FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

So I got this Drosera Binata Multifada Extrema from @Panman for my Christmas Secret Santa gift. I repotted it shortly after the pic was taken. This thing took off like a weed. Then suddenly one day I look and it is completely dead. I mean all of the growths that were almost 8 inches and doing great just suddenly were dead. I currently have it in a plastic bag hoping to get it to recover. Is this normal for these type of drosera or is there something I should be checking? There was no change in the soil or water that I use. Like I said, it did great and then just died. I am really bummed as it was doing really well and then just croaked. It did flower and once the flowers bloomed I cut the stalk so I have some seed and I also have some that I got from MikeB but they are no where near what this one was like. Was it because I let it flower? I certainly hope that is not the case.

Drosera binata "Multifida Extrema", like all D. binata, have thick sturdy roots.
Dig up your plant and check the roots, scraping off a little outer skin.
If it's green or white inside, the plant is still alive.
If brown or black and mushy, you have a dead plant.
What temperatures were you growing it at?
This plant is originally from Stradbroke Island, Queensland Australia, at 27 degrees latitude it prefers a subtropical to tropical climate.
Colder weather and shorter daylight hours may cause it to pitch a hissy fit.
I have one from California Carnivores that has survived my care for many years.
It will die back on occasion when I piss it off but so far, it has always grown back from its roots.

I will pull it out and uproot later. I keep the temp roughly 84 to 86 degrees. Like I said, it was doing fine and just suddenly died off. I have others that are smaller that seem to thrive. The only thing I think I did that might have pissed it off was to move from one side of my small indoor greenhouse to the other but the temp and light are the same on each side.

Panman wrote: ↑Fri Feb 16, 2024 10:04 pm It is very stabs, though.

??

Panman wrote: ↑Fri Feb 16, 2024 11:33 pm Well, I would have sworn I typed "strange".

OK, That makes more sense!

I let all my binata go dormant with the my temperates, so they get looking pretty ugly, but they bounce back.
What does yours look like now?

Completely dead. To the point I cut off all the dead growth as it showed zero signs of life and was dry as if it had not been watered but it was sitting in a tray of water. I bagged it up to see if that helps. Let me know if I should not have bagged it.

andynorth wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17, 2024 1:10 am Completely dead. To the point I cut off all the dead growth as it showed zero signs of life and was dry as if it had not been watered but it was sitting in a tray of water. I bagged it up to see if that helps. Let me know if I should not have bagged it.

I don't think you need to bag it. If it's alive it will come back from the roots.

tommyr wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 5:43 pm

andynorth wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17, 2024 1:10 am

I don't think you need to bag it. If it's alive it will come back from the roots.

I think you are correct. Although no regular sprouts, it is now shooting up a flower sprout.

They are normally bulletproof, I have hundreds outside in bogs in the UK, of different forms, the winter cold kills the top growth, but they always come back from the roots. The temperature, in the mid-80s shouldn't be the problem, and I can't imagine from the picture it is light especially as it collapsed all at once. I can't think what may have caused it, the flower spike is probably not a good sign, it is often a plant's last gasp at reproduction before dying, preferring to put all its energy into producing seeds rather than leaves to photosynthesise.

Strange one indeed - but shadowtski's advice is good, check the roots, and if they are good, it should be OK, you could always take some root cuttings while you are in there and generate a few new plants (cut 2" of root and lay on wet Sphagnum).

Cheers
Steve