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brad

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Posts posted by brad

  1. Could be. Root may have rotted, or the root may not like the soil substrate. May not be root related at all.

    Obviously your VFT is not happy. Did you do something new to it? Forget to water it? Over water it? Decide to try poor quality tap water? Move it to a new different growing location? Etc. Etc.

    If nothing has changed except the poor growth performance of the plant.

    1. You can, if you are comfortable with your superb growing techniques, just wait it out. Or 2. Repot the plant into fresh sphagnum based substrate, whether it be peat, LFS or substrate mix of your choice (same stuff your good performing VFTs are growing in.)

    Repotting is the best choice.

    Good luck,

    Brad

    Ventura California

  2. ‘German Dentate’ called ‘Dentata’ by Germans and ‘Sawtooth’ by others. Originated by Thomas Carow of Germany.

    ‘American Dentate’ called ‘Dente’ by many and ‘Dentate’ by others. Originated by Leo Song of California, USA.

    ‘Australian Dentate’ called ‘Shark’s Teeth’ by some and ‘Shark Tooth’ by others. Originated by Colin Clayton of Australia.

    ‘Green Dragon’ is a tissue culture sport of ‘Red Dragon’, which is the progeny of ‘Holland Red’ cross ‘Dentata’.

    ‘Holland Red’ originated by Theo de Groot of Holland.

    ‘Red Dragon’ originated by Ron Gagliardo of Georgia, USA.

    ‘Green Dragon’ originated by Agristarts Tissue Culture of Florida, USA.

    Brad

    Ventura California

  3. There may be further confusion with straightforward dentate clones sometimes being referred to as 'Sawtooth' amongst German growers.

    German growers are not confused.

    The ‘German Dentate’ is called ‘Sawtooth’ by others.

    Brad

    Ventura California

  4. ‘Red Dragon’ is the result of a self crossing of ‘Holland Red’ by Ron Gagliardo of Atlanta Botanical Gardens. (It was an attempt of a crossing of ‘Holland Red’ and ‘Sawtooth’).

    ‘Green Dragon’ is a Tissue Culture Sport of ‘Red Dragon’ discovered at Agristarts Tissue Culture Facility in Florida.

    ‘Holland Red’ is Holland Red.

    ‘Red Dragon’ is Red Dragon.

    ‘Green Dragon’ is Green Dragon.

    ‘Royal Red’ is Royal Red.

    Very simple.

    Brad

    Ventura California

  5. Here are the names of some so called ‘All Red VFT’ or more accurately called ‘Red Petioled VFT’

    Green Dragon

    Red Dragon

    Holland Red

    Royal Red

    Regal Red

    etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

    Good luck separating and identifying them from each other.

    Also ‘Red Piranha’ is a ‘Red Petioled VFT’.

    Brad

    Ventura California

  6. Hi,

    The ‘Dentate’ trait is recessive, so if selfed will be transmitted to all the progeny.

    With VFT it is best if you actively self the plant by transferring the pollen to receptive stigmas.

    I imagine all of the Dentate type VFT, like Dentate, Shark, Sawtooth etc. are recessive. The true ‘Dentate’ a wild plant received by Leo Song is recessive. It was the ‘Dentate’ used for ‘Red Piranha’ and ‘Jaws’.

    Do the selfing and report your results to us in about 2 years.

    Good luck.

    Brad

    Ventura California

  7. Jeffery,

    Just hope that it is only transplant shock. It looks like transplant shock.

    If it is transplant shock, you just have to wait it out.

    Also moving a VFT around, like into shade and sun and back and forth will cause leaf burn if the new leaves are not allowed to acclimatize to the sun.

    If this is transplant shock the old leaves are dying due to the shock.

    If this is not transplant shock then you have problems there. To solve this problem you will need to grow this VFT like you grow all your other healthy VFT. Pot, water, substrate, temperature, light.

    The new growth just coming up looks good for now. Hopefully a new root is growing to support it.

    Good luck,

    Brad

    Ventura California

  8. This is a thread about VFT ‘Fast’. Pictures are nice, but they do not address if this VFT is truly fast. Obviously it’s the distinguishing feature of this VFT.

    How fast is a Typical VFT? Is this one fast enough to warrant the name of VFT ‘Fast’?

    In comparison, I imagine VFT ‘Creeping Death’ would have to be slower. Creeping could be speedy, but definitely not Fast.

