Nepenthes lowii? More like Nepenthes slowii!

Maybe my Nepenthes attenboroughii will flower in my lifetime.

The patience is part of the fun (smiling, as a single tear drips down my face).

I eventually got tired of staring at plants that never seemed to get bigger. Feeling impatient, I began experimenting, testing various brands of fertilizer at various concentrations. My methods were far from scientific, but hey, anecdotal conclusions drawn from a large sample size are better than nothing. Anyway, I‘ve come to two conclusions:

1. Most people don’t use the right fertilizer product.

2. Most people don’t fertilize their Highland Nepenthes nearly enough, at least if they want them to grow rapidly.

Don’t get me wrong—these plants are slow. They’re not going to grow like (a) weed. But, they’re not that slow. With proper fertilization, most species will increase in diameter, leaf after leaf. They’ll be robuster, hardier, and more resilient.

An Incredibly Scientific Process

I’ve tried lots of fertilizers, such as:

1. Several brands of liquid, urea-free Orchid fertilizer

2. Maxsea, a seaweed based fertilizer

3. Osmocote timed release

4. Nutricote timed release

I’m not a fan of Urea-free liquid Orchid fertilizers. It’s hard to get that Goldilocks amount—either you put so little that there’s no effect, or you put too much and have to flush out the media (making it waterlogged, and your precious plant more prone to rotting out). They’re pretty labor-intensive to apply as well; it’s not easy to mix enough for an entire collection, and you have to do so roughly every 2-3 weeks in the summer to see any real results. It’s not fun to have to constantly think about when you last fertilized!

Max Sea is another liquid fertilizer (although not urea-free). I’ve separated it out, as it has somewhat of a cult following in the carnivorous plant world. It’s certainly the best of the group, and it appears to work pretty well. It’s gentle, effective as a spray/mist, and Sphagnum seems to like it. Unfortunately, it is just as labor-intensive/annoying to apply as any other liquid fertilizer.

Next, we get to Osmocote. I don’t like it. The pellets break open easily, releasing too much fertilizer into the soil or pitchers. Even when the pellets don’t break open, pitchers often react negatively, blackening at the bottom where the pellet sits. I also find that Osmocote doesn’t release all that well into soil over time. I’ve heard that the “timed release” shell on Osmocote is actually triggered by temperature rather than water. If true, this appears incompatible with use for cool-growing, highland Nepenthes.

Finally, we have Nutricote. Nutricote is my favorite child. It just works® (no, I’m not a paid actor or affiliate marketer). It’s actually timed release, triggered via water. It doesn’t burn pitchers. It doesn’t kill Sphagnum. You literally apply it twice per year. Anecdotally, it’s also the most effective fertilizer I’ve tried. Convinced? I am!

Three Simple Rules

So, here are my three rules. They’re simple, straightforward, and highly effective. I apply them to my entire collection of Highland Nepenthes. (Note: I offer this advice in good faith and am not responsible for any outcomes that you experience by following it. I don’t recommend fertilizing plants that aren’t already acclimated and healthy.)

1. Use Nutricote timed release fertilizer (18-6-8 is great).

2. For a 3” diameter pot, put around 3-4 pellets right on top of the soil. You can add another 1-2 pellets for every additional inch of pot. Then, water as normal! Repeat this twice per year.

   1. If this is scary, you can add some pellets, wait a few weeks, add some more, etc. And, if you think you’ve overdone it, e.g. the plant stops pitchering, you can simply remove the pellets and flush the pot.

3. Put one nutricote pellet in every pitcher over 2” (or mature pitchers, for smaller species). You can put two, or even three pellets in large or especially rigid pitchers.

4. (Optional) Soaked coco husk makes a great growing medium for heavy fertilization, as you can soak/flush it if needed, and it’s airy enough that your plants won’t rot out afterwards.

Here’s Some Proof

I don’t have exhaustive before/after photos. I did, however, document a Nepenthes rajah growing from a seedling to a 6” plant in slightly over a year, as well as leaf jumps on numerous other slow-growing species. Hopefully these are compelling!

I can’t recall exactly why this was the case, but I think it may have been because most of the photos I had seen of N. diatas up to that point were not particularly appealing to me. Although toothy, the pitcher peristomes seemed small, and their size was apparently not impressive. I may have been biased, too, since the more famous Sumatran Nepenthes like N. jacquelineae, N. lingulata, N. jamban, and N. inermis all have fantastically bizarre pitcher morphologies. Poor N. diatas appeared dull in comparison.

Despite that, I made an impulse buy of a small N. diatas in 2018 because it was fairly cheap at the time. The plant was perhaps two to three inches in diameter and unremarkable in all other aspects, as are most Nepenthes at that size. I took a few photos to document and promptly forgot about it.

The plant was a steady and relatively quick grower. Fast forward two years, and it was producing pitchers about three to four inches tall. More importantly, while the peristome still looked relatively skinny like the photos I had seen online, it was adorned both with numerous teeth and stripes. What a unique combination! My interest was piqued and I began to regret my earlier dismissal of this species.

By 2022, my plant had further matured and began producing fully adult pitchers. It was immediately apparent that I had been underestimating what N. diatas was capable of. Not only had the peristomes maintained their color and teeth, they had also broadened and increased in depth. It almost seemed that I was looking at a hybrid of N. villosa!

