Question
QUESTION: I've got a 4x15 inch pot that is FULL of dark red, dewy spoonleaf sunnies, (i separated them from the "mother plant" and planted them in April) and this weekend i was going to separate some out of there and make another sunnie arrangement.  But i noticed that there were very few little baby offshoots.  I found instead to be VERY healthy hearty plants that were woven VERY tightly together, and nearly impossible to separate.  In fact, i halted my efforts after wounding 2 plants. :( They have grown in ideal conditions all spring summer and fall... Have these condtions encouraged strong growth in the adult plants, and no need for producing babies?  when they flower, i snip the flowers off to encourage hearty growth.  Any suggestions? or should i just leave them be and allow them to compete for growing space among themselves?

ANSWER: Hi Darren,

What you have going on here is the original way the plants were propagated.  The original clump was from tissue culture which probably had some multiplication still going on.  Normally D. spatulata reproduces by seed and not so much by vegetative means.  I would just leave them be.  Let some bloom, collect seed and grow a few more that way.  They also propagate easily from leaf cuttings.  Just like you I've found that they often are so entertwined it's very difficult to separate them without damage.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: i guess my followup question is.... How do i set up "tissue culture clumps?"  Watching those little guys grow is very rewarding, and i want to do more of it.  And leaf cuttings.... What are ideal conditions for that to happen?

Answer
Hi Darren,

Tissue culture is an involved cloning process for producing thousands of new plants from seeds or meristem tissue on plants.  If you're are just wanting to produce a few plants it is very impractical.  If requires sterile conditions, laminar flow cabinet, etc...  We tried doing some here with a homemade set-up and could never get the material sterile enough.  If you're curious, do a web search.  Several kits are out there.

Leaf cuttings for sundews is no more complicated than cutting a leaf, laying it flat on some peat moss heavily sprayed with fungicide, covered with a transparent cover, then put under fluorescent lights.  Little buds develop on the leaf in about 3 weeks.  Our e-book has much more detailed information on how to do leaf cuttings.


Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com