    Does anyone really know how fast is ‘Fast’?

    Brad

    Ventura California

  9. Here is a quote I found with a Google search:

    “All the so-called Named and Numbered VFT can be distinguished from each other, just like the different species of Sphagnum Moss can be distinguished from each other, but not by me.”

    Brad

    Ventura California

  10. That is utterly absurd - anyone with a working pair of eyes can tell that the majority of them are very distinctive in their traits/growing habits etc.

    A quick look Here clearly illustrates the difference.

    I can only suggest Brad recieved incorrectly labeled plants.

    Yeah Bob Ziemer’s site is very helpful and has a lot of VFT’s and many very distinctive pictures. I never knew VFT could look so different with a working pair of eyes. Or maybe I received incorrectly labeled plants.

    Anyway, with Bob Ziemer’s site who needs to label their VFT’s anymore, the majority of them are very distinctive in their traits/growing habits etc.

    Brad

    Ventura California

  11. Jeffery,

    Maybe you could contact Colin Clayton at Triffid Park Nursery and ask him about the so called VFT ‘Fast’. He would know.

    He is the originator of all these crazy names or at least the main source of these VFT.

    ‘Dingley Giant’

    ‘Big Traps’

    'Big Vigorous'

    'Burbank's Best'

    'Dutch'

    'Fang'

    'Low Giant'

    'Paradisia'

    'Red-green'

    'Red-Purple'

    'Vigorous'

    'Big Mouth'

    'Triffid Traps'

    'Yellow'

    'Shark's Teeth'

    He sells them for about a US dollar each, so no complaints here.

    I have 9 of them and I cannot tell them apart. I like the short names however. Some of my VFT have names with six words, there should really be a limit to two words in a VFT name. Maybe just a letter and a number would be good.

    Brad

    Ventura California

  12. Specialized,

    Your questions are excellent.

    1. I think photoperiod is the most important variable regarding the annual growing cycle of VFT. But obviously overall growing conditions the plant must respect and respond to. Quality of light is real important, amount of soil moisture (like lack of it) is real important, cold temperature will slow growth down or completely stop it.

    2. The lowest daylength for one day could easily be 10 hours it could be lower. No need to go down to 8 hours however.

    3. Winter is a photoperiod response which begins in Summer goes into Fall, and then Cycles back to Spring and Summer again.

    4. A plant experiencing drought will slow down in growth, and if severe growth will stop. Just by chance luck a slow growing stunted VFT or a non-growing VFT will look like a small rosette.

    Back to Question #1, regarding photoperiod:

    OK, you have VFT growing. They are huge, have long narrow petioles, upright traps and are at the zenith of the summer growing season. Lets say early August. Then decrease the daylength by 3 and ½ minutes per day over the next 100 days, see what get. Then increase the light right back to 16 hours per day (you could do this part immediately), see what you get.

    OK, you have VFT growing. They are huge, have long narrow petioles, upright traps and are at the zenith of the summer growing season. Lets say early August. Then immediately decrease the daylength to 10 hours, see what you get. Then as time goes by, depending on how lucky you are, decide when you would like to give them more daylength. Write the date down.

    OK, you have VFT growing. Keep them at 16 hours daylength, see what you get.

    Obviously, this is an experiment. And when done properly, Good science is Good.

    If I lived in San Antonio, Texas I would grow my VFT outside. Buts that’s just me.

    Tell us how things go.

    Brad

    Ventura California

  13. Some facts:

    Santa Monica California is at latitude 34 N, fairly close to sea level, and is adjacent to a major ocean.

    The VFT natural range is at latitude 34N.

    The VFT natural range is fairly close to sea level.

    The VFT natural range is adjacent to a major ocean.

    Hurricanes, Earthquakes, Tar Heels, Tar Pits, Carolina Bays, Santa Monica Bay.

    The similarities are remarkable.

    Brad

    Ventura California

  14. Alexis and Bob,

    Growing in the wild and growing in cultivation are two very different things. You both know that.

    Anyway, I will try to respond.

    I know several CP growers from the Wilmington, NC area. Also I lived many years in Eastern Texas, which has ideal wild CP climate.

    From my experience in Texas and friends in Wilmington, NC it is far easier to cultivate VFT in California. In California you have to really try to kill a VFT. In their range, when cultivated, they just seem to die.