I think there is a a good amount of intraspecies diversity that is probably not being appreciated due to the relative scarcity of N. diatas in collections. My particular clone (Borneo Exotics BE-3861) looks vastly different compared to photos of another batch from the same distributor, BE-3056 (right). It appears that I have no choice but to buy more plants to fully appreciate this species. How terrible!

Botanical History

N. diatas was formally described in January 1997 by famed Nepenthes taxonomists Matthew Jebb and Martin Cheek in their monograph “A skeletal revision of Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae).”1 The type specimen was collected on Gunung Bandahara in the province of Aceh in northern Sumatra, where the species occurs at altitudes of 2400-2600m in montane scrub and mossy forests. Interestingly, only upper pitchers could be collected at that time. A member of the N. singalana complex, N. diatas is closely related to fellow Sumatran species N. singalana, N. densiflora, and N. spathulata.

The etymology of the specific epithet derives from the Indonesian word “diatas,” meaning “on top.” This is in reference both to the species’ ecologic restriction to mountaintops and geographic restriction to northern Sumatra.

N. diatas was classified as Least Concern during its latest assessment in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2014. The population is reported to be stable at around 5000 mature individuals and unlikely to experience disturbance due to its remoteness.2

The Borneo Exotics clone BE-3861 is reported in the distributor catalogue as originating from Gunung Masurai, which is in southern Sumatra. I am unaware if this is a mistake or if additional occurrences of N. diatas have been discovered.

Cultivation

The 2400-2600m altitudinal distribution of N. diatas technically places it within the range of ultrahighlanders. However, it seems to be more tolerant of warmer temperatures than pickier ultrahighlanders like N. villosa and N. macrophylla. My plant has consistently performed well in standard highland conditions with daytime temperatures around 70-80F and nights falling to 55-65F depending on the time of year. I am interested in seeing if this species could be adapted to intermediate conditions as well.

High humidity is likely necessary for proper pitcher development. The tendrils are sensitive to local disturbances and developing pitchers may abort when conditions around the plant are changed abruptly.

The species is not particularly picky about growing media. Any standard, well-draining, acidic mix for highland Nepenthes should do; my plant has grown well in 100% coco chips.

Light requirements are similar to other highland Nepenthes that grow near tree tops or semi-exposed areas. In bright light, the pitchers darken to a deep burgundy.

The theft of most of the flowering S. purpurea is particularly damaging—only a tiny fraction of viable seed produced (seed not already destroyed within the pod by insect larvae) will make it to adulthood, and S. purpurea seedlings are incredibly slow-growing in situ. The tiny seedlings shown in the photos below are likely 3-4 years old. The population at this site will take years to recover to a fraction of its former size, if it can recover at all.

Upwards of an estimated 95% of Sarracenia habitat has already been destroyed in the US. The few remaining populations are now pressured not only by development, drainage of bog habitat for forestry, agricultural runoff, and fire suppression, but also by poaching. In this case, the disappearance of plants from a protected site specifically earmarked for preservation amidst continuing threats is even more disturbing. S. purpurea may have the widest range of any Sarracenia species, but it only occurs in patchy locations with suitable habitat. The loss of these plants from a public preserve in the NJ Pinelands, one of the major centers for remaining S. purpurea in the US, is a major blow to both the diversity of the plant populations themselves and to everyone who will no longer be able to appreciate the full beauty of this site. This sort of story is altogether too common for a time in which conservation has become more critical than ever. There is no substitute for the biodiversity that has been developing in these unique habitats for millennia—once it's gone, it's gone.

If anyone sees suspicious S. purpurea for sale on eBay or forums in the US or elsewhere, please let me know. Unfortunately, these plants will be very difficult to track down if they were destined for flea markets or the alternative medicinal herb industry. Relevant authorities with NJ Parks & Forestry and Environmental Protection have been contacted.

Drosera solaris is a South American sundew that, despite its diminutive size, can be breath-taking when properly cultivated. However, since this species is somewhat difficult to obtain and can be quite finicky, properly cultivated specimens are few and far between. That said, we hope this article will provide valuable information on the cultivation of this species.

Introduction

D. solaris is known only from a small plateau on Maringma Tepui in the Pakaraima mountains of Western Guyana. Here it grows in a small clearing within the Bonnetia roraimae cloud forest. Most plants are found in peaty substrates in slight shade, but other, more colorful plants can be found in full sun. D. solaris grows sympatrically with the natural hybrid of Heliamphora nutans and Heliamphora glabra.

One of the most visually striking features of D. solaris is the contrast between its yellow-green petioles and dark red lamina; no other South American Drosera possesses such coloration. However, the yellow-green petiole coloration does not begin to appear until plants have formed an approximately 1cm tall stem of dead growth. Based on the abysmally slow growth rates that I've observed, plants of this size are at least several years old.

Note: The location of D. solaris was incorrectly named as Mount Yakontipu in the species description. Sarraceniaciae of South America clarifies that the actual location it Maringma Tepui.

Temperature, Lighting, and Humidity

Though D. solaris is somewhat sensitive, all of the rules of growing highland Drosera still apply. The only difference is that D. solaris will get annoyed far more easily if you deviate from ideal conditions than, say, D. graomogolensis. My plants experience day temperatures of around 73 degrees with a night-time temperature drop of at least 15 degrees. D. solaris is susceptible to heat damage and will get quite upset if exposed to temperatures above 80 degrees for a prolonged period of time (I'm speaking from personal experience... unfortunately). In regards to lighting, plants will color up nicely when exposed to bright, direct light. However, this species is somewhat susceptible to burning if not properly acclimated first. My humidity hovers between 80% and 100%; in the past, I grew these plants in 60% humidity, and they didn't mind.

