Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 12/19/2011

Question
I recently re-potted my Drosera Binata and accidentally cut off a two inch root. However, in the last month since it happened I actually have a baby Drosera Binata growing out of said root. I then replanted the baby Drosera Binata in its own small pot.

  Is this a good thing, or should I have left the baby plant with its 'mother' plant? I feared they would get too crowded with roots and such so that is why I moved it to its own pot. It seems to be growing just fine right now.

  I also was wondering the correct method for self-propagating a venus flytrap? I also recently replanted it, and took a leaf and unattached it from the rhizome, trying to take as much as would come with the plant. (I've read and seen that is what you must do.) I then proceeded to cut off the trap and leave the green part of the healthy leaf in its soil. I read that the growth would begin within a month or two, depending.

  Thanks for your time in reading and responding to my questions! Have a Merry Christmas!

  P.S. I thought that since it was more advanced than a normal propagating question, that it fell under a single issue. I'm sorry if it falls under 'general growing questions', as I wasn't quite sure.

Answer
Hi Devon,

What you just did with your D. binata is known as a root cutting.  We do hundreds of those every year to propagate that plant.  It's just fine to be growing on it's own.  Once a root has produce it's own vertical roots it's good to go.  All of the D. binata complex propagate easily this way.  It even happens in nature from animals trampling on plants, breaking roots off, and the pieces grow.

What you described is the basic technique for taking Venus flytrap leaf cuttings.  Rooting can be slow, so give them time.  Be sure to keep them in bright light (fluorescent lights are best) and warm.  The temperature should be a consistent 80 degrees F.  What you will see happening when plants are developing is little buds developing on the white end of the cutting.  You will usually get several plantlets developing on each leaf.  They don't tend to produce as many plantlets as sundew cuttings.  If you didn't spray the cuttings with a fungicide, you should.

Good Growing!

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