Rainbow Plants (Byblis) Cultivation Information
Byblis Cultivation has historically been rather contradictory and rather confusing. The best way to break it down would be by germination, seedling care, and adult care. Each of these stages present different challenges and require slightly different conditions for optimal success. Generally speaking, they're more difficult to get to an adult size than Drosera, but are about as easy to maintain long term.
Now, you might wonder why medium wasn't included in that list. I've grown Byblis is a wide variety of different mixes and can suggest several. Peat/Perlite in a 1 to 1 ratio is what I'm currently using for all of my Byblis. Peat/Silica Sand/Perlite in a 1:1 ratio is what I would suggest, as it's much more similar to their natural soils. I do not use this mix as it is much heavier and more costly for shipping, though it is more ideal for these plants. Long Fibered Sphagnum Moss with nothing else can be used as well.
Feeding Byblis is accomplished by spraying a liquid fertilizer (I use Maxsea at 800-1000ppm) once a week. Out of all the sticky trap plants, Byblis are by far one of the most successful and gluttonous. They will positively respond to soil fertilization, but at this time how much and what amount isn't clear. For this reason I do not recommend doing soil fertilization to Byblis, as it greatly increases the risk of fungal infections. Byblis only require a quick mist, 2-3 sprays from a misting bottle when using liquid fertilizers. Spraying or misting a Byblis to frequently or excessively will cause the surface tension of their “dew” to break. This causes the plants to rapidly dehydrate. Along with the fact Byblis only digest prey at night, means the most ideal time to feed them is right before sun down or your lights turn off.
Germination is by far the most difficult part of the process for Byblis. In the wild they have a strategy of germinating very few seeds. To overcome this you have three options, water germination, smoke germination, or chemical germination. Water germination is soaking the seeds in a container for 24-48 hours and then spreading them on top of medium. Smoke germination can be accomplished by using a small fire with paper, grass, or dried waste foliage from other plants on top of the medium were seeds are sown. A more controllable and less fiery method would be to buy liquid smoke and soak the seeds for 24-48 hours, then spread on top of the medium. Lastly is using Gibberalic Acid (GA3) or other concentrated chemical solutions. A GA3 solution soak at 500ppm for Liniflora Complex members and 1000ppm for Gigantea Complex members for 24 hours will stimulate growth. After treatment, sow directly on top of prepared medium. Leave the seeds in an area with 60-70% humidity, around 78-85F, and keep the medium constantly moist. If there's no airflow, the seeds are prone to rotting before being able to germinate. Germination can take 2 weeks to several years.
Seedlings are the most delicate life stage. Any rapid changes in temperature, humidity, or watering can kill them. During this life stage they are also the most susceptible to fungal infections. To give yourself the best chances of success, stay around 80F and give them good airflow. Once the plant is a quarter inch tall is the only time you have a chance to repot without any consequences. Byblis grow a single taproot down, that if broken or disturbed will cause the entire plant to die. A seedling or established plant will never regrow this central root and will die rapidly if disturbed. When they're young, with around 4-5 leaves and still around 1/8 to ¼ inch tall, they're easily scooped up with a spoon and can be gently placed directly into a new pot, separate from it's siblings. Remember to be extremely gentle and remove as far down into the medium as the plant is tall (that's how long the root will be).
If successful, the plant will continue growing as if it was never disturbed. During this time, make sure the pot is wet and give the plant a week of higher humidity (70-80%) to acclimate to its new pot. Once it has acclimated and is resuming growth, humidity can be lowered back to 50-60%. During this life stage, tray watering is ideal. Keep them constantly moist, but allow the water in the tray to nearly dry before refill. Root oxygenation is incredibly important for Byblis, more so than most other carnivorous plants (save Cephalotus or Darlingtonia).
After about 2-3 inches of growth, a Byblis enters the adult phase of its life. All the Liniflora Complex members are likely to flower from this point, and right around 3-4 inches tall is where the taller species start to explode in height. All species, except Byblis Pilbarana, will start growing much more rapidly than in the seedling phase. Byblis Pilbarana is strange in that it will often stay small, with only a few specimens wanting to grow taller than 3-4 inches around the same time the other species will shoot up in size.