    The reasons are climate. In California you can grow VFT in any size pot or planter you like. California climate is mild and ideal to cultivate VFT. In their natural range the problems with cultivation, are the pots get too hot in summer and too cold in winter, so cultivated VFT are more difficult to maintain outside.

    I won’t mention any names, (email me personally), but some of the best VFT collections I have ever heard of were in the range of VFT. And these expert growers could not maintain their collections due to the harsh weather outside.

    Santa Monica, California may be the best place on the planet to grow VFT and possibly most CP outside year round.

    Brad

    Ventura California

  15. Conflicting information?

    Bad information is everywhere including books. Some growers are speculating and have possibly never overwintered VFT outdoors before. You have people who have no idea of what the climate actually is in Santa Monica, California in an average year.

    To grow VFT properly you must respect the annual growing cycle of VFT.

    The VFT annual growing cycle is dependent on change of daylength. The most important factor for Winter survival is the Summer decrease in daylength that triggers its Fall to Winter growth pattern. This will occur during the heat of Summer and Autumn. It has nothing to do with temperature, only daylength. Once this pattern of growth is established and completed the plant is fine to continue into its spring growth pattern whenever warmth and light conditions allow. This can be Christmas, or January, or February, or March. The VFT grows in cycles throughout the year. There is no required so called dormancy.

    VFT don’t have a dormancy, they just stop growing in harsh conditions. This can be in winter due to cold. It can also be due to lack of sufficient water. During drought VFT will stop growing for months. This is very different from a hobbyist forgetting to water their VFT and killing them. Drought is a long slow process, and VFT are adapted to it. Anyway VFT do not have a dormancy, they just stop growing when conditions are poor.

    Santa Monica, California has perfect annual change in daylength that VFT need for survival. Santa Monica, California has perfect annual weather that is seldom harsh. Santa Monica, California could possibly be the best place on the planet to grow Venus Flytraps outside year round.

    Brad

    Ventura California

  16. Hi,

    Santa Monica is possibly the best place on the planet to have outside dormancy for a Venus Flytrap. If you know of a better place I would like to hear of it. You will get a perfect dormancy and no risk of losing the plant due to harsh weather.

    Do not put your VFT in the shade.

    In addition, you could grow nearly every genera of CP outdoors year round in Santa Monica. I doubt there is a genus you could not grow, but someone will think of one I am sure.

    Good luck,

    Brad

    Ventura California

  17. As everyone has stated before, you have acclimatization shock. If any of those VFT were repotted, add in transplant shock too. They will recover in time, most likely within a couple of months.

    But even trying to acclimatize them slowly usually fails in Southern California. The older leaves present will just get fried even with slow introduction to the sun. The new growth will be fine, if there was no root shock due to repotting.

    You said, “I used to put my plants in brilliant, direct, strong Southern Californian sunlight for 2 weeks before placing them now in filtered/indirect sunlight.”

    Don’t move the VFT to different growing conditions or you will continue to shock them. Decide where the best place is to grow them, and keep them there.

    The best place to grow VFT in Southern California is full sun, year round.

    Good luck,

    Brad

    Ventura California

  18. Hi,

    That is a feature that all typical VFT will show in poor light conditions, and short daylength. But you have to force the growth with warm temperatures.

    So basically you have a somewhat stressed, basically poorly grown VFT.

    Torture your VFT and you will see all kinds of growth characteristics.

    Take care,

    Brad

    Ventura California

  19. Pauline,

    In the photograph, the VFT towards the right, appears to show a newly developing trap. This trap when fully developed should be the size of the others which are extending beyond the pot edge. So the VFT appears to be producing traps consistently as large as the others before it.

    Regarding the small traps in the center of the pot. Those may be the growth of a new smaller division of the main VFT, basically a completely new VFT plant, a clone of the main VFT.

    But anytime a VFT produces noticeably smaller traps, except in late fall (the so called winter traps) these smaller traps are often an ominous sign of a VFT’s decline.

    You seem to have a nice collection of VFT there.

    Take care,

    Brad

    Ventura California

  20. Southern California may have among the most diverse climate range across its area as any place on earth. From sea to mountain to desert and everything in between. While you do not say exactly where in Southern California you live, the humidity range you describe is close and probably better than mine.

    A VFT will thrive outdoors in full sun, all year round in Southern California. No covering is necessary.

    Do not warm your water, and use pure water. Distilled water, dionized water, reverse osmosis water, or rain water.

