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Drosera
'The Sundew'
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Carnivorous Main Page Carnivorous Links Cephalotus Darlingtonia Drosera Heliamphora Nepenthes Nursery Information Pinguicula Sarracenia Utricularia Venus Fly Trap Commercial Sales
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| D capensis | D spatulata | D capensis |
Found in almost every country of the world, Droseras come in a huge range of shapes and sizes with quite a variety of growing conditions. The single common denominator with all Droseras is the method of collecting insects using sticky leaves.
Drosera's secrete a sticky substance on the ends of fine hairs which act like and efficient fly paper securely holding down insects. In most species the hairs and leaf curly once the insect is detected and eventually the insect is held down by large numbers of these hairs that make escape impossible. The secretion then acts as an acid and dissolves the insects internal organs turning them into a form that can be used by the plant to feed itself.
Drosera's are highly varied in the way they grow and much is dependant on the type of environment they come from. Perennial Sundews generally come from environments that retain moisture all year or are more tropical. These Sundews maintain leaves all years and last for 2 or more years, often reproducing from cuttings. Drosera's with tubers or corms, these Sundews come from areas that are dry for parts of the year. These Sundews have developed a bulb underground which grows at the start of the wet season allowing the plant to grow for a few months while water available then returning to dormancy once the dry season begins. The third type of Sundew is to be considered an annual plant as the mature plant produces seed or Gemma (a small bud that forms into a new plant like a seed) which develop the new plants for the following year. These Annual Sundew species can rarely be kept more than one year.
| D hamiltonia & D spatulata |
D binata flower |
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The Genus Drosera is a large genus with species found across the world. Most have specific growing requirements and are difficult to grow without a substantial amount of trial and error. The easiest to grow forms are D capensis, D binata, D spatulata and D hamiltonii. A number of other dwarf species are also easy to grow with little care.
Carnivorous Main Page Carnivorous Links Cephalotus Darlingtonia Drosera Heliamphora Nepenthes Nursery Information Pinguicula Sarracenia Utricularia Venus Fly Trap Commercial Sales