A lovely surprise

[schmiggle]

This beautiful flower awaited me this morning!

It's self-fertile and self-pollinating (it's actually already closed). You can see the pistils arranged around the stamens so that when the flower closed they get rubbed with pollen. I have lots more buds, so by the end of this I may have more seeds than I know what to do with

 

[Leila]

What kind of flower is that? So beautiful!

 

[spotropaicsav]

Are those buds arranged below the top bloom on the main stem?

 

[schmiggle]

What kind of flower is that? So beautiful!

Thanks! I can't believe I forgot to say what plant This is a thread-leaf sundew, Drosera filiformis.

Are those buds arranged below the top bloom on the main stem?

Yes. They develop from the top down--it honestly looks like it might still be developing buds, although it's hard to tell. Each one opens sequentially, I think, though maybe at some point more than one opens at a time. Because they're self pollinating it doesn't really matter if they open together or not. If I'm lucky another will have opened today

 

[Ratmosphere]

Love that beauty!

 

[spotropaicsav]

Thanks! I can't believe I forgot to say what plant This is a thread-leaf sundew, Drosera filiformis.

Yes. They develop from the top down--it honestly looks like it might still be developing buds, although it's hard to tell. Each one opens sequentially, I think, though maybe at some point more than one opens at a time. Because they're self pollinating it doesn't really matter if they open together or not. If I'm lucky another will have opened today

Lovely! I think I'm turning green over here where did you get it? Keep posting pics as it blooms?

 

[schmiggle]

Lovely! I think I'm turning green over here where did you get it? Keep posting pics as it blooms?

Sure! Strokes my ego too this plant arrived two or three years ago from California carnivores, you could probably go pick one up. It decided to bloom when it arrived, but I didn't want to stress it with spending energy on a flower after it arrived, so I cut it off. This plant is actually a division from that one--it had three growth points, but I killed the other two mostly through neglect. They're very cheap, probably because they're easy, grow fairly quickly, and are a cinch to propagate from divisions (maybe from seed too--I'll let you know in a few months ).
What's your climate like, by the way? I'm sure you can grow these, but there's a good chance you can grow highland Nepenthes (Asian tropical pitcher plants) outside year round, and those put almost every other carnivorous plant to shame with their often huge traps (though the smaller ones often have nicer shapes) and 30 foot vines.

 

[mconnachan]

Sure! Strokes my ego too this plant arrived two or three years ago from California carnivores, you could probably go pick one up. It decided to bloom when it arrived, but I didn't want to stress it with spending energy on a flower after it arrived, so I cut it off. This plant is actually a division from that one--it had three growth points, but I killed the other two mostly through neglect. They're very cheap, probably because they're easy, grow fairly quickly, and are a cinch to propagate from divisions (maybe from seed too--I'll let you know in a few months ).
What's your climate like, by the way? I'm sure you can grow these, but there's a good chance you can grow highland Nepenthes (Asian tropical pitcher plants) outside year round, and those put almost every other carnivorous plant to shame with their often huge traps (though the smaller ones often have nicer shapes) and 30 foot vines.

I've been looking into carnivorous plants, like the pitcher plant, and the Venus fly trap, amongst others, I'm going to have a look online, to see what I can find here in the UK.

 

[schmiggle]

I've been looking into carnivorous plants, like the pitcher plant, and the Venus fly trap, amongst others, I'm going to have a look online, to see what I can find here in the UK.

You should be able to grow most temperate drosera and pinguicula outside, as well as many sarracenia. It's largely dependent on where you are in Scotland. If you're in one of the warmer areas, you'll be able to grow Dionaea (venus flytraps) outside, as well as Darlingtonia, though I'd wait until you have some experience for the latter. You'll also be able to grow most sarracenia. Inside, you could start with some easier highland Nepenthes which you could probably leave outside most of the year (most can't tolerate frost, and those that can are super challenging), as well as tropical Pinguicula and Drosera (D. capensis is a classic starter carnivorous plant). Anyone can grow certain utricularia, too, but I personally find them boring.
I'll be able to make better suggestions with some climate information and knowing what you're interested in.

 

[mconnachan]

You should be able to grow most temperate drosera and pinguicula outside, as well as many sarracenia. It's largely dependent on where you are in Scotland. If you're in one of the warmer areas, you'll be able to grow Darlingtonia outside, though I'd wait until you have some experience, and you'll also be able to grow most sarracenia. Inside, you could start with some easier highland Nepenthes which you could probably leave outside most of the year (most can't tolerate frost, and those that can are super challenging), as well as tropical Pinguicula and Drosera (D. capensis is a classic starter carnivorous plant). Anyone can grow certain utricularia, too, but I personally find them boring.
I'll be able to make better suggestions with some climate information and knowing what you're interested in.

I'm on the east coast of Scotland, windy, wet, typical Scottish weather, we get some great sun in the summer, but it never lasts long, I'm interested in house plants rather than outdoor ones, although my garden is quite secluded, so there would be a chance that I could grow outdoors as well, i'm really liking the VFT - although I have zero experience with carnivorous plants, D. capensis sounds right for my lack of knowledge at this point, do you have any pictures of the D. capensis. That would be extremely helpful, thanks.

