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Carnivorous Plants/Cool white for carnivore plant

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Expert: - 8/4/2009


Question
Is it ok to use cool white light bulb for carnivore plant only?

Answer
Hello Aaron,

Cool white tubes and bulbs of the florescent variety are the general types of artificial lighting to use with carnivorous plants. You could also use true daylight varieties. Make sure the lumen output is at least 12000 and that the plants are at least 6-8 inches or closer to the lights according to species. also, remember, North American species of carnivorous plants and those requiring full sun might not grow at their best under florescent lighting unless you add more lumens of intensity up to 20000 or even 30000 lumens. Full sunlight outside is equivalent to 40000 to 50000 lumens in the brightest spots on the planet, so you will want your plants getting as close an approximation to their light requirements as you can provide. Typically, growing full sun plants outside is the only way most growers can do that.

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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