    Humidity is not really a factor in growing CP. The humidity in my area has not been above 40% for the past 4 days, and I expect will remain below 40% night and day, until Friday 1-13-06. Gotta love those Santa Ana winds.

    Good luck,

    Brad

    Ventura California

    (1pm 1/9/06 Temp. 72 degrees F, Humidity 20%)

  21. Hi Paul,

    If you have a large collection then you can monitor the breaking of dormancy yourself. If you have a small collection then monitor these forums and check to see when things begin to get going in your area.

    Any plants that seem to be lagging, ie. not growing or growing weakly may need a repot to save the plant.

    My VFT, when they break dormancy do so very strongly, many traps and very robust traps, larger than the winter traps. Any plant lagging the others gets unpotted for a look at the rhizome and roots, for my education, and then a repot.

    Sarracenia are a more difficult group due to the many species. But flava, alata, and oreophila should be early risers and leucophylla is later I believe. Also leucophylla is usually not as robust as the others in Spring.

    Again check these forums to see how other grower’s CP in your area and similar growing conditions are doing.

    Hopefully, most in your collection will be doing well and not require much repotting.

    Good luck.

    Brad

    Ventura California

  22. Here is a note written by Ron Gagliardo of Atlanta Botanical Gardens in 1994:

    “The "All Red" form of Dionaea muscipula is a unique plant that has been grown in several countries for at least 5-10 years. While the intensity of the color does vary with environmental conditions, we believe that there are genetics at work and that plants are therefore, genetically predisposed to being "All Red." We have known of this plant from several people here in the United States such as Dr. Larry Mellichamp. Jim Pietropaulo, and Peter D'Amato and Bill McLaughlin, among other private collectors. To the best of our knowledge, the plant we grow here at the Atlanta Botanical garden originated from field collected bulbs imported to Holland by Mr. T.J.J. deGroot of Cresco. It was sent back to the states and circulated among Botanical gardens.”

    Now these are my thoughts.

    Brad:

    This “All Red” VFT, Ron writes about is the “Holland Red” VFT.

    The “Holland Red” VFT is the source of “Red Dragon or Akai Ryu”, “Green Dragon” and “Red Piranha”.

    The “Holland Red” VFT (the original “All Red” VFT was imported into Holland from the Carolinas by Cresco Nursery of Holland) was widely distributed among US collectors. The “Holland Red” VFT was also widely distributed among collectors worldwide, as was seed of this plant.

    Brad

    Ventura California

  23. There are many forms of All Red VFT circulating. The first All Red VFT ever to be identified is a plant known as ‘Holland Red’, a wild plant received in a shipment from the Carolinas by a Nursery in Holland.

    The ‘Holland Red’ was received back in the US by Ron Gagliardo at ABG who crossed the ‘Holland Red’ with a German ‘Sawtooth’, which resulted in several All Red VFT, each probably an accidental selfing of the ‘Holland Red’. One of these ‘Holland Red’ progeny was selected out and named ‘Red Dragon or Akai Ryu’. This plant has been replicated possibly millions of times though division and Tissue Culture.

    There have been many All Red Sports of the ‘Red Dragon’, which have entered the VFT market. The most famous ‘Red Dragon’ Sport, at least in the US, is a plant known as ‘Green Dragon’ another All Red VFT.

    Also many seed grown All Red VFTs are circulating today.

    Another All Red VFT is ‘Red Piranha’ a cross of ‘Holland Red’ and the first true ‘Dentate’. Several other All Red cross ‘Dentate types’ are now circulating to add confusion.

    ABG may have many All Red VFT types in their collection. Even the ‘Red Dragon’ has drifted in Tissue Culture from the original ‘Red Dragon’ plant.

    Good luck sorting this out.

    Of interest, Bob Ziemer has noted that his ‘Red Dragon’ produces a split ‘Y’ shaped double flower scape every time. I grow Bob Ziemer’s ‘Red Dragon’ and can confirm this trait with every flowering event. However I also grow several other All Red VFT, and no others have this flowering trait. ‘Red Dragon and Green Dragon’ from PFT and ‘Holland Red’ do not have this flowering trait. A few growers of true ‘Red Dragons’ have confirmed to me that their plants form this split ‘Y’ shaped double flower scape too, but this is only from their memory, more confirmations need to be made.

    Possibly only ABG themselves can help you on this one.

    Brad

    Ventura California

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