Drosera affinisDrosera affinis is a subtropical sundew from South Africa. It resembles Drosera nidiformis in its youth, and eventually forms a stalk, resembling Drosera madagascariensis. Drosera affinis is a very easy sundew to grow- it can be given the same conditions as D. capensis. Although it used to be fairly rare, Drosera affinis is now becoming much more populous in collections due to its general ease of growth and fairly large seed production. |
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 A side-view of Drosera affinis 'Namibia'  A close-up of a Drosera affinis 'Namibia' leaf  An aerial view of D. affinis 'Namibia' growing next to D. venusta and D. collinsiae in a 7" pot |
Media: Not picky. I use 1:1 peat: sand (silica). Small amounts of perlite can be added as well. I think LFS or live sphagnum could work as well Be sure to rinse your media before you use it Media moisture: try to keep moist. Drosera affinis tends to decline in drier soils. Humidity: not much needed. I'd recommend at least 50% to be safe. Try 75-85+% in warmer temperatures. Pot height: I recommend 4 inches or taller, though it will do fine in small pots. Drosera affinis can develop a a long, branching root system. A tall pot will allow this sundew to reach its full potential. I grow my Drosera affinis in the same 7-inch tall pot as my D. venusta "Coccicaulis" and D. collinsiae "Faryland" and they are all doing very well. Trapping speed: moderate. Leaves will curl noticeably around food within a few hours. Feeding: Feed once every two weeks for rapid, larger growth and flower production. See feeding page. Feeding encourages flowering. If fed while flowering, the newest leaves will not shrink in growth. Food size: small to medium. Plant dimensions: The slender leaves of Drosera affinis can reach nearly 4 inches across at maturity. Drosera affinis forms a stem over time. The 'Namibia' form has long petioles and compact oval-shaped leaves. Temperature: not picky. Has grown well for me in the temp range of 60-85 degrees. Give Drosera affinis subtropical conditions. Lighting/Photoperiod: I grow mine under T-8 lights with a 16-hour photoperiod. The leaves will turn a brilliant orange-red color under intense lighting. Dormancy requirements: None required. Can be grown year-round if grown indoors during the cold months. I recommend the tray method. However, Drosera affinis should come back from the roots if it freezes or dries out. Flowers: D. affinis produces a slender flower stalk. It should self-pollinate very easily, but try assisting self-pollination for better seed-set. Avoid hot temps during this time. Propagation Techniques(click here to learn more about propagating sundews)Seed: generally easy. no cold stratification required. Can be grown to flowering maturity from seed in about 1-1.5 years if fed approx. every 2 weeks. Leaf-cuttings: easy. water floating method works best. Place directly under lights for the hightest success rate. Root cuttings: easy. Roots are a bit more slender than most South African sundews, but they work just as well. Divisions: easy. D. affinis may form clumps over time. Drosera affinis has no trouble dealing with repotting and root disturbance, so divisions can be taken easily. |
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