Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 10:53:28 -0500 (EST) From: Oliver T Massey CFS <massey@hal.fmhi.usf.edu> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1262$foo@default> Subject: Re: Cut pitchers of Sarracenia spp.
> Dear All
>
> I know this is backtracking slightly(I've been away and I am only
> just catching up with the discussions), but I would be very interested
> in any further info on cut pitchers. Of particular interest would be
> info on prices, which species are being cut, numbers of pitchers per
> bunch, purchase location, company details and any details about the
> pitchers themselves i.e. how big are the pitchers, have they kept
> their colour or have the pitchers been cut or
> ripped/pulled from the rhizome. You can tell the latter as the
> cut pitchers have roots on the end. This is obviously more detrimental to
> the plant and in my mind denotes sloppy harvesting techniques.
> Although the jury is still out on whether this is sustainable or not,
> it's common sense to look after your mother plants and not rip
> them to pieces.
>
> As for the question of whether these pitchers are wild-collected or
> not, all but a few are straight out of the wild (Cresco Nursery in
> Holland used to produce them under controlled conditions, but I don't know
> if they do anymore). By wild I mean from a local pine plantation, your back
> yard or fields of 'managed' pitchers which I have seen in Mississippi. If
anyone
> is producing them under glass or polytunnel I'd like to know. I think
> the market is too small and the prices too low these days to make growing
under
> glass, etc viable.
>
> If you wish you can e-mail me directly on: M.Groves@rbgkew.org.uk
>
> Thanks.
>
> Mad
Someone can correct me if I am miss remembering, but I believe the collection
of pitchers for the flower industry came up in one of the last two SE US CP
meetings in North Carolina. As I recall, there is a farm in Mississippi which
has been specifically planted with varieties of Sarrs. for propagation for the
flower industry. As such, to my mind it is misleading to call these wild, at
least with regard to the image that is conjured up with the term "wild
harvesting."
And FWIW, the pitchers I have seen in arrangements are cut, (although this
could occur at the point of arrangment and not collection) but I would guess
that even the worst wild harvesting very seldomly involves ripping the pitchers
from the rhizome. And yes they maintain their color very well. So well in
fact, that I have seen them in arrangements with mainly dried flowers. I have
seen S. lueco. almost exclusively; FTD florists also show S. lueco. in some of
their photo book arrangements.
Tom in Fl.
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