Medium, Watering, and Feeding

I have only grown D. solaris in a 1:1 peat:sand medium. Most Drosera are fine in mixes with peat or long-fibered sphagnum bases, and I have yet to hear or see anything demonstrating otherwise for D. solaris. However, due to the small size of these plants, I would not recommend using live sphagnum as they can easily be overgrown by it. For me personally, any slight aesthetic benefit that live sphagnum may add is not worth the added maintenance of keeping it in check. I keep the medium damp but not wet, allowing it to come close to drying once in awhile. While I top-water, tray watering should be fine too, so long as the roots are not sitting in water for a significant amount of time.

D. solaris will grow even slower than it usually does if not fed. Since it usually grows slower than an quadriplegic sloth, I recommend feeding this plant regularly. I use crushed fish food (beta pellets) and apply it in small amounts to around 1/3 of active leaves once or twice per month. Applying large amounts of food often leads to leaf burn.

Flowering and Reproduction

D. solaris has flowered for me on three occassions. My environmental conditions are relatively constant year-round, so I'm not sure what, if anything, triggers my plants to flower. The flowers are a very soft pink color, almost indistinguishable from being pure white. They flower stalks themselves are some of the shortest I've seen, barely rising above the plant. My first two flowers, which I did not manually pollinate, yielded no seeds. My third flower, which I did manually pollinate, yielded plenty. That said, I have heard of growers whose plants do not require assisted pollination. However, manually pollinating these flowers requires very little effort and can't hurt, so I see no reason not to do it.

I have not yet tried to reproduce this plant vegetatively, but other growers have had success with leaf cuttings. Due to the small size of this plant, removing a small segment of stem (i.e. a leaf pulling) when taking leaves should increase the probability of success; granted, it will certainly stress out the plant a bit more than normal leaf cuttings. I do not know of any growers that have had success with root cuttings. I suspect that, in addition to having a low probability of success, root cuttings would stress this already temperamental species out significantly. For that reason, I see no reason to attempt them.

Wrapping it Up

D. solaris is a great little plant that I wish was more popular in collections. It's pickier than most Drosera but isn't that difficult to grow so long as the temperature is ideal. With it's unique coloration, large stipules, and short flower stalks, it's truly a one-of-a-kind within the genus.

References

Fleischmann, A., Wistuba, A., & Robinson, A. S. (2007). Drosera solaris (Droseraceae), a new sundew from the Guayana Highlands. Willdenowia, 37(2), 551-555.

Robinson, A. S., Wistuba, A., Fleischmann, A., & Nerz, J. (2011). Sarraceniaceae of South America. Poole, Dorset: Redfern Natural History Productions.

Drosera neocaledonica is a curious little plant that isn’t seen too often in collections. Part of that may be attributed to the fact that there does not seem to be a wide consensus on how to grow this species - some growers have success with a hot, humid treatment, while others report best results with highland temperatures.

Introduction

D. neocaledonica is endemic to the French territory of New Caledonia, a remnant island of the old French Empire situated some 1,200 km (750 miles) east of the Australian mainland in the South Pacific. D. neocaledonica grows primarily in wet, sunny habitat such as seepages, shores of freshwater bodies of water, and flooded meadows. Plants have been observed growing partially underwater. Unlike other Drosera, which generally prefer peaty or sandy habitats largely devoid of minerals, D. neocaledonica is quite at home in iron and aluminum oxide-rich laterite soils and gravel. In fact, it is one of only two species in the genus currently known to not only tolerate, but also prefer lateritic soils, the other being D. ultramafica.

Populations of D. neocaledonica are most densely concentrated on the southern side of the island, where it grows at elevations from sea level to 1000m. Humidity is influenced by the prevalence of trade winds and is usually high throughout the year at around 75% RH. At high elevations in the island interior, temperature lows may approach freezing during winter. At sea level during the summer, temperatures as high as 35C (95F) have been recorded, while winter temperatures average around 16C (60F). Due to the wide range in its elevation, plants from different populations may demonstrate varying tolerances of different temperature ranges. As many of the plants in cultivation do not have location or elevation data attached, this may contribute to the confusion regarding their temperature preferences.

Light, Temperature, Humidity, and Media

I have had the most success treating my D. neocaledonica similarly to South American species of Drosera. This means day temperatures of approximately 75 degrees, night temperatures of approximately 60 degrees, high humidity, and bright, direct light. It’s worth noting that some low-elevation populations of D. neocaledonica may prefer warmer conditions. However, since lowland plants are typically more tolerant of highland conditions than vice-versa, I would recommend trying highland conditions first and then adjusting accordingly if your plants do not seem to be doing well.

Medium, Watering, and Feeding

Most Drosera can be grown in either long-fibered sphagnum or peat-based mixes, but that does not seem to be the case for D. neocaledonica. D. neocaledonica displays a clear preference for peat-based mixes; myself and many other growers have observed this. I’ve had the most success growing my plants in a simple 50/50 mix of peat and quartz sand. I keep the medium moist; this species should be fine as long as it isn’t kept bone dry or sopping wet. (Yes, I know that plants grow submerged in water in the wild. However, there are often factors at play in wild populations that simply cannot be replicated with success in the artificial conditions of a terrarium or greenhouse). Like all other Drosera, feeding will lead to healthier, larger, and faster-growing plants. Do not use any sort of root-based fertilization on this species.

