49 replies to this topic

[Chris C]

I am really keen to try this species and have been reading past threads and my books on how to grow it. Has anyone in the UK had any amount of success with it. I have heard of people germinating the seeds in a week, but the books say it can take a year. Any help or tips for this plant would be appreciated.
Cheers
Chris

[bearphant]

I personally use this method to get the seeds germinate: I put them in a glass full of hot water (around 40°C/104°F I think) for 1-2 days and then sow them.
But you have to cange water every few hours otherwise it gets cold.
I used this method and sowed yesterday, so I don't know the success rate, but I think it will work.

[Dunc]

I've tried a couple of time with zero sucess!!

I've been told fresh seed is better, to soak or chip the seeds, or use GA3 to get that vital germination.  I've some more seed in the fridge and hope to try the GA3 this year.



I'll keep trying until one day it germinates...........

8)

[pond boy]

I`ve never been able to sprout this species wich is puzziling.

[pond boy]

Oh I thought you were talking about D.intermedia! Definately way past my bedtime.........!

[CP2k]

Use GA3. I have gotten 100% success rate through this method.

[vic brown]

I'm about to start sowing this one, what concentration of GA-3 do you recommend? 1000ppm (as for Byblis) or lower?

Thanks

Vic

[CP2k]

Actually, I never measured out the concentration. I sprinkled a small amount(from tip of toothpick) onto each seed and wrapped the seeds in wet tissue and placed the tissue in a bag. The bag was placed on top of a heat mat and all seeds germinated within a week.

[Chris C]

Well i have just managed to get hold of some Ibicella seed, and will attempt a few this spring without gibberellic acid, if there is no joy, i will make sure i get some for next year and use it on the remaining seeds. Hope it grows, it looks an amazing plant. By the way, i have seen photos of Proboscidea which lok just like this plant except for the seed pods. Are they related and carnivorous?
Cheers
Chris

[CP2k]

Are flowers are also of a different color. Ibicella and Proboscidea are related, but not carnivorous. The glands are for defensive purposes as far as I can tell.

[Chris C]

Hey everyone, the Ibicella seeds arrived this morning from Chiltern Seeds, but rather than being the devils claw i imagined, they look like really hard raisins and about the same size. Is this right?
Cheers
Chris

[Dunc]

Yes, that sounds like them Chris.



The 'claws' are the seed pods - good luck with the seeds.  I'm waiting till I get my GA3 from the CPS this time!!

8)

[Dunc]

GA3 received this morning from Super-Grow, Quebec.  Two forms tried - a 90% form (instructions to dissolve in methanol before making up with water) and a 20% tablet form that is soluble in water.



Weighed out at work and made up a 200 ppm solution with the soluble form (I crushed it down to a powder so I can split it) - no problem!  Will now see if it works???

:?

[vic brown]

The seeds I sowed in March germinated last week, 9 out of 12 seeds germinated. They were pre-treated by soaking for 24 hours in GA-3 (about 500ppm) and I removed a small piece of the hard seed coat with a scapel as well.

I spent a pleasant hour in the sunshine potting them up yesterday. Even seedlings with just the dicotyledons present had quite long (3-4 inch) roots and the dicotyledons are very glandular too.

Depending on the success of my transplanting, I might have a few spare small plants available at Stan Lampard's Open Day in Birmingham on May 15th. PM me if you are interested and are going to this meeting. I don't think that they will post very easily or successfully, so don't ask me to.  :)

Cheers

Vic

[vic brown]

This species doesn't require an acidic, nutrient-poor soil. I germinated them on John Innes Seed and transplanted into J.I. no2 with a little extra sand and perlite.

Vic

[vic brown]

A bit drier than other CPs. They are not bog plants.

According to J.J. Labat in his latest book (in French) this large, annual plant does well outside in in containers or planted out. I'll be trying both.

Vic

[Dunc]

I'm going to soak my CPS seeds in the next few days (also ordered a packet from Chiltern seeds as a back-up) and give them another go with the GA3.



How long was the germination them?  Did you give them any heat?

8)