- Mon Dec 14, 2020 11:34 pm
#370778
INTRODUCTION
Pygmy sundews are small, diminuitive sundews from the southwestern parts of Australia. They grow in a semitropical to temperate desert, and are known for the prominent stipules (hairs) that arise from their bud, as well as their notably large flowers. They are very easy plants to keep, and you can keep them even as an absolute beginner.
Species
Lots of species exist, but some notable ones are D. pygmaea (considered the typical species of this clade), D. scorpioides, an erect pygmy sundew that is perennial, and D. pulchella, which makes some of the largest flowers of any drosera, I have had my specimens' flowers be over a centimeter.
Soil requirements
There are no set ways to cultivate Pygmies, and soil is no exception. Plants I have received from CalCarn are sitting in water, waterlogged, in 100% peatmoss.
I use 1/2 peat, 1/2 aggregate, where aggregate can be anything including perlite, sand, aggrofoam, lava rock, or pumice.
Another popular mix is 1/3 perlite, 1/3 peat, 1/3 sand, which mimicks the soil they are found in naturally.
I find perlite topdressings, or sand topdressings, to help prevent moss, which can easily choke out the sundews. LFS (Long fiber sphagnum) is a no-no with pygmies, as it easily rots the spindly roots that pygmies use.
Basic anatomy
Pygmies have a bud on the top of the plant, where all new growth emerges, called the apical meristem. It is shielded by stipules which reflect sunlight, in my research, we presume it to prevent evaporation and dessication of the cells while they do not have much available water. The pygmy sundews produce gemmae (more on that later). They also have very fine tap roots that are fragile, so repotting pygmy sundews is a no-no, and if it must be done, it is a task that should be undertaken with a fair degree of precision.
Sexual reproduction
Please try not to get seed by selfing plants. Very few species in Sect. Bryastrum self- pollinate. They can only set seed when two different clones are crossed. Seeds are not plentiful, and most species produce 5-20 seeds per flower, and the pollination rate, even with manual intervention is quite low.
Pygmy sundew species are likely very monoclonal in origin, since the presence of an advantageous asexual reproduction system allows new strains of each species to outcompete other strains, thus leading to lessening genetic diversity. Thus, it is likely you may not have success with pollination, especially because for some species, only one clone is in cultivation.
Asexual reproduction - GEMMAE
This is what you came for. You always receive pygmy sundews as gemmae, except from nurseries, where they sometimes ship plants. Gemmae are undifferentiated stem cells arising from the meristem of the plant. They are a fleshy bag of tissue with a new active meristem and a root meristem ready to go. Gemmae are produced in the fall and winter following cooler temperatures and a decrease in photoperiod.
To harvest gemmae, I find using forceps is a good idea, but you can also use a thin edge like a plant tag or toothpick. It helps to wet the tool, as they will stick quite well to wet surfaces. To distribute gemmae, fold them in a paper towel, wet the paper towel, bag it, and send it off. To store them, do the same procedure with the paper towel, and store them in your refrigerator. The shelf life of gemmae is roughly 1.5 to 2 months, with exponential decay of viability towards the later months of storage. Do not wait until the gemmae are bound up tightly in the crown, harvest them progressively, as when they bunch tightly, they can fly at large distances, up to a meter.
Gemmae can be planted in any pot, some prefer tall pots, but I find one inch pots work just fine. Use the mixes described above. There is no need to orient gemmae, as the root will find the soil and tap into it. Just be sure to place them about a centimeter apart so they don't over-crowd each other. Some sources say that gemmae should be subjected to high humidity, and all this does is increase their growth rate. I find they work fine at about 50%RH, but bagging them is always a safe move. Ensure good soil contact with a couple sprays from a water bottle, and leave them in high light conditions for a month or two before acclimating them.
Light, watering, etc.
Do not feed your pygmies. They grow fast enough without food. However, if you absolutely feel the need to feed them, use an ant or something small. D. scorpioides is known for catching large prey like flies, but very rarely.
Lighting should be strong lighting, ideally sunlight. Under a constant photoperiod, pygmies will not make gemmae. Following November, you should decrease your timer photoperiod if you want any. I find the ideal lux rating to be about 10,000-100,000 lux (Operating room brightness to full sun).
Ensure the pots do not dry completely, although pygmies can survive long periods of dessication. The danger is in overwatering, so avoid pots fully waterlogged. Certain pygmies are more resistant to rot than others, so ask others about what species you are growing.
Rain is a danger when keeping pygmies outside, as during gemmae season, rain causes gemmae to disperse. Harvest gemmae before rain.
Temperatures can range between freezing and over 40 degrees C (105 degrees F). Above or below that can cause stress, but these are hardy plants.
