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Drosera whittakeri

Joseph Clemens

Joseph Clemens

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<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>This plant is the result of about 3 years of effort from seed. First it was nearly 16 months from sowing to the germination of one seed. Then the wait, but the sight of this gorgeous gem made every moment worth it. The larger plant is 3 cm (1-1/8 inch) in diameter.</span>

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Indeed! Gorgeous! Good work and congrats. This looks a lot like a red burmanii to me (sorry if i offend the experts). Is it in the petiolaris complex or a basic rosetted sundew?
 
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Don't feel bad, I have discoverd that quite a few people, experts included, can have difficulty differentiating amoung Drosera. This is a rosetted tuberous species from Australia. This one is just about to initiate flowers, it is 3 cm in diameter or about 1-1/8 inches. The following two images have been merged into one, same scale, nearly the same size plants and of course the second plant is Drosera burmannii (Red tentacles).</span>

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gorgeous whittakeri! I have nver had the chance to grow this species, as my earleier attempts with tuberous drosera failed miserably (poor falconeri and petiolaris
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Oh yea, PingMan, was it you whom I sent a small petiolaris too (we thought it was slackii, but it wasnt). If so, how is it?
 
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>It actually turned out to be a small Drosera pulchella and it did not make it.  
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 Most sad because Drosera pulchella is my most favorite pygmae Drosera species.</span>
 
Lovely photo of a lovely plant. Which subspecies of whittakerii is this, ssp. aberrans or ssp. whittakerii? I'm pretty sure it's ssp. aberrans but sometimes it can be difficult to tell. The plants growing near my house are all going dormant now. It's your turn to appreciate their beauty now.

Sean.
 
Great looking plant! Are you growing this under artificial lighting?
 
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Yes, for awhile yet I will continue to grow under cool-white fluorescent lights at 15 hrs/day photoperiod. The final touches are going into the greenhouse though and then the plants will be moved there in stages, to ensure they adjust properly.</span>
 
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Though I have managed to grow this beauty from seed. Alas, I am not up on its taxonomy. I received the seed from the Australian CP Society back before 2000, perhaps 1998. There was no more detailed description other than Drosera whittakeri. I defer to those more familiar with this species than I.</span>
 
  • #11
Nice plant, it's got some great reds in it. You have done a great job growing it!! Down here we are lucky enough to have them growing in our perverbial back yards. All mine have gone dormant now so I will have to make do with pictures of your plants till next winter
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So this plant is about 20 months old? I asume you gave it a dormancy? I grow mine outside so do not have to wory about conditions so much but under lights how do you induce a dormancy?

George
 
  • #12
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>The way it has grown for me:

It produced a small rosette, and as each parent rosette would turn brown and die a new rosette would form in its place, sometimes both would persist together for a short time. It did this about 4 or 5 times. It never actually stopped growing, just kept making new, larger, nicer rosettes. When the small moss that was growing with it became too dense, I repotted it and discovered a second, smaller tuber, which I planted separately though adjacent to the parent plant. The plant was in the process of producing this current rosette when it was last transplanted, about July.  </span>
 
  • #13
That's a great looking plant! Did u give it a constant photoperiod/temperature throughout the year?

Also, the green stringly things at the top of the plant.. are those LFS growing? I have something like that in my peat too.

A great looking plant!
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  • #14
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Yes, photoperiod 15 hrs/day. Temperatures about 80F continuously. No, not LFS, just a small unidentified Lycopodium or other moss species. It is not Sphagnum and it has frequently proven detrimental to CP cultivation.</span>
 
  • #15
Beautiful plant Joseph! Congratulations. Like you said, worth the wait.

There are so many species out there to pine for...
 
  • #16
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Exactly. I can never have too many. They are so much like jewels, and rare ones that need constant care and attention.</span>

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  • #17
<span style='font-size:12pt;line-height:100%'>Photographic update on Drosera whittakeri.

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I removed the initial secondary rosette and planted it in a different pot. I then fed the original rosette heavily with freeze-dried bloodworms. Soon afterwards it developed this secondary rosette, even larger than the original. I really like how this plant grows and am anxiously waiting for it to bloom.</span>
 
  • #18
Looks very nice Joseph. I have used freeze dried bloodworms on my tuberous Drosera also and they seem to really like it.
Tony
 
  • #19
This is the best homegrown plant I have ever seen Joseph. You should be proud!

The difference between the 2 subspecies is in regards to stolon production. Drosera whittakeri ssp. whittakeri does not produce stolons.
 
  • #20
Absolutely gorgeous Joseph! Congratulations.
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