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Carnivorous Plants/Drosera Filiformis

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Expert: - 2/19/2009


Question
Hi Christopher,

I am interested in purchasing a Drosera Filiformis and was wondering if it is capable of being in a full sun position? How much water do they need? Do they require half pot of standing water like the sarracenias or just enough to fill the base?

Some of the leaves of my Nepenthes Alata have turned brown and could you please advise how to prune them?

Many thanks and look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers,
Eugene

Answer
Hello Eugene,

Drosera filiformis is a full sun plant. It needs about 1/4 the pot bottom in a tray of water.

Just use scissors or a pair or pruning shears to clip the pitchers and leaves off at appropriate places. Leave any green matderial as it will remain alive and continue providing photosynthesis for the plant for up to several months. If a pitcher dies back, prune it after it completely dries out and browns along the tendril, then clip the tendril. The leaf will remain alive. If a leaf dies back, wait for it to brown to the vine and clip it off close to the vine .

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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