For years, I searched for specimens of these plants in every nursery I saw.
Rarely, did I find anything but VFTs. When I did find something else, I
usually bought every specimen they had and asked for more! (My wife says I
get this green glint in my eyes....) If I had walked into something like
California Carnivores a few years ago I think I would have thought I had
died & gone to heaven ...my wife, I am sure, would have thought we had gone
in the other direction!!
The point I am trying to make here (rather awkwardly) is that if the plants
were more readily available, like Orchids, African Violets, Roses, etc. ,
etc. why would anyone want to take their chances in a bog full of poisonous
snakes, mosquitoes and other unfriendly vermin just to dig something up
that is already available for $4.98 in the neighborhood Nursery??
Let's face it ... once you are "bitten" by these plants (neat mental
picture here!) you want the opportunity to grow as many different varieties
as you can. It is the same weather you are growing CPs, Orchids, African
Violets or anything else. As long as the commercial sources of
nursery-grown plants are going to be difficult to find, and expensive to
boot (as some are), than collecting from the wild is going to be an
enticing temptation.
We, Hobbyists, need to keep doing our best to raise as many plants as
possible ... make them available to other growers ... maybe even the local
Nursery! Comments??