Question
Drosera spatulata plan
I just noticed something I've never seen before. Among the many flower stalks on my colony of D. spatulata, two of them have plantlets sprouting near the top. I can't find any references to this species reproducing this way. What's going on?
I'm in central Pennsylvania and I have the pot in a south window year-round. I'm using 50/50 dried sphagnum and perlite and watering with distilled water only.
AnswerHi Jim,
This is called vegetative apomixis. It's a mutation that occurs quite a bit. It's more common in Venus flytraps, and is triggered by lack of dormancy. I've seen it on D. spatulata and D. filiformis also. It's quite possible that some sort of disturbance to the plant triggers it. It isn't harmful. You can plant the forming plant once it forms roots.
Good Growing!
Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com
