Drosera binata carnivorous plant
Drosera binata in the ground
White flowers Drosera binata
Slimy tentacles Drosera binata
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
Drosera binata, the V-shaped carnivorous plant
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
With its V-shaped leaves, Drosera binata seems to be celebrating its victory. But which one? Its triumph over its inhospitable environment, the bogs and swamps of Australia and New Zealand? Or its battle against the many insects it gobbles up to find the nutrients it needs?
How to recognize Drosera binata?
A carnivorous perennial with an upright habit, Drosera binata measures between 30 and 50 centimetres high and as wide.
The plant appears stunted. The slender, unbranched stem is almost invisible.
The long, hairless petiole, however, is immediately obvious. It supports the forked, hairy leaves. In the typical variety, the leaf blade is divided into two parts, forming a V shape. Drosera dichotoma has two Vs, one upwards, the other downwards, and drosera multifida has four to six bifurcations. Finally, the extrema variety is said to have up to 32 divisions!
Each part of the leaf can reach 25 centimetres. The green blade turns red in bright light. The foliage is covered with trichomes. These glandular hairs secrete sticky, shiny droplets.
They attract small insects. But when they get too close, they stick to the tentacles. The leaf then slowly folds over its prey and suffocates it. The unfortunate insect is then dissolved by the digestive juices.
While Drosera binata is merciless to mosquitoes, it is much more welcoming to pollinating insects. To prevent them from being trapped, the white or pink flowers bloom above the leaves. They appear at the top of a 40-centimetre flowering spike. Flowering lasts from May to August.
The plant then produces fine, elongated seeds enclosed in round capsules.
Drosera binata is dangerous only to the insects it devours. It is not toxic to the touch or ingested by humans or animals.
Our maintenance tips
Drosera binata have a resting period in autumn and winter. Their foliage disappears and you need to reduce watering. But don't worry! With the right care, your plant will start growing again in spring.
Watering
Water your plant generously during the growing season.
Prepare a dish with a diameter greater than that of the pot of your Drosera binata. Fill it with one or two centimetres of water.
Use only rainwater, osmosis water or demineralized water. Carnivorous plants cannot tolerate limescale. Never water with tap water.
Place your Drosera binata, in its pot, on the saucer full of water. The container should never be empty. When the water level drops, refill it.
Reduce watering during dormancy.
Keep the substrate slightly moist by watering from above. Pour water over the soil. Avoid wetting foliage and traps.
Water only with rainwater, demineralized water or osmosis water. Never use tap or mineral water. Drosera binata do not tolerate limescale. Tap water will kill your plant.
Repotting
Repot your Drosera binata in a pierced pot of at least one liter.
Preferably a plastic pot. Avoid terracotta containers. When watered, this material releases minerals that are harmful to your plant.
Prepare a mixture of 70% white peat and 30% perlite. Moisten this substrate with rainwater until it is waterlogged.
Plant your Drosera binata in the center and tamp lightly.
Re-pot your plant to give it more space and stimulate growth.
Repot your Drosera binata in a pierced pot of at least one liter.
Preferably a plastic pot. Avoid terracotta containers. When watered, this material releases minerals that are harmful to your plant.
Prepare a mixture of 70% white peat and 30% perlite. Moisten this substrate with rainwater until it is waterlogged.
Plant your Drosera binata in the center and tamp lightly.
Fertilization
Your plant doesn't need fertilizer. The insects it captures are sufficient to provide it with nutrients.
Prune
Pruning before wintering helps the plant regenerate.
Pruning the dry parts of the plant prevents rotting and the development of fungal diseases.
Using clean, sharp pruning shears, cut off wilted leaves and flower stems.
Be careful not to remove any young shoots that may surround the stem. They form the hibernacle that protects the roots and heart of the plant from the cold.
Cutting
Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.
Locate a healthy root on the mother plant. Cut off a two- to three-centimeter section using clean, sharp pruning shears.
There's no need to cut larger. It won't increase your chances of a successful cutting, and will damage the original plant.
Obtain a pierced plastic pot. Fill it with blond peat and moisten the substrate until it is saturated with water. Always use demineralized water, such as rainwater or osmosis water.
Lay your cutting on the potting soil. Cover with a little white peat moss.
Water regularly with rainwater to keep the soil moist. You can also place your cutting in a tray filled with demineralized water to ensure watering by capillary action.
Diseases / Threats
Information
| Family | Droseraceae - Droseraceae |
| Type | Drosera - Drosera |
| Species | Drosera binata - Drosera binata |
| Lifecycle | Perennial |
| Foliage | Evergreen |
| Exposure | |
| Substrat | |
| Planting methods |
In pots In tubs Planter |
| Category | |
| Tags |
Beginner Rustic Soiffarde |
| Origins |
Oceania Australia |
| Hardiness (USDA) | 9a |
| Leaf color |
|
| Flower colors |
|
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