Flowering and Reproduction

D. neocaledonica reproduces proliferously from leaf cuttings and root cuttings. However, since these are fairly slow-growing plants, chopping up your plant’s roots and/or leaves will likely lead to it looking upset for at least a few months. D. neocaledonica flowers occasionally (I’m still unsure what factors trigger flowering) and is indeed self-fertile. However, manual self-pollination is required to have a decent seed set. If pollinated correctly, this species is extremely proliferous; each flower stalk can easily produce close to 1,000 seeds.

The Big Picture

With its silvery hairs, red lamina, and green petioles, D. neocaledonica is an extremely stunning sundew. It gets a bad rap as being hard to cultivate due to the wide range of conditions that various populations grow in; some are closer to lowland while others are highland. However, in their ideal conditions, these plants are quite vigorous and highly rewarding. I hope to see them appear in more collections (and since my plants have recently flowered, I may be instrumental in making that happen).

References

Fleischmann, A., Robinson, A. S., McPherson, S., Heinrich, V., Gironella, E., & Madulid, D. A. (2011). Drosera ultramafica (Droseraceae), a new sundew species of the ultramafic flora of the Malesian highlands. Blumea, 56, 10-15.

Gibson, R. (2001). Drosera neocaledonica: its origins, habitat, and cultivation. Carnivorous Plant Newsletter, 30(2), 37-42.

Dealing with Rhizome Rot

Despite the excitement however, I also find this time of year to be the riskiest for my collection; consistent rain and cool temperatures throughout April mean that many plants are at risk of rot throughout early spring. Dying plants should be removed immediately to prevent the spread of fungal infection. However, noticing rot in the first place can be difficult - by the time the growth points show obvious signs of collapse, the rest of the rhizome will oftentimes already be compromised.

Rot can result from a variety of factors (such as water or media with high TDS, repeated thawing and freezing, and saturation with stagnant water). However, the combination of cooler temperatures and constant rain in early spring seem particularly inclined to weaken even healthy plants to the point where they succumb to opportunistic fungal pathogens.

Although efforts can be made to save a plant if the problem is noticed early enough, it is obviously preferable to not have to deal with the issue in the first place. Here is a list of things that I personally find helpful in reducing the risk of rot:

• Be diligent in changing media (particularly if you are growing in pots - bog gardens seem to not have this issue as much). Old, compacted media can quickly become anaerobic and encourage infection; completely replace the media every few years or so.

• Remove as much dead tissue as possible when repotting. Masses of old leaves and decomposing chunks of rhizome are excellent places to harbor pathogens.

• Do not allow the plants to sit in stagnant water. This is usually not a problem for me since water evaporates so quickly from my trays during the summer.

• Protect the plants from late frosts and repeated freeze/thaw cycles during dormancy. This is usually a major issue for growers in zone 6 and colder; I find a thick layer of pine needle mulch to be very helpful in insulating my collection in winter.

• Be mindful of the quality of your media and water. Although Sarracenia are somewhat more tolerant of dissolved solids than more sensitive CPs like Drosera, high salt concentrations are still detrimental.

• Do not bury the rhizomes too deep in the media and do not allow your media to be consistently waterlogged. The latter issue seems to vary by species; while S. psittacina adores constant flooding, S. leucophylla and S. flava do not.

• Just grow the plants the best that you possibly can! It may seem obvious, but healthy plants are far less susceptible to infection.

Of course, the preventative measures listed above are not 100% effective. Emergency surgery should be performed quickly if you notice that a plant has rot and you wish to save it. Identifying rot early enough is difficult, so you must carefully observe your collection - I become suspicious of any plants that do not put out flowers or new pitchers at this time. ​Rotted sections of rhizome are also far softer than healthy portions; however, if it has progressed to the point where the majority of the plant is "squishy," you are likely too late.

To me, there are a number of characteristics that make a sundew visually appealing. From beautiful coloration to heavy dew production, many of these characteristics can be found in Drosera graomogolensis, a South American species whose popularity in cultivation has increased dramatically these past few years.

Also, let's get this out of the way: it's typicially pronounced "Gray-oh-moe-goal-en-sis."

A Bit of Background Culture

D. graomogolensis is endemic to the Minas Gerais state in Brazil; its name comes from Grão-Mogol, the municipality where the species was first discovered.

Grão-Mogol is one of a number of locations where D. graomogolensis can be found. All of these locations occur in the campos rupestres habitat (Portuguese for "rocky fields"). This habitat occurs at high elevations (600 to 2,000m) and contains an abundance of shrubby, stunted vegetation. Winters are typically warm and somewhat dry, whereas summers are fairly hot.

Having only been discovered in 1997, D. graomogolensis is not necessarily a recent discovery, but it isn't all that old either. If you're interested in reading the species description, you can find it here.

Light, Temperature, Humidity, and Media

As with other cool-growing South American Drosera, D. graomogolensis demonstrates superior growth with high light, cooler temperatures, and relatively high humidity (> 60% RH). Under these conditions, mature plants will retain dew on well over a dozen leaves at a time and develop striking red coloration. High light really is critical for good growth - without it, the plants will look green, drab, and depressing. The plants are not picky about media as long as it is acidic, water-retentive, and nutrient-free. Peat-based or Sphagnum mixes may work differently for you depending on your conditions but the plants should be able to grow well in both. If you are growing your plant in lower light conditions, I recommend adding more aggregates (perlite, sand, etc.); I have found that D. graomogolensis can be prone to root rot when grown in a dense media with lower light. D. graomogolensis is capable of growing roots upwards of 15" long. While short pots won't necessarily harm the plant, they will cause a buildup of coiled roots at the bottom and, in some cases, can lead to smaller plants. If you do decide to use shorter pots, I recommend not watering via the tray method. I recommend pots no shorter than 5" for mature plants. This species appreciates frequent feeding. As with almost all Drosera, do not apply any fertilizers to the roots.

