FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hello again just getting back with yet another update. I looked at my rather sorry cape sundew today and noticed that the crown was still slightly green at the very tips. Also there are a few strange plants growing in the container where the severed bottom half is planted (the bit containing the remaining root system.

Can anyone explain what is happening here as I have kept both containers moist and humid?

Algae and moss will grow in humid conditions, and it looks like you have both there
Cape sundews are hardy plants, but they don't always sprout very quickly, so you may need to just sit back and forget it. If you haven't sown seeds there, you can scrape away the algae if it bothers you and pluck out the moss. If you look up tortula moss, you may see some images that match your moss.

Hi

Upon closer inspection with a magnifying glass, the sundew crown appears to have a hairy, green shoot poking out.

I was wondering if this could be a sundew leaf emerging or a plantlet as the they are hairs and not tentacles I'm not convinced.

Also it appears sadly that i have tortula moss growing in my other cutting container.

That actually looks like a flower stalk, they are hairy. What a weirdo, trying to flower! You can let it grow and cut it to propagate http://www.growsundews.com/sundews/Prop ... k_Cuttings_ or you can snip it now in the hopes that the plant will put energy into leaves.

The thing is i cut off the flower stalk as it shrivelled up (thats the longer and slightly curved bit near the bottom left corner of the picture) unless a single sundew can flower twice after nearly dying, I'm still not sure.

I know, but that curled furry "fiddlehead" appearance looks like a flower stalk. They can flower multiple times and stress can induce flowering too. Wait and see I guess! This little plant sure is teaching you a lot about sundews.

Thanks.

How do I get it to produce leaves (it needs to trap insects for energy) as I don't want to cut it off and have it produce another flower stalk in its place since it has come 'back from the dead'?

Sometimes plants set flowers in the hopes of propagating itself as a response before it dies. It's common in flowering trees that are in decline. Capensis can flower multiple times back to back, my alba threw up three consecutive stalks. Adriana is right, if it is flowering, the enrrgy is going into flower development. If the idea is to try to get leaves then the stalk should be removed. It apparently has the energy and a living growth point so it is possible. The best thing you can do for it is give it hospitable conditions to encourage growth. You can't really "control" its growth. That can kind of be done with fertilizers but CPs are sensitive to that kind of treatment. Suppose if you want to gamble Maxsea you could try to inspire growth by supplying it nitrogen. However if you do it wrong it'll surely die.

Well I have left it outside with a clear plastic lid on it as a makeshift dome to keep up humidity and its standing in a saucer full of rain water, thanks to the last couple of days heavy rain.

Do I need to do anything else to provide a hospitable environment?

Just make sure that it has adequate light and temperatures and it should be fine.

Hello again.

I cut off the flower stalk as suggested. Now my questions are: 1) will my cape sundew produce leaves?

2)Will my sundew now die as a result of too much stress?

3) If the plant stays alive, how long does it take for the plant to produce leaves?

Many thanks.

I don't have any answers for you Wood. It will do what it does. It's a good sign it was growing at all, so hopefully now that energy will go into leaves. If it's not taking up space you need, keep it watered and let it work itself out.

Wood1988 wrote:Hello again.

I cut off the flower stalk as suggested. Now my questions are: 1) will my cape sundew produce leaves?

2)Will my sundew now die as a result of too much stress?

3) If the plant stays alive, how long does it take for the plant to produce leaves?

Many thanks.

1.) It may, time will tell.
2.) It may, time will tell. For some reason I think it will be ok
3.) Well I can tell you that it won't be a looker for a while if it survives. My alba went through some pretty abusive pest treatments and wrecked it's leaves. As the plant produces new leaves for photosynthesis and nitrogen (through insects), the growth speed will progressively ramp up. My alba in it's peak under my care was putting out 4 leaves or so simultaneously. The first ones (if they grow) will be much slower.

I think you mixed two responses in one post Apollo : - )

Adriana wrote:I think you mixed two responses in one post Apollo : - )

Appears I did lol, I am terrible with the forum functions.