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My D. linearis

  • Thread starter picol
  • Start date
Hi guys, i got this plant since may of this year. Was very little as it arrived, but after some good feeding it started to grow well, reaching about 3 cm in length of the leaves. Now it's shrinking, i know this plant has a short vegetative period, so the cause could be the plant is going into dormancy despite the hot temperature? I live in north Italy and winter can be cold, usually -4 C, or never go below 0, are these temperature enough cold? Does anyone knows if leaf cutting work?
DSC_1238.JPG.4965579181d3330f5b9f67927e573fa9.jpg
 
I don't think the plant cares much about winter temperatures as long as they're sub-zero (it sits under snowpack in habitat so it never has to tolerate crazy low temperatures), but I bet the plant is already preparing for dormancy, yes. In habitat it would likely start seeing frosts as early as September. You'll probably have to move it to a fridge or something.

I don't know if leaf cuttings are possible, but I think with most drosera they are (and certainly leaf pullings).

If you're in northern Italy, there are other species that will likely do better for you outside year round.
 
Hot temperatures may be causing it to shrink, rather than an approaching dormancy (though this plant typically does have a short growing season). D. linearis does not experience, nor generally like, very warm temperatures, and tends to also want pretty regular, if light, feeding to build it up before each dormancy; either may be an additional factor. A plant that is actually preparing to go dormant however shouldn't just start making smaller and smaller leaves, it should instead produce the hibernaculum in the plant center which I'm not really seeing in the image.
Plenty of D. linearis may not experience things like thick snowpack either, so while anything below general growing temperatures (probably about 10 C and down) can be fine for dormancy if kept under long enough there are plenty that go well below the freezing point too.
 
My concerne about winter in that in the last years, here tend to be warmer rather than cold. Some years we can go below zero for several weeks, but some others temperature stay in the range from 0 to 2C (32F-36F) so could be too warm. Until two weeks ago the plant was bigger than now, and actually is growing (and for what i see without big trouble, the D. regia otherwise is suffering a lot) in one of the heaviest heat wave that is striking the Europe.
 
Hi guys, i got this plant since may of this year. Was very little as it arrived, but after some good feeding it started to grow well, reaching about 3 cm in length of the leaves. Now it's shrinking, i know this plant has a short vegetative period, so the cause could be the plant is going into dormancy despite the hot temperature? I live in north Italy and winter can be cold, usually -4 C, or never go below 0, are these temperature enough cold? Does anyone knows if leaf cutting work?
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This species will begin dormancy despite warm temperatures. When it forms a bud put it in your refrigerator for at least two months. The plant grows fine from leaf cuttings. If you can get cuttings started before dormancy you can bypass dormancy. Good luck, it’s a very interesting species despite cultivation difficulties.
 
Thanks for your reply! 39.2 F (4 C) degrees are enough? This is my very first linearis and is a really interesting plant.
 
Thanks for your reply! 39.2 F (4 C) degrees are enough? This is my very first linearis and is a really interesting plant.

Yes. Don’t freeze it. I should add: feed it well. Enjoy!
 
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