Description
Drosera aff. petiolaris/dilatatopetiolaris is a vigorous, large Wooly Sundew with very long, erect leaves with large dew drops. The leaves can grow to over 3” long and it readily divides to produce clumps of plants. The leaves will vary from dark green to red depending on the lighting. The center of the plant grows into a strange fuzzy bulb while the leaves stay smooth. The dew produced by this form is odd — it doesn’t “stretch” but “boings” by sticking and then releasing. From someone who touches lots of Sundews, it feels strange and satisfying to feed this plant. The vague name for this form has a complex taxonomic story. It may be the same form distributed by Allen Lowrie as “aff. petiolaris (NT Form)” where someone mislabeled it and removed the necessary “aff.” (meaning “affinis” or that it’s related to, but different than the species and does not have a proper name). However, some might say that Lowrie misidentified this form, and it is in fact, Drosera dilatatopetiolaris. Regardless, it’s a lovely and distinct form — easy to grow, very dewy, and large.
Wooly Sundews (subgenus Lasiocephala) are tropical sundews from Northern Australia and New Guinea. They grow in the monsoonal tropics with distinct wet and dry seasons and constantly hot conditions. Many species have a fuzzy wool covering the leaves that helps to protect them from extreme sun and can collect condensation during the dry season. In cultivation, they appreciate hot and humid conditions with very strong light. This is typically done in a heated terrarium or grow tent. If given these basic conditions, they are easy to grow and some of the most aesthetically pleasing Sundews for any collection!
Small plants are potted in 2.5”W x 3.5”H pots and are ~1” in diameter. Medium plants will be potted in 2.5”W x 3.5”H, or 3.5”W x 5”H pots and will be between 1-2” in diameter. Large plants will be mature sized over 2” in diameter.
Growing Information
Climate: Temperatures from 70-100F, moderate to high humidity levels. Hairier species can acclimate to less humidity.
Light: Part to Full Sun or 20W per sq ft LED light.
Water: Distilled or Reverse Osmosis water. Sitting in 0.5”-1” of water using the tray method (depending on pot height). Some species like very wet conditions, while others prefer good drainage and less moisture. This roughly correlates to how hairy they are (hairier = drier). However, most are quite tolerant of wet conditions if given high temperatures and powerful light. If plants decide to go dormant (shrink and slow growth), keep them drier until they resume growth. This form prefers wetter conditions but is quite adaptable.
Soil: I am using 25% Peat: 30% Perlite: 45% Coarse Sand for the hairier species, 40% Peat: 40% Sand: 20% Perlite for the wetter growing species. Soak and rinse out the media before use as these species do not like minerals/humic acids. The exact mix is not as important as the resulting moisture levels in the pot which will vary based on watering and pot height.
Feeding: Feed leaves with Insect Powder every 2-4 weeks or more. Given the small surface area of the lamina (carnivorous area), I prefer to feed Insect Powder to most species. I will foliar feed Drosera falconeri and caduca with a dilute fertilizer.
Description
Drosera aff. petiolaris/dilatatopetiolaris is a vigorous, large Wooly Sundew with very long, erect leaves with large dew drops. The leaves can grow to over 3” long and it readily divides to produce clumps of plants. The leaves will vary from dark green to red depending on the lighting. The center of the plant grows into a strange fuzzy bulb while the leaves stay smooth. The dew produced by this form is odd — it doesn’t “stretch” but “boings” by sticking and then releasing. From someone who touches lots of Sundews, it feels strange and satisfying to feed this plant. The vague name for this form has a complex taxonomic story. It may be the same form distributed by Allen Lowrie as “aff. petiolaris (NT Form)” where someone mislabeled it and removed the necessary “aff.” (meaning “affinis” or that it’s related to, but different than the species and does not have a proper name). However, some might say that Lowrie misidentified this form, and it is in fact, Drosera dilatatopetiolaris. Regardless, it’s a lovely and distinct form — easy to grow, very dewy, and large.
Wooly Sundews (subgenus Lasiocephala) are tropical sundews from Northern Australia and New Guinea. They grow in the monsoonal tropics with distinct wet and dry seasons and constantly hot conditions. Many species have a fuzzy wool covering the leaves that helps to protect them from extreme sun and can collect condensation during the dry season. In cultivation, they appreciate hot and humid conditions with very strong light. This is typically done in a heated terrarium or grow tent. If given these basic conditions, they are easy to grow and some of the most aesthetically pleasing Sundews for any collection!
Small plants are potted in 2.5”W x 3.5”H pots and are ~1” in diameter. Medium plants will be potted in 2.5”W x 3.5”H, or 3.5”W x 5”H pots and will be between 1-2” in diameter. Large plants will be mature sized over 2” in diameter.
Growing Information
Climate: Temperatures from 70-100F, moderate to high humidity levels. Hairier species can acclimate to less humidity.
Light: Part to Full Sun or 20W per sq ft LED light.
Water: Distilled or Reverse Osmosis water. Sitting in 0.5”-1” of water using the tray method (depending on pot height). Some species like very wet conditions, while others prefer good drainage and less moisture. This roughly correlates to how hairy they are (hairier = drier). However, most are quite tolerant of wet conditions if given high temperatures and powerful light. If plants decide to go dormant (shrink and slow growth), keep them drier until they resume growth. This form prefers wetter conditions but is quite adaptable.
Soil: I am using 25% Peat: 30% Perlite: 45% Coarse Sand for the hairier species, 40% Peat: 40% Sand: 20% Perlite for the wetter growing species. Soak and rinse out the media before use as these species do not like minerals/humic acids. The exact mix is not as important as the resulting moisture levels in the pot which will vary based on watering and pot height.
Feeding: Feed leaves with Insect Powder every 2-4 weeks or more. Given the small surface area of the lamina (carnivorous area), I prefer to feed Insect Powder to most species. I will foliar feed Drosera falconeri and caduca with a dilute fertilizer.
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