South American Drosera have a reputation for being very picky. However, not only is D. graomogolensis one of the most beautiful South American species, but it is also one of the most adaptable! Make no mistake—the conditions described above will generally lead to the healthiest and best-looking plants. Adaptability merely means that D. graomogolensis has a wider range of conditions that makes it happy. While most South Americans prefer temperatures in the mid 70s, D. graomogolensis has grown happily for me with 85 degree days. It doesn't even seem to mind! However, it is important to note that you should have a larger temperature drop at night to offset warm daytime temperatures; this plant is certainly tolerant, but it will not be okay with 85 degree temperatures constantly. In regards to humidity adaptability, I have always grown my plants with very high humidity, but I have heard of other growers that have successfully acclimated this plant to windowsill conditions. If you wish to attempt this, I recommend that you grow the plant successfully with high humidity first and then acclimate it very slowly to low humidity.

Flowering and Reproduction

D. graomogolensis is easily propagated vegetatively. I have found that one mature leaf cutting is capable of yielding upwards of six potential plants. In order to propagate D. graomogolensis by leaf cuttings, I snip off a newly grown, healthy leaf with dew on it (this is important) and float it in a petri dish with distilled water. It is important that the petri dish receives a lot of light but does not overheat. Alternatively, I have also placed leaf cuttings directly onto moist sphagnum and have had successful, albeit not as prolific, results. If your leaf cuttings was successful, you should being to see small nub-like plants emerge after several weeks. Allow the individual plants to grow small roots before separating them and planting them in media.

Leaf cuttings certainly work well, but in terms of the sheer numbers of plants produced, I have had the best results from root cuttings. Whenever repotting my plants, I snip approximately half of their roots off. While you'd think that this would make them quite upset, they have never seemed to mind all that much. I then try to rinse as much media off of the freshly harvested roots as I can. Why? In my experience, more plants will sprout if the surface of the root is exposed to light. After washing off the media, I lay the roots across the surface of a long-fiber sphagnum mix (live sphagnum should also work fairly well, so long as it doesn't overgrow the roots). Sometimes I will pin down the root with strands of sphagnum—it is important that it has good contact with the sphagnum surface. Additionally, I highly recommend placing a bag around the entire pot in order to increase humidity. Once the plants have reached a decent size, I will cut the roots to separate them and then pot them individually. Make sure that you bag them, since they will have very undeveloped roots at this time.

D. graomogolensis flowers but is supposedly not self-fertile. Since many of the plants in cultivation are the same clone, this makes it somewhat difficult to get seeds. However, I hypothesize that attempting manual self-pollination might lead to a small fertile seed yield; this was the case for me with a supposedly sterile clone of D. spiralis. Still, D. graomogolensis is easily propagated through vegetative means, so I don't think that its supposed infertility is all that big of a deal.

Final Notes

D. graomogolensis is beautiful and, in comparison to other South American Drosera, not all that hard to grow! What's not to love? If you have recently purchased a plant, please note that it can take a few weeks to settle into its new conditions. Don't be worried if it doesn't look all that good at first! I hope this post has been helpful—there are some more photos below.

Hey guys, Alvin speaking. We don't seem to have too much representation from Pinguicula on our blog at the moment, so it's time to rectify that. Enjoy, and please let us know if you find this post helpful!

Introduction

Mexican Pinguicula rock plantings seem to have really exploded in popularity recently. It's not too hard to see why - the sight of a healthy specimen perched on a well-shaped rock evokes mental images of colonies of plants in situ hanging off of sheer limestone cliffs. As the young ones might say today, it's aesthetic. It certainly doesn't hurt that Pinguicula rock plantings are hardly more difficult to maintain than plants grown traditionally in pots. Perhaps this new fad is exactly what the genus needs to gain some more well-deserved attention; we already have plenty of dewheads and pitcher planters (myself included)... it's time to get more people growing butterworts!

Selecting a Rock

To begin your rock planting, you'll want to select a suitable rock. This is very important (unless you're a person who has the time to constantly babysit each of your individual plants), since you do not want the plants to desiccate, especially during the growing season. Ideally, you would use a chunk of pumice as your base - it wicks water extremely well and is prone to having convenient little pockets that plants fit snugly into. I used basaltic scoria for all of my plantings. It doesn't have quite the same water retention capabilities of pumice, but it's still quite adequate and I appreciate the more rugged look that it offers (pumice is a bit too "lightweight" for my tastes, although I have seen some really superb plantings done on pumice). Regardless of whichever rock you use, you'll want to be sure that there are indents or pockets in visually appealing places where you can stick the plants. If there aren't, you may want to consider taking the initiative and drilling some holes in yourself. Take into account how you want the final product to look - do you want a single large specimen, or a variety of species clustered together? Do you want to have the plants hanging off of a vertical surface, or spread out on top of a larger, flatter rock? It would also be wise to take into account the growth habits of the species you plan on using, as well as how their colors and profile might balance out. It's all really up to your artistic tastes.

