You are here:

Carnivorous Plants/Drosera Prolifera

Advertisement

Expert: - 3/20/2011


Question

Drosera Prolifera
I bought this plant about a month ago from you guys in Portland at the Garden Show. I live in Hillsboro. It is in a North/West window with no direct sun but bright light, and distilled water in a tray at all times. I don't know what I am doing wrong as it does not look as good as when I bought it, lost all its dew. Is it getting too much/not enough sun? Daytime temperature is around 69-70 and nighttime temperature is between 65 and 68. I see it has new shoots coming up, but worry that it is dying because no dew. I have a south-facing garden window I could put it in, but that will get full direct sun all day when it is not so cloudy like it is now and I think I remember you said it should not get full direct sun all day, correct me if I am wrong. I also have a cape sundew in the same window that is doing great for 2 years. I have enclosed a picture.

Answer
Hi Pat,

Move your D. prolifera to the window where the Cape sundew is living.  It definitely needs more sun.  The pale green with poorly formed tentacles is a dead give away, and we don't want you to have dead, dead with your plant.

Indoors in windows in the Northwest, it's rarely too sunny.  Glass blocks 80% of UV light, so it's not as intense as full sun outdoors.  If during the summer it looks like it's getting too warm (as in heat, not just light exposure) position the plant so other plants block the light a little.  That is usually all it takes for this species.  

In reality, Drosera prolifera is not a shade plant; it grows in open forests in Northern Queensland, Australia.  A location like that is still sunnier than a typical Northwest windowsill.  It's just not as sunny as an open sphagnum bog where a plant like Drosera rotundifolia might grow here in Oregon.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com
    Questioner's Rating
    Rating(1-10)Knowledgeability = 10Clarity of Response = 10Politeness = 10
    CommentThank you again for the helpful information.


  • Ask a Question

Sarracenia Northwest

Expertise

If your plant is showing poor growth, discoloration, abnormal leaves or possible infestation, the growers at Sarracenia Northwest can help! Carnivorous plant experts Jeff Dallas and Jacob Farin will help you diagnose the problem and get your plants on the right track. Their no nonsense approach has helped thousands of growers all over the world. They can help you too!

Experience

With over 40 years of combined experience, Jeff and Jacob has definitely taken a straight forward approach to growing carnivorous plants. They have encountered many types of diseases, abnormal growth and infestations related to carnivorous plants, and they know what it takes to get plants looking beautiful and healthy again.

Education/Credentials
Authors of Secrets to Growing Beautiful Carnivorous Plants for Your Home and Garden and producers of the Grow Carnivorous Plants! DVD Series. They also produce a monthly video podcast to illustrate how plants cycle through the seasons.

No terrariums. No myths. No nonsense.
Just the straight facts from guys who grow and propagate
thousands of carnivorous plants each year.

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR QUESTION:
We no longer answer how-to questions (i.e. How do I propagate...?; How do I grow...?).

Instead, we help growers by diagnosing a specific plant problem and offering solutions (i.e. Why is my sundew not producing dew?; Is now a good time to divide my Sarracenia?; Why are the traps turning black?; What's a good substitute for perlite?; Why didn't my seeds germinate?; Can you identify this carnivorous plant for me?)

For general plant care, please read our care sheets on our main website:
http://www.cobraplant.com/caresheets

For business questions:
http://www.cobraplant.com/contact


Carnivorous Plant Videos Facebook
Follow us on Youtube and Facebook!


©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.