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Drosera Adelae Rejuvenation: When and Why to Cut Back

Victor asks when to cut back D. adelae like Jeff's mature plant. Jeff Dallas: "My plant is quite a bit older than yours. I wouldn't do it yet if it looks good." Over time, D. adelae fills pot with side shoots, root plantlets. Cut back when "ugly mound of dead leaves intermixed with live ones"—decapitate to soil. New growth in ~1 month. Works for other thick-root sundews (capensis, binata complex).

Follow-up: Victor asks about feeding spider, digestion. Jeff: "Like all sundews the sticky mucilage is the primary capturing mechanism. The tentacles move, but the leaf blade doesn't. D. adelae tends to capture large numbers of small flying insects... YouTube video link provided."

Good Growing!
Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
https://www.cobraplant.com

Carnivorous Plants: Drosera capensis in Eastern Washington: Indoors Only for This Highlander; Drosera binata 'T-Form' in Eastern Washington: Start Indoors, Move Out in Spring; Drosera hartmeyerorum: Buy Seeds, Not Plants; Overwintering Alaskan Drosera rotundifolia in Southern California: Ice Chest vs. Refrigerator; Drosera scorpioides Needs Full Sun, Not Windowsill; Drosera burmannii Reproduction: Seed Only, Self-Pollinating; Drosera filiformis 'Florida Giant' and 'Red' Winter Survival in Zone 8; Identifying Drosera spatulata from a Big-Box Store; Growing Drosera Capensis Outdoors in Summer; Collecting and Sowing Drosera spatulata Seeds

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