Planting and Maintenance

Once your rock is prepared, you can begin adding plants. Wash whatever media they were in before off the roots and carefully insert them into the spot you've selected. It may be necessary to stuff the indent with Sphagnum or peat moss to help anchor the plants initially, since it will take the roots some time to work themselves over the rock. Place the rock in a tray of water so that the moisture is able to wick up to the root zone (I hope that you took this into account when selecting your initial rock; if you didn't and decided to go with an unreasonably tall or non-porous one, you'll have to water the plants very frequently). The water level should be below the plants' leaves but high enough so that the roots receive sufficient moisture.

Treat the plants how you would normally grow your Mexican Pinguicula - meaning lots of light and mild temperatures, naturally. Humidity is not a major concern. The only maintenance required for the rest of the growing season is keeping the water level topped up. It's that

Dormancy

Things might seem to get a little tricky once your plants begin to enter their annual winter resting phase. Do not fret! As soon as you notice thick succulent leaves replacing the gooey carnivorous ones, simply lower the water level so that the plants stay a little bit drier. Since different species can start doing this at different times it may get a tad complicated, but most Mexican Pinguicula species are pretty tolerant regarding moisture levels (as long as they're not sopping wet) so you should be able to get past this period without major issues. In general, it's better to err on the side of caution regarding water - I've observed that during dormancy Mexican Pinguicula tend to be pretty tolerant of drying out, while over-watering can cause them to rot. I have taken rock plantings through two winters so far without any losses.

Closing Thoughts

If you're a fan of Pinguicula and haven't tried this method of growing them yet, I highly recommend that you do so. It's incredibly rewarding and not significantly more difficult than growing them traditionally. The only drawback I can imagine is that rock plantings may require more room - but as CP growers I'm confident that we've all had excellent practice in cooking up flimsy excuses to procure more growing space.

Some General Information on Utricularia

Since we haven't talked much about Utricularia on our blog, I'll write a quick overview of the genus. Utricularia (bladderworts) is a genus of over 200 carnivorous plants. While very diverse, all Utricularia essentially share the same underlying structure. They have a network of underground stems (known as a stolons) that grow under the soil surface for terrestrial species, along supports (usually mossy tree trunks, rocks, etc.) for epiphytes, and free-floating for aquatic species. Attached to the stolon are small bladders, which are sealed with a "trapdoor." Water is pumped outside of the bladder, leaving the interior of the bladder with negative pressure relative to the outside and creating a partial vacuum. The outside of each trapdoor contains trigger hairs, much like a Venus fly trap (although the trigger hairs of Utricularia are purely mechanical in nature, in contrast to those of Venus fly traps, which work on irritability). When these hairs are touched, the trapdoor opens and the vacuum sucks in the nearby prey, usually consisting of protozoa and other soil inhabitants. In order to photosynthesize, the stolons produce leaf shoots that penetrate the soil surface.

Overview of U. alpina and sect. Orchidioides

U. alpina is a member of Utricularia section Orchidioides, a specific group of primarily epiphytic species that grow in South America and have exceptionally showy flowers (hence the name of the section). Many growers claim to have difficulty with plants from this section; they certainly can be quite temperamental! However, U. alpina is by far the easiest of the group and is an excellent way to get your feet wet with epiphytic Utricularia before jumping into more difficult and expensive species. In addition to being an excellent beginner epiphytic Utricularia, U. alpina also has exceptionally large flowers and traps when compared to nearly every other Utricularia!

Lighting, Temperature, and Humidity

Like most members of sect. Orchidioides, U. alpina is essentially a highland plant. In terms of culture requirements, it should be happy with essentially any Highland Nepenthes or Heliamphora. Specifically, U. alpina will appreciate daytime temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 27 Celsius) and humidity greater than 60%. With careful acclimating it may be possible to grow U. alpina in slightly lower humidity levels, as I have seen growers keep them successfully on windowsills before. At night, the temperatures should drop a minimum of 10 to 15 degrees for long-term success. I have grown my plants both in low light and bright light. They seemed to do fine in both, with far larger leaves being developed in low light. If moving your plant to brighter light, make sure to do so gradually; I made the mistake of moving mine with no acclimation, which caused a great deal of leaves to brown.

Media

U. alpina, like other Orchioides Utricularia, appreciates a light, airy, moist mix that does not tend to stay saturated for long (although U. alpina does tend to be more forgiving of errors regarding moisture levels than some of the pickier species in this section). Growing many of these species in net pots is not a bad idea as the stolons appreciate good air circulation. Most growers have success with combinations of long-fibered Sphagnum moss, live Sphagnum, and aggregates such as bark chunks and perlite. My U. alpina really enjoys the 100% live Sphagnum mix that it's in.

Flowering and Reproduction

U. alpina is great in that it can flower very often without necessarily requiring seasonal triggers. I know of some growers whose plants are basically in flower all of the time. A stalk will emerge from the soil surface and gradually elongate until it reaches close to 1 foot in length. Flowers will gradually open and remain opened for quite some time. My flowers have all topped out between 2 and 3 inches -- I don't think I've seen any pictures of flowers much larger than that either.

U. alpina must be manually pollinated to produce seed. You cannot self-pollinate with pollen from the same flower, but you can use pollen from other flowers on the same stalk. In order to collect pollen, lift the top flap of the flower. Using a toothpick, collect pollen from the yellow part (visible to the right). You can either save it for later or place it on the stigma (green part) of another flower. I have no experience storing Utricularia pollen, so I cannot comment on the process or whether or not it is successful.

