San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers yay!

[Chris_Himself]

"Chomp 2! Return of the Carnivorous Plants" is going to be there from 5-7 to 10-31 this year! I'm heading out with my family right now. Among others, California Carnivores and BACPS helped put together the exhibit so I'm going to want to see this pretty badly and hopefully meet some of the members for the first time.

Pics to come later today guys! Maybe I'll even meet Sir Amato himself! I've been meaning to drop by his nursery and buy his book for a while after I've seen the quality of plants he sold me.

Credit: Holly Stewart​

 

[Chris_Himself]

These plants are here at the Conservatory year-round

HUGE Alata clumps! What a stunning plant.

[
VARIEGATED ALATA!

Well I'm pretty glad I didn't try a Raff. They get way too big too fast:

I've never actually seen an N. Truncata in person until now. I fell in love with the plant based on the size of the actual plant!

These pitchers rule. It's a Hybrid from Sam at Leilani also N. Reinwardtiana!

---------- Post added at 08:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:44 PM ----------

Here is the actual special exhibit!

This is the Kona Hybrid from Sam's nursery that I just had to show first

N. Mikei

I actually stared at this lovely Truncata for like 10 minutes straight and fondled it's pitchers. I seriously am in love with this plant now. It's just awesome. Why am I so broke =(

N. Maxima (I have one of these now!)

Some people accidently kicked in this N. Ventricosa =(

Dews

ONTO THE SARRS! The funny thing is they could totally just grow these year around outside the premises...

 

[Chris_Himself]

So here we are, believe it or not I love Sarracenia way more than my Neps, but they don't see a lot of photo time because I don't like standing outside in my driveway taking pictures for the neighborhood to see. I live in a townhome community so its basically like an alley with houses. Anywhoo here we go!

S. Flava and S. Alata field

S. Leuco

Awesome "Alatamin" hybrid! Lol @ "Hooded Pitcher Plant"

N. Catesbaei JUST AWESOME!

My Dana's Delight is a pain in the ***. This one isn't though!

S. Purp. I don't own one but I'm seriously considering it now.

Pings. They really really took time with this exhibit.

Ceph

Thank you to all the volunteers and especially this nursery for providing me with so much enjoyment this weekend!

So here are some things I picked up during my trip.

1. I bought an S. Purpurea for six bucks.
2. I really really want an N. Truncata
3. N. Alata is my favorite nepenthes in my collection now based on how bushy they get later
4. I'm probably going to buy Peter Amato's book
5. Still not a dew person
6. Peter's nursery is super super generous and he will be getting a phone call from me tommorow!

 

[swords]

Nice! I wish we had a CP show here, we've got an orchid show in January and there's usually a few Pings for gnat control but no Neps or anything.

I wonder if that "N. alata" isn't actually the infamous wrongly labeled Nx Ventrata though, rather looks like it to me.

 

[Chris_Himself]

I corrected some of the labels. The N. Mikei is up and a couple more pings now. Also duplicates have been cut out. Thanks Paul for helping me with that!

---------- Post added at 03:27 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:18 AM ----------

and I fixed some more again... my usage of photobucket is the fail

 

[GrowinOld]

Ah,
Mikei is a nice one for sure! Looks like you had a good time there! If you are like me, you would have wanted to take them all home with you!
And get your butt outside and take come Sarr photos!
You don't want them feelin' bad now, do ya!

Take care,
Nice show!

Paul

 

[Jefforever]

Nice photos and a very impressive exhibit!

But where are all the Utricularia? They have only a couple measly flowers by the pings.

 

[Exo]

Good god! I want to set up a tent and LIVE there!!!!

 

[Chris_Himself]

Nice photos and a very impressive exhibit!

But where are all the Utricularia? They have only a couple measly flowers by the pings.

I never realized how small most CP's are. The exhibit is huge and I probably captured maybe about 2/3rds. The sundews alone I'd have to stay an extra half hour. They had an amusing tank of water Utrics which was basically just a handful thrown in some water. No peat or anything. I guess Peter doesn't really care for them. I also completely missed the Heliamphora. There was a sizeable clump of H. Minor x Nutans.

