FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

[Matt]

Back in October (I think?) I put a flower stalk in to a culture that oddly started to grow on one of my typical VFTs. I didn't think much about it in cultures because my main focus is getting cultivars started, not typicals. But it turns out that this flower stalk has been a valuable learning tool. I've finally got a second culture going from explants (other than the 'Cupped Trap' that I got started back in March) from this flower stalk.

I wrote a long article about what I've learned giving lots of details for anyone interested in TC. You can find it here:
And the tissue culture saga continues...flower stalks might be the answer!

For those of you that just want to see some photos, here they are:
This first photo was taken on May 19th. You can see the callus forming on the pedicel where the little leaf attaches to it.

This second photo was taken today. It's actually grown quite a bit in the last 2 days.


And here is another piece of that same flower stalk. It looks to me like there are plantlets forming in the flower buds, but I can't be sure yet, though something is definitely happening because there is new dark green growth where a flower should be and there appears to be a plantlet growing at the top right side of the photo.

[linton]

They do look like plants growing from the flower buds - I guess this answers my question "will the flowers continue to develop in vitro?". Nice work Matt, well done.

[hackerberry]

I hate you Matt!!
Seriously, congrats buddy.


hb

[renesis]

Nice work! Congrats Matt,

This gives me some hope for the flower stalks I put in TC in April that haven't turned black yet.

[hackerberry]

Way to go Renesis, I hope your stalks get to work right away hehe.

hb

[Matt]

They do look like plants growing from the flower buds - I guess this answers my question "will the flowers continue to develop in vitro?". Nice work Matt, well done.

Thanks Linton. Yep, I guess that answers the question. I can't wait to see what the next month or so brings for those flower buds.

I hate you Matt!!
Seriously, congrats buddy.

Thanks Jun!

Nice work! Congrats Matt,
This gives me some hope for the flower stalks I put in TC in April that haven't turned black yet.

Yeah, don't give up hope on them yet renesis. If you left the flower bud end on, there's a good chance that you'll get it to take eventually. It can take a long, long time though. Patience is definitely key.

[hackerberry]

I'm not gonna post my TC pics anymore. hmp.



hb

[Matt]

I'm not gonna post my TC pics anymore. hmp.



hb

OH NO!!!! Please don't do that!

Speaking of which...I want to see some photos of the little seedlings that are putting up flower stalks in vitro.

[Matt]

I figured I might as well show photos of the callus that I was able to get to form on the main stalk too. I'm not too optimistic that it will actually turn into something because it's been very slow to progress and the stalk has been gradually turning black. I put the stalk on media with activated charcoal to see if it would help slow it down as was indicated in an article I read. I hope it does.

[renesis]

Yeah, don't give up hope on them yet renesis. If you left the flower bud end on, there's a good chance that you'll get it to take eventually. It can take a long, long time though. Patience is definitely key.

Unfortunately, only had 2 with buds in TC - the first one got contaminated from the bud area itself, and the second one turned black. I have two from the centre section (Big Mouth) that are still looking alive and about 5 weeks old now.

Also put a Akai Ryu stalk (clipped off the bud since it gave me contamination last time- stupid me~!), and some leaves (dente, big mouth, typical) in TC about a week ago. This time in much better containers, my first batch used decorative mason jars- so its really hard to see if there is any callous.

Anyhow, I look forward to seeing how it develops off your stalk!

[kevinqwe]

that's is amazing. when you take it out does it feel all soggy and gross?

[Matt]

Unfortunately, only had 2 with buds in TC - the first one got contaminated from the bud area itself, and the second one turned black.

Yeah, I had similar experiences with my buds. They're hard to sterilize without killing them.

Also put a Akai Ryu stalk (clipped off the bud since it gave me contamination last time- stupid me~!)

Hah! I did the same thing with most of my cultures. I didn't know that the bud area was the best area to get a strike from.

and some leaves (dente, big mouth, typical) in TC about a week ago

I hope those don't get contaminated. Leaves are WAY quicker than flower stalks, but much harder to sterilize (at least in my experience).

that's is amazing. when you take it out does it feel all soggy and gross?

Nope! It feels like a normal healthy plant. But the media feels kind of soggy and gross, like jello.

[renesis]

I just checked my flower stalks - (centre sections)

andddd - one of them definitely looks like it has formed some callous! Hopefully it won't turn black.

Matt, your flower stalks (without buds), did you use hormones on them?

My first set - I used 1/2 MS, 1/2 Vitamins no hormones.

The ones i did last week used 2IP.

[Matt]

Matt, your flower stalks (without buds), did you use hormones on them?

I've had much better success when I DON'T use hormones. I don't think I used hormones on the flower stalks without buds. That may be why they haven't turned black yet. Whenever I use hormones, the tissue almost always dies.

I just split up my 'Cupped Trap' culture and put most of it on media with 4ml/L (1g/ml) BAP. I hope that it does ok. If it looks like it's dying, I'll have to replate it again quickly.

I've read that hormones aren't necessary for callus formation on VFTs and I can confirm this. Now the question is if callus forms faster with them...that I don't know. However, I've just started using activated charcoal, which is supposed to mitigate the browning of explants, so perhaps I'll find out soon.

[renesis]

However, I've just started using activated charcoal, which is supposed to mitigate the browning of explants, so perhaps I'll find out soon.

That would be interesting to know, keep us posted!