Shortly after a successful pollination (in my experience, anywhere from a few days to a week or two), the exterior of flower will brown and fall off. The left-behind ovary will swell for a few weeks or months until it is ripe. Then, it will take on a translucent brown color and turn rather crunchy; this is the ideal time to harvest seeds. Utricularia seeds are quite small and must be sown fairly quickly after harvest in order to have success. I have heard that seeds can be stored in the refrigerator if wet, but I have yet to try it for myself.

Final Notes

In conclusion, U. alpina is a fairly tolerant epiphytic species (when given proper conditions) with extremely beautiful flowers. It's an excellent starting point before moving into the more difficult species, like U. quelchii, which Alvin will likely write a species profile on in the coming months. Lastly, if you've recently ordered a U. alpina and it looks like crap, don't fret! My plant looked quite miserable for a few months after arrival. Nearly all species in section Orchidioides are sensitive to changes in conditions and take a bit of time to recover.

Introduction

To the novice grower scrolling through endless photo threads in hopes of improving their species identification abilities (you know we've all been there), there is little more eye-catching than a well-grown pot of mature D. regia - its common moniker "the King Sundew" is certainly warranted! I too fell into this trap and began to want this species soon after I started growing. However, relatively high online prices and nightmare stories of plants that had died overnight caused me to hold off. Due to a great deal at the NECPS show, I acquired a pot of several small plants and hoped for the best (pictured on the left, now much larger).

I think that lots of people find D. regia to be so frustrating because they try to grow it like their other Drosera. In reality, Drosera regia is only distantly related to other sundews (some people actually believe that it should be separated into its own genus entirely) and has cultivation requirements that closely resemble those of Heliamphora and Highland Nepenthes. Under the correct conditions, this species has actually been very hardy and tolerant for me. Still, being that plants online can sell for close to $40, I wouldn't recommend this species to someone that hasn't grown a decent amount of Drosera already.

Fertilization

The most foremost difference between D. regia and other sundews is its appreciation for soil fertilization. While soil fertilization isn't necessary, this species has a huge appetite and I've found it much more visually appealing to fertilize through the roots rather than constantly having every single leaf curled up with prey. I use diluted 25% urea-free orchid fertilizer and the plants seem to enjoy it (this is the same concoction that I use on all of my other CPs that like to be fertilized). I definitely wouldn't suggest placing this species in the same tray as other Drosera, since fertilizer leakage will probably lead to dead plants and lots of tears (it's okay, I'm sure you'll find a new D. capensis).

Temperature

I keep my D. regia in my HL terrarium, where temperatures never really get above the upper 70s. Given the origin of this species (fairly high elevations in South Africa), I wouldn't suggest letting temperatures get too high. My nighttime temperatures drop down to the low 60s, which the plants definitely seem to enjoy.I'd imagine that a big drop at night, as well as keeping the roots cool, can help offset daytime conditions that are a tad too hot. Other growers have reported that excessively cold temperatures can trigger dormancy, but, since dormancy isn't required, I maintain the same temperature conditions year-round (which probably isn't very feasible if you grow them in a greenhouse in a temperate climate).

Humidity

I've kept my plants in both the most humid (70%+) and the least humid (around 40%) parts of the terrarium. To be quite honest, they didn't really seem to have a discernible preference. So long as other conditions are favorable, it doesn't seem to me as though humidity is overall a major factor in cultivation success.

Medium & Watering

Like Heliamphora, this species appreciates a well-draining, airy medium. Anything with a decent amount of perlite or sand should be fine. In addition, live Sphagnum can be used as a top dressing to help keep root temperatures low. I water these plants like all of my other Drosera (moist, not excessively wet), and have never had any problems. I've heard of some growers having issues with rot, but I expect that it's completely avoidable if the plants aren't over-watered.

Lighting

Light is pretty self-explanatory. Like pretty much most CPs (with the exception of D. schizandra and maybe a few others), bright light is pretty much a requirement. I keep my plants under T5HOs year-round. This isn't really a species that'll color up too much; even growers that keep their plants under strong, direct natural sunlight may only get significant reddish hues in the tentacles or at the bases of the leaves.

Propagation by Seed

D. regia seed is quite unlike other Drosera seed in that it does not require a magnifying glass in order to view in detail - they are, in fact, quite large! This also means that funny mistakes like dropping an open seed packet will be less likely to make you curse in frustration as with other Drosera seed (not that I've ever done anything like spill packets of seed all over myself, that would be silly!). Sow seeds on the surface of medium that you would grow adult plants in and give them the same conditions that a growing plant would expect. They germinate usually within 2-4 weeks, often quicker than many subtropical Drosera. No stratification or special treatment to induce germination is necessary. After the seedlings have developed a number of true leaves they will need to be heavily and constantly fed.

I apply crushed beta fish food pellets to the leaves and fertilize the plants via the roots with the same concentration of orchid fertilizer I use on Nepenthes and Heliamphora. Other growers prefer Osmocote or satisfy their ghoulish desires by supplying the plants with live insects and watching the leaves dramatically curl over the hapless creature over the course of several hours. It does not matter as long as the plants are getting a suitable amount of nutrients. Some growers report that this species is difficult from seed since their seedlings tend to die after they have developed a number of true leaves. I think that this is likely a result of the seedlings starving to death as I have never had this problem.

