Updated 2/19/08
Corkscrew Plant - Genlisea
Growing:
Genlisea lobata - deceased (pictured)
Genlisea hispidula - 2/19/08
Light: I grow mine in a 10 gallon terrarium. I updated my lighting and now use 1 - 40 watt 67,000K / 10,000K Sunpaq bulb and 1 - 15 watt Flora Sun bulb. Old lighting was 1 -15 watt Hagen Aqua-Glo bulb and 1 - 15 watt Cool White bulb for over 2 years.
Soil: I grow mine in a mix of peat moss, long fiber sphagnum, and sand.
Water: Use rainwater, distilled, or reverse osmosis. Many like periodic flooding, in un-drained pots.
Humidity: Corkscrew plants should have humidity no less then 40%.
Climate: Corkscrew plants minimum temperature should be 60°F. No dormancy required.
Corkscrew plants are from tropical Africa, Madagascar, and South America.
Genlisea entered into cultivation in the 1980s. In their natural environment the Genlisea grow as terrestrials or semi-aquatics. They grow as a rosette of spade shaped leaves, from 1 to 3 inches long. The traps of Genlisea grow underground and are about 2 to 6 inches long which grow on a cylindrical stalk from the plant. From the cylindrical stalk is a hollow bulb like digestive chamber. From the digestive chamber two pronged corkscrews emerge. The corkscrew structure has a slit down the length of the spiral were tiny insects enter. The spiral slit has bristly hairs that make the insects go to the digestive chamber. The digestive chamber structure has digestive juices which dissolve the insect and then the plant reabsorbs the nutrient rich fluid.
I have lost the Genlisea lobata after 2 years growing. The picture above was when it was at it's best. It was in a slow decline for a long time. The plant was getting smaller and did not look good. I tried to do an emergency transplant but it was too late.
I have altered a Rubbermaid container which will sit on top of a glass with water in it, so the traps can be seen as they grow down from the pot above. I have taken a few leaf cutting of my plant. Corkscrew plants are easily propagated this way.
I posted step by step instructions to make this setup click here.
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