During the adult stage of a Byblis, it's is important to never repot them. Even with years of experience, you can expect a very high mortality rate. The root systems start developing incredibly small and delicate fiber like extensions that are nearly impossible to move without damaging them. This is why it's critical to plant your Byblis from the seedling stage into the pot it will grow the rest of it's life. The Gigantea Complex is more tolerant to repotting, though the mortality rate is still unacceptably high. For these reasons, I recommend cloning adult phase plants into new potting arrangements through cuttings if the need to repot ever occurs.
Adult phase Byblis will start flowering after a month to two months in the flowering phase. Gigantea Complex members can be sporadic, skipping years or take several to start flowering. Conditions like temperature, humidity, and feeding regiment heavily influence how quickly the plants will bloom and how many flowers are present. Larger plants require more feeding and care to maintain their size.
For advanced cultivation, the “annual” Byblis can be grown perennially in perfect conditions. To maintain a Byblis beyond the usual 4-6 month lifespan, you must provide 60%-70% humidity, intense lighting (500ppfd+), soil fertilize in addition to foliar feed by spraying, and snubbing the flowers. Temperatures should be stable between 70-85F. Humidity heavily influences their behavior, in particular how thick the stem will form. Lower humidity produces scraggily and lanky plants, but no amount of humidity seems to prevent scraggily growth in Byblis Rorida. Lighting intensity also influences how lanky the plants are, because if the light is not intense enough they will grow more elongated to try and get closer to the light source. Soil fertilization is key in particularly large specimens. For “bushes” I've grown over the years, they require much more nitrogen than the much smaller and shorter plants that live a normal lifespan. Usually when wood starts forming, the foliage can become matted and incredibly dense, to the point that to adequately spray the plant enough to properly feed it would be too much misting and cause it to dehydrate. This is when soil fertilization becomes a necessity, as it's the only way to maintain healthy and vigorous growth.
Not all specimens will react positively to large amounts, so you start low and work up the amount each feeding. Stop anytime the leaves start appearing burnt and back off for a week or two to prevent further damage. Lastly, snubbing or cutting the flowers will greatly extend the lifespan of your plant and cause branching in species not normally known to branch. The flower needs to be cut as soon as possible without damaging the growth point to keep as much energy in the plant as possible. For specimens intended to live several years, try to cut as many flowers as possible until decent branching and stem thickness are achieved. Once the plant starts to wood the stem, it will start to appear that it's splitting as new stem growth happens. The thicker the stem is prior to wooding off will give a more sightly appearance to the developing bush. 2-3 years before dying is not uncommon in specimens that can be adjusted to a soil fertilization schedule and respond positively. 14-16 months is likely with specimens that cannot.
Byblis Propagation
All Byblis species, except Byblis Liniflora, require buzz pollination to release pollen. This can be achieved with any vibrating tool like an electric toothbrush, beard trimmer, or any other tool small enough to reach the small anthers without destroying the flower. Touch the tip and have a piece of paper underneath to catch the pollen. This pollen can then be transferred to any filament you choose. The more pollen you can stick to them, the more seeds will be produced. Byblis usually will not self pollinate, however I have witnessed some produce seeds when selfed. This seed pods are usually very small and contain few seeds, so I highly recommend crossing between two separate genetic specimens for higher success rates.
The other method, which is my preference, is to use stem cuttings. This produces genetically identical plants to the mother and bypasses the germination and seedling stage entirely. Clones can start flowering as soon as a few weeks after taking, especially if cloned from a flowering plant. Adult phase plants of the Liniflora Complex are the only ones I'd recommend cloning. Count 5-7 leaves from the growing point of the plant. Cut about an eighth inch above the lowest leaf, yielding a cutting at least 2-3 inches long. Larger segments tend to be more successful. Plant the cutting into your desired medium that is wet and prepared. Place the cutting under a bag, dome, or clouche to provide as much humidity as possible.