How to get carnivorous plant seeds?
Question:How /Where do I collect seeds from my venus flytrap and my pitcher plant ( a Nepenthes talangensis)
Answers:
Drosera capensis (cape sundew) is a prolific self seeder. Merely watch the flower buds as they brown. You will see them eventually split open and then you may collect the VERY tiny seeds. One flower stalk can easily yield 1000 or more seeds, and because it will also reproduce easily from root and leaf cuttings, this plant can quickly become an invasive weed.
Be sure to ONLY water with distilled, reverse osmosis, or rain water, or tap water with a total disloved solids of less than 40 PPM. This is very important!! Distilled, Reverse Osmosis, or Rain.. period!
Venus Flytraps "can" but will not always self fertilize. If your plant is healthy and has flowered simply continue giving it what its enjoying (full sun and pure water as above) In a few months you will see the flower buds ripen and split open. The seeds are small and resemble shiny watermellon seeds only MUCH smaller.
Good luck with your plants!!
EDIT: I must emphasise the importance of pure water for these plants. The minerals, salts, chlorine, ect ect.. that are present in most municipal water supplies is EXTREMELY TOXIC to carnivorous plants. Over time the buildup of these toxins WILL KILL your plants!!
Now away from doom and gloom!! You have 2 of the easiest CP's there are to grow. Here are a couple links of AWESOME online resources for research.
This page is a MUST READ!!
http://www.sarracenia.com/faq.html...
This page is a discussion forum which I frequent. Stop by and read up.. there is so much info there you won't believe.. and a good group of folks as well...
http://terraforums.com/forums/index.php...
EDIT 2: Nepenthes talengensis. First you must determine if your plant is male or female. This species will NOT self fertilize. Obviously if your plant is male you can not get seeds from it. You may however find trades for the pollen on the above listed discussion forum. If your plant is female then you may possibly obtain extra pollen from the ICPS pollen bank http://www.carnivorousplants.org/index.h... (a small membership fee is required to recieve seeds/pollen from here, but its a worthwhile cause).
Another source for pollen would be this forum: http://www.pitcherplants.proboards34.com...
This board is primarily dedicated to Nepenthes. The specific link I supplied is to the "Pollen Bank" You may donate/trade there as you like.
Good luck!!
omg i want those venus fly trap plants soooooo bad please let me know if someone answers the question email me pleeeeeassseee!!!!
You have already gotten good advice about your sundew and VFT. The only thing I could possibly add is if you have 2 VFTs, gently rub the flowers against each other to pollinate them. As for your Nepenthes, here's a link that you can use to get the information you seek. http://www.allexperts.com/ep/711-65271/c...
The fellows at Sarracenia Northwest have never steered me wrong before.
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