Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 12/1/2010

Question
QUESTION: The leaves on my king sundew are turning brown at the tips and losing it's dew.  It grows in equal parts long stemmed peat moss, perlite and orchid bard.  I water them twice a week.  I even tried hanging it under the HO florescents to make sure it has enough light.

ANSWER: Hi John,

King sundews, Drosera regia, have a couple big dislikes.  They don't like being too wet, and they don't like being too warm.  One year I had a beautiful crop going under fluorescent lights in my basement, and I was feeling pretty smug considering they are a bit difficult to grow.  This was in late winter.  As late spring arrived and the weather began to warm, I watched them die one by one.  What was happening was our basement at that time was pretty well insulated and it was beginning to get warmer down there with no nighttime cool down.  Where they come from in South Africa is a mountain environment.  It's always cool at night.  In our sundew greenhouse now it may get quite warm during the summer day, but is always cool at night.  Our best growth is now (they do have supplemental lighting) when the temperatures in the greenhouse are in the 60's.  Most of our South African sundews grow best when it's cooler.

My recommendations are to make sure you let water dry up in the plants tray before adding more, and make sure temperatures are in the 50's at night for the plant.  If you send me photo, and give me more details on your growing conditions, I could tell you if any other problems may be occurring.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The average temperature is around 70.  It maybe warmer when hanging with the Nepenthes.  I don't use a tray, I just water it then put it back.  This is the same bookcase where the Heliamphoras are at.  If I use a tray, how much water should be there to start with?

Answer
Hi John,

Thanks for sending the photo.  Your plant actually looks fine.  It's pretty normal for leaves to get browning at the tips.  It's more of a concern if brand new leaves are doing it.

Your temperatures sound fine.  Heliamphora conditions are very similar to what D. regia likes.  The way you're watering is fine.  The media should always feel a bit damp.  It may need a bit more light; it seems a little pale.

The only other issue may be the media.  Even though some growers recommend it, I'm not a big fan of long-fiber sphagnum for D. regia.  I've personally had more rot issues with it compared to peat moss based media.  I usually use a mix of equal parts peat, perlite, and pumice.  Equal parts peat, perlite, pumice and sand is also good.  I've also found that the bigger of a pot you can give them, the better.

If your top does die off for some reason, don't toss the plant.  Often you'll get new shoots from the roots.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com