tuberous-drosera.net --- home for tuberous drosera

 

Drosera gigantea

As the name already suggests this species is one of the largest erect growing species in the genus. There are some other climbing species which may reach 2 m in length, but none will have the same appearance and none will impress you as much as a full grown D. gigantea. This species can reach up to 1 m in height and with its many branches it may look like a small tree or bush. Unfortunately, it seems to be difficult to grow D. gigantea in culture to such size.
Another important aspect is that D. gigantea places its tubers very deep in the soil (1 m or deeper) where some residual moisture will be available throughout the summer. As a consequence it is better to keep the tubers slightly moist during dormancy.

D. gigantea develops many bracts at the lower part and the stem and the leaves are solitary during the earlier part of the growing season. Later they are arranged in groups of 2 or 3 on the glabrous stem and the branches. The tubers are red. This species is described to produce "dropper roots" from leaves or leave axils in highly humid environments which may form additional tubers at the end.



tuber

tubers

Tubers of flowering size plants. Nevertheless, the plants were somewhere between 10 and 15 cm in size and should grow much larger in the next few years.

 

 

emerging plant

same plant 2 months later

This species usually emerges relatively late in the growing season. The first picture was taken in december and the second in february. At this stage no leaves are developed. Nevertheless, you can already detect the developing branches, leaves and flower buds on the second photo.

 

 

leaf

flower

Leaves and flower of D. gigantea.

 

 

red plants

red plants

red plants

A pot full of reddish D. gigantea plants. This forms has completely red small pants. The larger ones will remain the red leaves with greyish-green stems. On the third picture you will see a somewhat larger plant with that type of colouration which is already forming its first stems.

 

 


 

Please respect that all texts and photos were created by me and may not be used without my permission.