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Carnivorous Plants/Drosera Kenneallyi

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Expert: - 10/9/2008


Question
I've had a Kenneallyi for a year or two, and decided to get another.  Shortly after this second one began establishing its place in the pot, I found a bunch of tiny white dots stuck to the stems of both plants.  I don't know if they're bugs or seeds since both plants are in the same pot.  I'm not sure if they are seeds since the flower stalk of one plant is dead and the other has no stalk.  The spots are white and the approximate size of a period.  So far, I haven't seen any negative effects on the plants.  Do you know what this is?

Answer
Hello Talisha,

The only things that come to mind would be tiny sap sucking insects or fungus. If the spots move, I would say they were aphids or some other kind of insect. If they are immobile and continue multiplying or getting bigger, I would say they are mold.

Use a neem oil or sulfur based fungicide with pyrethrins for control of both insect and fungus pests and use only as the bottle directs.

Christopher

Carnivorous Plants

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Christopher Littrell

Expertise

I am capable of answering questions about the most common carnivorous plants found in cultivation. I have no personal experience with Byblis, Drosophyllum, Aldrovanda, and Heliamphora. I have not cultivated gemmae forming pygmy sundews nor tuberous sundews. For information regarding those aforementioned species, I would suggest contacting other experts. I can answer questions regarding most species of Nepenthes, tropical and temperate Drosera, Mexican Pinguicula, Sarracenias, and Dionaea. I have some limited experience with growing Utricularia, Cephalotus, and Darlingtonia.

Experience

I have grown carnivorous plants off and on for about 27 years. I have made the same mistakes and suffered the same mishaps that many growers make as they attempt to separate the myths from the realities of growing these plants. Currently, I am successfully growing a variety of tropical sundews, a Nepenthes, several Venus Flytraps of varying ages, and Sarracenias. I have been successful in stratifying Sarracenia seeds and providing artificial dormancy requirements for my temperate plants when needed.

Education/Credentials
I hold a Master's degree in Educational Psychology. Over my lifetime, I have constantly read books involving the growing conditions of carnivorous plants. I hope to incorporate the educational aspects involved in psychology with teaching other people how to cultivate carnivorous plants.

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