I live. Learned my lesson the first time..

As for considering D. regia like other dews, John B. writes (from the article linked above):

It has even been proposed Drosera regia be removed from the genus Drosera because is it so unlike other Drosera except it looks like one. Knowing this heritage is important to a discussion about growing D. regia because in essence you can not assume you can grow it like you grow other Drosera.

 

[richjam1986]

I'll never fert another sundew as long as I live. Learned my lesson the first time..
The two plants were from root propagations. Which leads me to believe (since I've heard it before) that young regias tend to be simple up to a certain size. At which point they can unexpectedly crash out. Not sure if that's true in this case, or any other.. but I can't think of any other reason they'd crash since conditions were ideal, and consistent.
I'll just do what I did last time.. toss the remains into propagation and start all over again.

D. regia are quite unique in the world of Drosera, apparently. It sort of forms it's own group and in the past there was even some debate as to weather it should be in the Drosera genus (it is more closely related to Dionaea than it is to other sundews, genetically). I have read that they will die WITHOUT firtilizer, or frequent feeding (see below). The plants I have from the roots you sent me seem to really enjoy being sprayed with 1/4 strength miracle grow orchid fertilizer. In fact, I went a couple months without fertilizing them and they almost seemed to stop growing, and when I fertilized them again, they started puting on good growth again. So, you might consider making D. regia an exception to your Drosera fertilizing rule, otherwise feed your regia well and frequently (with prey or fish food, etc).

Here's a quote from ICPS plant care page (http://carnivorousplants.org/howto/GrowingGuides/D_regia.php)

" Unlike every other Drosera species I know about, Drosera regia appreciates soil fertilization. If you do not soil fertilize your plants and they are not naturally getting a lot of prey you will need to very regularly foliar feed the plants with dilute liquid fertilizer or live insects or dried blood worms. If you neglect to feed the plants they will decline and eventually die. "

"For me it is too much bother to foliar feed Drosera regia as much as it needs in nutrient-free soil. It does not take much fertilizer in the soil to make the plants happy. I use 4 to 6 high nitrogen Osmocote™ pellets per plant or pot each spring. The amount of fertilizer needed is more than most Drosera can tolerate. Even the fertilizer leakage from the pots into a shared tray can be detrimental to other Drosera and Dionaea."

*emphasis added*

 

[richjam1986]

I'll just do what I did last time.. toss the remains into propagation and start all over again.

Same methods=same results

 

[mass]

Same methods=same results

not necessarily..

 

[Exo]

Mine is in a tall pot, in a peat/perlite mix, 2 osmocote pelets every 6 months, HL temps of 75F day, 65F night summer, 68F day, 50F night winter, humidity of 65-70%, and bright, but not intense, lighting. I also feed the heck out of it, and it grows like a weed.