Best Drosera for Outdoor Bogs in South Tennessee: Heat and Cold Tolerance

Question

I live in south TN. The summers get to and remain in the upper 90's for a month or two and the winters can have cold spells in teen's and rarely single digits. Based on these conditions which d. filiformis would you suggest for me to plant in my outside bog w/ sarracenaea and dionea. Do any of them need a dormancy? Are there any other drosera that would do well. I tried a capensis but it didn't do too well and I had to bring it back in and we are a month away from the really hot part of the year. Thanks for all your help.

P.S. I thought I had seen live sphagnum for sale on your site at one time. Is this still available? I am having issues with cuttings not doing so well and wanted see if I get better results with that, I suspect I would. Thanks again.

Answer

The following would all do well in an outdoor bog garden in your area: Drosera filiformis ssp. filiformis, D. trayci, D. filiformis, "Florida Giant", D. intermedia, D. rotundifolia, D. anglica and oddly enough, Drosera binata var. dichotoma (Giant Staghorn sundew). We've had all of these survive temperatures in the teens here in Oregon as long as they have some type of cover during hard cold spells. The only filiformis that is less hardy is the all red form. It is only hardy to zone 9. You can also grow Drosera capillaris as an annual. It will seed heavily and return that way. All of the other Drosera I mentioned will form winter resting buds.

We won't have any sphagnum available until next year. Ours met with a mishap. Meadowview Biological Research Station carries it if Tennesse will allow it to be shipped there.

Good Growing!

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