 

[schmiggle]

Here is today's update (fyi, I won't be able to do one every day necessarily, primarily because these open at an awkward hour if I'm working that day).

It's a weird mutant flower! Usually they have five part rotational symmetry--five petals, five sepals, five stamens--but this one has four part rotational symmetry--four of each of those parts (stamens are the yellow things in the middle that hold the pollen, sepals are the green things in this case that are between the petals). Sundews do usually have five-part symmetrical flowers, and I wonder if a cutting of some sort from this flower would make a cultivar with four part symmetry. Maybe I'll try to do that...
@mconnachan the internet is your friend for such pictures but here is D. capensis.

The main thing to keep in mind with any of these is they all love bright light, the brighter the better (with the exception of many Pinguicula and Nepenthes, but even they need lots of light). You can definitely grow Venus flytraps indoors, but you will need to give them some sort of winter rest. Barry Rice, who wrote the carnivorous plant faq (which you should look up), says Venus flytraps are fairly challenging, but I must admit I never had too much trouble with them. I just found them boring, and then one day mine got eaten by a rabbit. On the other hand, I grew them outside in bright light, which I'm sure made them more robust.

 

[mconnachan]

@mconnachan the internet is your friend for such pictures but here is D. capensis.

That's really quite pretty, what would you feed to such a carnivorous plant, flies, bugs in general, I don't have a clue - honestly, I've grown many plants in the past but never any carnivores.

 

[keks]

Your Drosera is beautiful @schmiggle .

I didn't want any carnivores again, but I got about two months ago seven big pots Sarracenia (I think purpurea) for 2 Euro each. One of them has a bud now! I can't wait to see the bloom. I have a Nepenthes again, and a Dionaea muscipula (but I never again wanna to have this ^^). They are all on my balcony, even the Nepenthes. She is thriving, but without her cans. Dianaea has two new traps. I enjoy them totally. This time I think I have more luck than the last time.

 

[keks]

That's really quite pretty, what would you feed to such a carnivorous plant, flies, bugs in general, I don't have a clue - honestly, I've grown many plants in the past but never any carnivores.

This plants should be outdoors, and there you don't feed anything. You give them rainwater, or destilled water, or osmose water ... they should always have water in the saucer. And sunlight.

 

[mconnachan]

Drosera derbyensis, looks amazing, would this beautiful specimen be too difficult for me to grow and care for - with my limited knowledge of these stunning plants, also how difficult would they be to buy, they look so amazingly beautiful....

 

[keks]

Drosera derbyensis, looks amazing, would this beautiful specimen be too difficult for me to grow and care for - with my limited knowledge of these stunning plants, also how difficult would they be to buy, they look so amazingly beautiful....

I researched a bit for this plant, I didn't know it. It is wonderful, but it needs very much light, high humidity, and high temperatures, maybe a dry time too. So it seems to be a plant for a terrarium, with temperatures about 40 °C and as said high humidity. This high temperatures and much light I think needs HQI-lamps.
This plant needs a big effort for my opinion . How sensitive it is, I don't know.

 

[mconnachan]

I researched a bit for this plant, I didn't know it. It is wonderful, but it needs very much light, high humidity, and high temperatures, maybe a dry time too. So it seems to be a plant for a terrarium, with temperatures about 40 °C and as said high humidity. This high temperatures and much light I think needs HQI-lamps.
This plant needs a big effort for my opinion . How sensitive it is, I don't know.

Haha - that makes it a non starter for me then, temps here get to 20c at best, but in an artificial environment, it would be quite possible, I've seen little LED terrarium/faunarium type set ups, they would look really smart. I'm not sure about prices etc. this was way back, but I could have a look. and see how much they come in at ££.PP?

 

[keks]

Haha - that makes it a non starter for me then, temps here get to 20c at best, but in an artificial environment, it would be quite possible, I've seen little LED terrarium/faunarium type set ups, they would look really smart. I'm not sure about prices etc. this was way back, but I could have a look. and see how much they come in at ££.PP?

I have no experience with LED light, as far as I know this light keeps on the cooler side. So you have to think about heating up this terrarium to 40 °C ^^.

When we have more of this hot summers, I really consider to move to the north. 20°C are my favorite temperatures .... not 36°C -.-"

 

[mconnachan]

I have no experience with LED light, as far as I know this light keeps on the cooler side. So you have to think about heating up this terrarium to 40 °C ^^.

When we have more of this hot summers, I really consider to move to the north. 20°C are my favorite temperatures .... not 36°C -.-"

As I've said time after time, I'm so glad I live right here in Scotland, 36c is way too high a temperature for me, I'm happy with 20-23c we get in summer - as for our winters they just seem to be getting milder and milder, year in year out, nah they can keep those temps to themselves, wherever "they" may live. It's just not to my liking, and that's all. No offence to anyone, but how can you stand those temps guys and gals.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

20°C are my favorite temperatures .... not 36°C -.-"

Ah ah, we had here, in one of the most (hystorically) colder regions of Italy, almost 45°C like in El Alamein desert and weather-pundits keep saying we should get used to that

Praise the climate mess, what can I say... if nothing, my T's will be able to thrive outside straight in the garden. Enclosure, you say? Which enclosure?