Propagation by Root Cuttings

D. regia has thick, fleshy roots that are ideal for root cuttings. If you are ever in a situation where the roots of a healthy plant are exposed (i.e. repotting) and you have the opportunity and desire to lop off a few, taking a few cuttings is an excellent way to get a number of large plants quickly. When I propagated this species from root cuttings in the past I chopped the roots into segments about 1'' long , laid them on the surface of some moist Sphagnum, and covered them with a few sprigs of Sphagnum (enough to keep the cuttings hydrated but still allow light to penetrate through to them). Plantlets started developing from the roots after around 2 weeks for me. Plants from root cuttings will attain a larger size more quickly than plants from seed.

Additionally, if you have a larger plant that is declining in health for some reason, root cuttings may be used as a final resort to propagate it before it croaks as long as there are still healthy roots.

The Big Picture

The overall takeaway from this should be that, given the right conditions (bright light, cool temperatures, airy media), D. regia can actually be a fairly fast-growing and tolerant species. In my opinion, it's definitely one of the best species out there, and anybody contemplating whether or not they should cultivate it should bite the bullet and give it a try - you won't regret it!

Drosera schizandra is one of the first Drosera species that actually stuck in my head when I first started getting into CPs (I think it was the novelty of owning what looks like carnivorous lettuce from a place called "Wooroonooran National Park" that really got to me - the Aussies really do have brilliant names for some places). Despite its position near the top of my want list, however, I held off getting this species initially for two reasons: 1), all sources I could find pointed to it being a tricky grower not suited to the noob who had yet to grow D. adelae or D. prolifera and 2), I simply couldn't find it for sale anywhere for what I was willing to pay. I did eventually manage to locate a small one for a good deal however, and although I had no prior experience with any of the Queensland sisters, I impulsively bought it anyway. Luckily it survived, and I've propagated that clone dozens of times now

Drosera schizandra is typically considered to be the most difficult of the three Queensland sisters to grow (hence the order of progression recommended by most starting with D. adelae), but growing D. adelae and D. prolifera first is certainly not a prerequisite for growing this species successfully - I know people who have killed heaps of D. adelae but grow D. schizandra very well. That being said, I wouldn't recommend this species for a fresh CP noob without experience with Drosera at all, as in most cases I suspect that would result in frustration and wasted dollars.

Lighting

Drosera schizandra usually grows in shady understory in nature, and this is reflected in its lower light requirements than other CPs. This is one of the few species that can perform well on a windowsill that receives mostly indirect light, given that it is kept reasonably cool (it does still require a decent amount of light however, you cannot simply shove it into a dark corner). I have tried this species under both natural light and artificial light from T5s and have noticed that it tends to burn easily (in my conditions, at least) when exposed to high light without acclimation. I would avoid placing it under very strong lighting if it is your first time growing it, at least until you have extras to experiment on.

Temperature

In terms of temperature, the clone I grow seems to prefer cooler temperatures suitable for most highland Nepenthes. Originally I kept some plants in a tank that would reach excesses of 85F or more during very hot summer days - after about a week of this the plants lost their dew and crapped out on me. The individuals that grow well for me are kept at temperatures that never exceed 75F with about a 5-10F drop at night. I don't think that having a temperature drop at night it vital as long as the plants aren't kept too warm during the day. I have not tested the lower end of this plant's temperature tolerance but you certainly should not allow it to get anywhere near freezing. Depending on where you live, a cool windowsill may offer the temperature range that this species enjoys.

Humidity and Watering

Drosera schizandra grows best for me under high humidity, although there are growers who have successfully grown it with typical room humidity levels. I grow all my plants in sealed terraria. The windowsill plants are kept out of too much direct sun to avoid cooking them, while the ones under T5s are kept about a foot away from the lights. Under my conditions the clone I have prefers Sphagnum as a substrate - whether it is live or not does not seem to have any significant impact on its growth. I like to top dress my media with live moss as I quite enjoy the aesthetics and fluffy feeling, but this is not necessary. I would advise using only high quality Sphagnum, none of that crud from Mosser Lee or something like that (I do know several growers who have managed this plant in peat-based mixes, but my attempts at that have resulted in less than satisfactory results). I keep my plants moist but not waterlogged. If you are growing them in drained pots, sitting them in a thin film of water should be fine. If you're growing them in planted tanks or the like, do not flood them as they do not take kindly to being drowned. Drosera schizandra, like other Drosera, is sensitive to water with high TDS.

Propagation

Although it can be a bit tricky to initially pin down the exact conditions this species needs, it is incredibly easy to propagate via leaf cuttings. I'm surprised that it's not more available in the US than it is at the moment (if you're now inspired to raise an army of these and flood the market with cheap Drosera schizandra in order to undercut competitors, don't tell them it was my idea). Select healthy leaves for your cuttings (it does not seem to matter if the leaf has dew or not as long as it's green, I get strikes on both), lay them on moist Sphagnum under conditions you would grow adult plants in, and wait. You should see little plantlets within a month or two. Depending on the size of the leaf you can get anywhere from two or three to over a dozen. Once the plantlets have formed roots it is safe to separate them. Given that D. schizandra flowers rarely and is reportedly not self-fertile, seed is generally not the go-to method for propagating this plant.

Conclusion

All in all, D. schizandra is unique, striking, and not too difficult to grow if you can accomodate its preferred conditions. I am currently looking for different clones of Drosera schizandra of seed-grown origin. If you have any and would like to work out a trade please let me know!