For you Darlingtonia fans, I did forget to upload this guy:

To be honest, I always thought Darlingtonia we're kind of an eyesore, but in person they're just beautiful and they have the most interesting growth cycle. The leaves actually twist the other way from when they come out of the rhizome.

Also here are the VFT's. They had sawtooth and dente as well. My VFT's look like crap compared to these.

 

[GrowinOld]

Aquatic Utrics are just underwater plants, and usually have a muddy peat/organic bottom a foot or two below the surface (from the ones I have seen growing wild here in N. Illinois). To put peat and organic material into a tank, would likely require a lot of time for it to settle, and to skim crud off the surface. This could also cloud the water too. I usually just grow it outdoors over the summer in a half-barrel size container with nothing else in it (like peat substrate) or simply put it in our outdoor pond, which has a mucky bottom already.
So while what they did may not have looked very natural, they probably did it to avoid a hassle!

The Aquatic Utrics are interesting plants, but not as interesting to me personally, unless I could get them big enough to capture some guppies or something!

 

[Frilleon]

I'm going this weekend!

I was going to become a docent through BACPS but a bunch of things came up that prevented me from getting the required training.

Chris: Since most of Peter's plants are down in SF his nursery is looking a little bare. Still a lot of Nepenthes to look at though. I never got to see the 2007 exhibit, but it grossed the most for the Conservatory over the last year and they asked to do it again! I'm sure glad they did!

 

[Nepenthes101]

Very nice Photos. I hope I can visit there someday. I probably will once I reach San Diego Cali.

 

[Sig]

Is that open all year, like the Meijers garden one? Someone should compare the two...

 

[Chris_Himself]

Is that open all year, like the Meijers garden one? Someone should compare the two...

Well if you'd be comparing the two, you'd have to compare both of their standard stock, which is is everything I posted prior to the actual special exhibit portion. This is a special exhibit that uses an entire area of the conservatory and is filled to the brim with plants.

These are Peter's specimen sized display plants which he then arranged into a bog setting. There were some very skilled hands involved in making the displays. I took pictures of the plants and not the overall setting because I wanted anybody who was going for themselves to really find out what it looked like.

You know what the crazy thing is? Not one of these plants had a SINGLE imperfection. No weird spots, no curly pitchers, or non of the natural phenomena that occurs a lot on my plants out there for no reason and on many other people's plants. A lot of care went into growing each one. Not even a single old/browned pitcher and every single Sundew was dewy and no old leaves or anything. The quality of the plants is super impressive and I would gladly pay another 7 bucks to take a gander at them.

Frilleon, since you live by Peter's nursery care to bum me an N. Truncata from him if you're ever in the area? I'd order one if it weren't for the fact that I had to find change for the ticket and carpool with somebody lol...

 

[Capensis]

Hnnnngh.

I wish I could have gone.

 

[Clue]

I should get into gear and drag the folks down there!

Mom: How come your plants don't look like that?
Me: They're still pretty young!
Mom: That's what you always say...

Or maybe not.

I think that that "maxima" could be a Miranda, though.

 

[Chris_Himself]

I should get into gear and drag the folks down there!

Mom: How come your plants don't look like that?
Me: They're still pretty young!
Mom: That's what you always say...

Or maybe not.

I think that that "maxima" could be a Miranda, though.

Never seen either of their uppers. It was labeled N. Maxima though. If you do end up going, bring a pair of scissors. N. Alata Variega.

 

[Clue]

Never seen either of their uppers. It was labeled N. Maxima though. If you do end up going, bring a pair of scissors. N. Alata Variega.

Isn't that considered "stealing"?




"Oh, this? I was planning on borrowing this......"

 

[Chris_Himself]

Isn't that considered "stealing"?




"Oh, this? I was planning on borrowing this......"

Only if you get caught man.

I actually don't really have much interest in it. I just know it's like stupid rare and probably a cutting from a single plant like 10 years ago. I'd give one away for a Ramispina or something.