Thank you for reading!
Pygmy sundews are small, diminuitive sundews from the southwestern parts of Australia. They grow in a semitropical to temperate desert, and are known for the prominent stipules (hairs) that arise from their bud, as well as their notably large flowers. They are very easy plants to keep, and you can keep them even as an absolute beginner.
Species
Lots of species exist, but some notable ones are D. pygmaea (considered the typical species of this clade), D. scorpioides, an erect pygmy sundew that is perennial, and D. pulchella, which makes some of the largest flowers of any drosera, I have had my specimens' flowers be over a centimeter.
Soil requirements
There are no set ways to cultivate Pygmies, and soil is no exception. Plants I have received from CalCarn are sitting in water, waterlogged, in 100% peatmoss.
I use 1/2 peat, 1/2 aggregate, where aggregate can be anything including perlite, sand, aggrofoam, lava rock, or pumice.
Another popular mix is 1/3 perlite, 1/3 peat, 1/3 sand, which mimicks the soil they are found in naturally.
I find perlite topdressings, or sand topdressings, to help prevent moss, which can easily choke out the sundews. LFS (Long fiber sphagnum) is a no-no with pygmies, as it easily rots the spindly roots that pygmies use.
Basic anatomy
Pygmies have a bud on the top of the plant, where all new growth emerges, called the apical meristem. It is shielded by stipules which reflect sunlight, in my research, we presume it to prevent evaporation and dessication of the cells while they do not have much available water. The pygmy sundews produce gemmae (more on that later). They also have very fine tap roots that are fragile, so repotting pygmy sundews is a no-no, and if it must be done, it is a task that should be undertaken with a fair degree of precision.
Sexual reproduction
Please try not to get seed by selfing plants. Very few species in Sect. Bryastrum self- pollinate. They can only set seed when two different clones are crossed. Seeds are not plentiful, and most species produce 5-20 seeds per flower, and the pollination rate, even with manual intervention is quite low.
Pygmy sundew species are likely very monoclonal in origin, since the presence of an advantageous asexual reproduction system allows new strains of each species to outcompete other strains, thus leading to lessening genetic diversity. Thus, it is likely you may not have success with pollination, especially because for some species, only one clone is in cultivation.
Asexual reproduction - GEMMAE
This is what you came for. You always receive pygmy sundews as gemmae, except from nurseries, where they sometimes ship plants. Gemmae are undifferentiated stem cells arising from the meristem of the plant. They are a fleshy bag of tissue with a new active meristem and a root meristem ready to go. Gemmae are produced in the fall and winter following cooler temperatures and a decrease in photoperiod.
To harvest gemmae, I find using forceps is a good idea, but you can also use a thin edge like a plant tag or toothpick. It helps to wet the tool, as they will stick quite well to wet surfaces. To distribute gemmae, fold them in a paper towel, wet the paper towel, bag it, and send it off. To store them, do the same procedure with the paper towel, and store them in your refrigerator. The shelf life of gemmae is roughly 1.5 to 2 months, with exponential decay of viability towards the later months of storage. Do not wait until the gemmae are bound up tightly in the crown, harvest them progressively, as when they bunch tightly, they can fly at large distances, up to a meter.
Gemmae can be planted in any pot, some prefer tall pots, but I find one inch pots work just fine. Use the mixes described above. There is no need to orient gemmae, as the root will find the soil and tap into it. Just be sure to place them about a centimeter apart so they don't over-crowd each other. Some sources say that gemmae should be subjected to high humidity, and all this does is increase their growth rate. I find they work fine at about 50%RH, but bagging them is always a safe move. Ensure good soil contact with a couple sprays from a water bottle, and leave them in high light conditions for a month or two before acclimating them.
Light, watering, etc.
Do not feed your pygmies. They grow fast enough without food. However, if you absolutely feel the need to feed them, use an ant or something small. D. scorpioides is known for catching large prey like flies, but very rarely.
Lighting should be strong lighting, ideally sunlight. Under a constant photoperiod, pygmies will not make gemmae. Following November, you should decrease your timer photoperiod if you want any. I find the ideal lux rating to be about 10,000-100,000 lux (Operating room brightness to full sun).
Ensure the pots do not dry completely, although pygmies can survive long periods of dessication. The danger is in overwatering, so avoid pots fully waterlogged. Certain pygmies are more resistant to rot than others, so ask others about what species you are growing.
Rain is a danger when keeping pygmies outside, as during gemmae season, rain causes gemmae to disperse. Harvest gemmae before rain.
Temperatures can range between freezing and over 40 degrees C (105 degrees F). Above or below that can cause stress, but these are hardy plants.
Thank you for reading!