Ali Baba Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 I have a large pot full of seedlings of D. regia which I grew from seed supplied by a forum member. They are now very large and one is throwing up a flower spike. I read in The Savage Garden that these are best removed to avoid weakening the plant. Is this true? What do others do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cefa@ Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 Hi there mate... mh, there are many different opinions about this topic. Personally, i cut off every flower from almost any plant, and they produce many more leaves. Otherwise, many other growers say you can let it. In this case, being the King Sundew a bit fragile itself, i'd definitely cut it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corky Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 if you have lots of plants i would let it flower and try and get some seeds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 ..... In this case, being the King Sundew a bit fragile..... An interesting little gem. In over 25 years of growing Drosera regia, I've found it to be one of the more robust of the Drosera. I do wonder who starts all these myths. Let the plant flower, it's what it's supposed to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel H-C Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 I let mine flower and they're fine. Fred-you're quite right, who starts these rumours? Nigel H-C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 Well said Fred . You are right . Who cuts the flowers off in the wild ?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cefa@ Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 An interesting little gem. In over 25 years of growing Drosera regia, I've found it to be one of the more robust of the Drosera. I do wonder who starts all these myths. Let the plant flower, it's what it's supposed to do. Well, there could be so much to be discussing about... it also depends on the clones you get and from casual stuff. It's like Cephalotus. Many say it's a sly and hard cultivation plant, but under many points of view it's easier than other "starter" species Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 . The first plant of Cephalotus I acquired is robust and very easy to grow. The first plant of Darlingtonia I acquired is robust and very easy to grow. The first plant of Drosera regia I acquired is robust and very easy to grow. I never remove flowers from Dionaea and they multiply annually. With this amount of 'luck' isn't it odd is that I don't win the lottery every week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 If you have that many seedlings perhaps you can sell me a few and I could plant half and remove the flower stalk, plant the other half and let them flower and send you the results. Regards Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cefa@ Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 I don't know what to say, i told which were my experiences through the tears. As i said there is no single rule to grow cp and many other plants . The first plant of Cephalotus I acquired is robust and very easy to grow. The first plant of Darlingtonia I acquired is robust and very easy to grow. The first plant of Drosera regia I acquired is robust and very easy to grow. I never remove flowers from Dionaea and they multiply annually. With this amount of 'luck' isn't it odd is that I don't win the lottery every week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 I don't know what to say, i told which were my experiences through the tears. As i said there is no single rule to grow cp and many other plants This is very true and you have my full agreement on that. It still has to be said that if you are required to remove flowers from your plants then your cultivation techniques require some serious consideration Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cefa@ Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 This is very true and you have my full agreement on that. It still has to be said that if you are required to remove flowers from your plants then your cultivation techniques require some serious consideration there are many growers who usually do. I let flower Drosophyllum, Byblis and all the droseras, except for D. regia. I've noticed Srracenias do definitely better if i cut the stems, they grow faster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali Baba Posted April 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 Thanks for an interesting range of views. I'm inclined to let them flower as they certainly dont appear delicate in any way! Perhaps they are trickier in warmer climates, however I am not geographically far away from Fred, so I suspect mine will thrive despite flowering. Ian if I get seed you are welcome to as many as you like and you can experiment to your heart's content Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest paul y Posted April 27, 2014 Report Share Posted April 27, 2014 everything fred said. plants are the number one evolutionary success story on earth, photosynthetic life has been around for close to 3 billion years, if a plant has evolved in the wild to flower annually then it has done so for very good reasons, interfering with this process infers that an individuals experience somehow outweighs thousands of years of selective evolution. floods, fires, droughts, extinction level events, snowball earth, gamma ray bursts, the rise of mammalian life etc etc, have all insured that only the strongest most adaptable life has survived. these plants have earnt their place on earth and have proliferated without mans interference, im pretty convinced wild vfts never get there flowers cut same with sarracenia and a whole host of others and if not doing it was so detrimental to their health they wouldn't exist in the first place. always remember that a plants innate goal is to reproduce, its survival of the species that drives a plant not its need to produce the biggest pitcher or the strongest growth. has anyone tried constant and consistent flower removal from plants that want to flower? I would imagine like a lot of non carnivorous plants it would be detrimental to long term health. plus seed always means more plants and more plants is always good! just my feelings towards this regards paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenofeden Posted April 27, 2014 Report Share Posted April 27, 2014 I regularly remove Sarracenia flowers from young or choice plants to divert energies into early season pitchers. Flowering uses a lot if energy and will of course deplete a plants resources, but healthy and large plants can cope with this, or recoup energy through the season. if getting larger pitchers early in the season is important then I feel this helps. I rarely remove Drosera flowers though...unless it's to stop capensis or binata seeding all over the greenhouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest paul y Posted April 27, 2014 Report Share Posted April 27, 2014 I cant wait to have binata and co self seed all over my greenhouse! after seeing reading unis self seeded collection I was left impressed and thinking how good all those sundews amongst the sarracenias looked. although at some point in the future when I have hundreds everywhere my attitude may change a little Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petesredtraps Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 Does D Regia enjoy being re-potted whenever? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali Baba Posted May 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 I potted my seedlings on in the springtime I think, they didnt seem to object! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ordovic Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 I rarely remove Drosera flowers though...unless it's to stop capensis or binata seeding all over the greenhouse. Haha, yes. ALWAYS remove D. capensis flowers! -to not do so will be detrimental to one's sanity when you have to repot everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Oh please, some of use don't have any sanity to begin with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ifurita Posted May 9, 2014 Report Share Posted May 9, 2014 In over 25 years of growing Drosera regia, I've found it to be one of the more robust of the Drosera. I do wonder who starts all these myths. Probably someone living in a relatively warm area. I live in Singapore and D. regia simply refuses to grow, even in an air-con room(18-24C). Without cooling, its dead(roots too) in a day or two and with cooling it dies back(I'm assuming from shipping shock) and shoots come back from the roots...only to quickly die again within days. I wouldn't be surprised if the plant is a lot more forgiving in cooler conditions, but it certainly isn't so here. On that note, even D. capensis has great difficulty surviving here long term without cooling. The weedy ones here are D. spatulata, D. tokaiensis and D. binata. They get everywhere for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted May 9, 2014 Report Share Posted May 9, 2014 I fail to see your point. I suppose it could be that D. capensis is a weak grower and requires to have its flower buds removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imonyse Posted May 10, 2014 Report Share Posted May 10, 2014 I fail to see your point. I suppose it could be that D. capensis is a weak grower and requires to have its flower buds removed. I think he means you living in a cool climate(with natural cool nights, no matter how hot it is when the sun is shine upon your greenhouse in a clear day), that makes you feel Drosera regia, Cephalotus and Darlingtonia are easy to grow. While others in warm climate don't. Many plants are tough when grown in climates similar to their natural habitat. In cultivation, easy or hard only means the gaps between your growing environment and the plants' habitat. And it makes sense to save a plants' energy from flowering when they are stressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted May 10, 2014 Report Share Posted May 10, 2014 Well I admit it, I was being a little on the disingenuous side. However comments that Drosera regia is any less robust than other Drosera when grown in a temperate climate are rife, Like many other declarations I find hilarious it probably arises from one or other of the US fora. As for growing in a hot climate, if you can't supply the conditions for a plant to grow successfully without interfering in its natural behaviour ie.removing flowers, then it would be much better to find a species that is more suited to that environment 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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