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Drosera madagascariensis is a tropical erect African
species. In nature, it grows in Madagascar and tropical
Africa, Niger, Angola, west Zaïre, to Tanzanie,
Swaziland, Transvaal and Natal in South Africa. The
natural habitat is sandy marshes.
The leaves are held erect away from the stem and
eventually fold down to clothe the stem as it grows
taller. The species can grow nearly ten inches tall. The
leaves are oblong, linear to spatulate. The upper surface
of the leaves have a covering of sticky tentacles, that
attracts preys. The leaves, curl around any captured prey
like a fist. The flowers are pink or purplish-red.
It 's an insectivorous plant, it can survive in nitrogen
poor soils because it gets the nutrients it needs from
insects. The upper surfaces of leaves are covered with
hairs that secrete a sweet sticky substance. This
attracts insects, which become smeared with it and unable
to escape. The plant then exudes a digestive fluid that
enables it to absorb most of the insect into its system.
Hardiness zone 11, (4°C/40F) in Winter. They should be
grown in bright light, but with protection from full
midday sun. In cloudy coastal areas, artificial light is
preferable. The plant likes temperatures around 25°C in
Summer and 15°C in Winter. Drosera madagascariensis does
not have a dormancy period.
They grow well in a standard peat moss/sand which can be
anything from 50% to 70% peat moss. There's no need to
fertilize, as the plant relies on insects for food. The
humidity should be between 60-80%.
Water must be distilled or rain water because they do not
tolerate city or hard water. It is a good idea to place a
pie pan or large saucer, with about an inch of water in
it, under the pot. This one prefers slightly drier
conditions than most, so it's advisable to let the water
tray dry out before refilling. Elevate the pot by placing
pebbles under it so that the base of the pot is barely in
contact with the water, not submerged; the growing medium
must stay moist, but never soggy. This will keep the
humidity around the plant higher and it will ensure that
the plant has a constant source of moisture.
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