I was at a flower show in Golden Gate Park yesterday, and California
Carnivores was there selling plants...mostly Sarracenia. They seem to
have quite a collection of Sarracenia...plenty in fact. And most of
the plants looked very healthy. I asked about Darlintonia plants, and
they said they are growing their own stock from seed, so they don't
add to the depletion of native plants. Interesting thing about
Darlingtonia, they said, was that the plants remain small for about
5 years and then they start growing to much larger size...and you must
be very patient for seeds to sprout.
Just a note on my small collection of Nepenthes...
They seem to have done very well in my greenhouse this summer. All are
pitchering profusely, despite their small size. And I haven't even
given them superthrive yet. To my surprise, they have not needed the
humidity tent they were in during the winter. N. Rafflesiana has
produced multiple pitchers with colorful maws on them. This is the
first time I've seen any color on that plant besides green. The pitchers
now have some reddish purple splotches on them.
My Cephalotus don't seem to be growing much, and I'm not sure what I am
doing wrong...perhaps overwatering. I'm not sure how much water they
like. The Nepenthes aren't bothered at all by any excess water.
---Steve