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Today I went over to a local bog preserve near my house, expecting to see some neat bog wildlife and such. I wandered into the visitor's center and asked if they knew of any carnivorous plants growing in the area.

The nice lady got all excited and said "oh yes indeedy, there are some Sarracenia Purpurea growing by post 8." She told me exactly how to locate them and where they were, so I began the hike with my camera, very excited.

As I approached post 8 I looked all around and sure enough there were 3 beautiful purps growing with 2 to 3 huge flowers and about 30 to 40 pitchers per plant! All of the pitchers were pretty filled up with water. It was amazing to see them growing in the wild like this, I had never seen it before, because I live in northern Illinois and it is not the exact place you would think of this plant to grow.

I had no Idea their were Carnivorous plants growing in the wild near my house. I was just wondering if anyone else here had bog preserves like this around them? If so where? I was just curious to see where these plants thrive in the wild, and I was really curious to see where VFT's grow in the wild? Just thought I'd share my exciting adventure with everyone
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I envy you! I've never seen Sarracenia in the wild.. did you get any pictures?
As far as having seen CP's in the wild... I've seen 4 different species growing in my backyard (7 acres of swamp), and I've managed to locate all of Alaska's native CP's this summer.
Unfortunately I don't have many photographs scanned yet though.
 
Yes I took pictures, though I don't have a scanner, my friend does.  I am going to develop the pictures and use his scanner ASAP, so hopefully I can post the pics soon.  

What kind of CP's did you see growing in AK Purplesundew?  What are the native CP's in Alaska?
 
Dfalkanger,
COOL!!!
I wish there were bog preserves near me. To answer your question about VFT's they are native to N. Carolina. I think within a 100 mile radius of Wilmington? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Schloaty,
I think you're right about the VFTs.
BTW, where are you? I think I recall something about you being in NY, or am I confused? If you are, there are a few good bogs around.

I saw my first wild S. purpurea about a month ago, they are an amazing sight, expecially with D. rotundifolia and D. intermedia all around them. There even was a pair of Lincoln's sparrows there. I've seen at least three species of Utricularia this year also, amazing how easily it is overlooked, even when it is filling a pond.
 
dfalkanger- I've seen U. vulgaris, P. villosa, D. anglica, and D. rotundifolia growing wild on my property. They were all there when I moved in and I haven't done anything but photograph them since. It's interesting to watch the evolution of a lake. It's slowly being filled in by sphagnum and the edges of the sphagnum are slowly being filled in by grass and trees etc...
According to the books Alaska has:
U. vulgaris, U. minor, U. intermedia, P. villosa, P. vulgaris, D. anglica, and D. rotundifolia.... I've seen all of them in the wild
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dfalkanger, hi!!!!!!!! i live in chicago! where abouts ar you? and where is this bog??! we should hook up, i have a digital camera, i can take pics, and email them to you! im so excited, i have a fellow cp'er in my home state!! hehehehe! heres my email address: ccrider1016@hotmail.com, do you use terrariums? well, i really would love to see these plants, i have a car, and i can travel
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hehe!

                  ccrider
 
Hi ccrider1016!! I am far northern Illinois, like 5 minutes from Wisconsin. That would be cool if you came up to see the bog, you could see my plants too. If it's not that far I would say it is definatley worth seeing. Where are you from? The bog is in Volo Illinois, I do not use terrariums, I grow my plants outside in a small greenhouse. I don't have like a huge walk in set up with like thousands of plants, but it serves me well, and my plants seem to be very happy. I have a few nice pitcher plants, bunch of VFT's, a dead nepenthes, butterwort, and a few sundews. Anyway throw me an E-mail if you want ccrider dfreez540@aol.com Talk to ya later.


P.S. I just wanted to say to Purplesundew, that is awesome that you have seen all those growing in their native habitat, I hope someday I too will be able to see more CP's growing in the wild.
 
Hello!
That thrill of discovery just can't be beat can it? There is something about carnivorous plants flourishing in a wild environment that quickens the pulse!

My only experience with wild CPs was when I was in High School. Our science club went on a field trip to the island of Kauai. We stayed in the rustic Kokee Cabins facility, high in the mountains of the island, where it was cool and the air was noticeably thin. The rainfall is the most extreme in the Hawaiian islands there.

Well, one day we all hiked up into Alakai swamp. I was motivated primarily by tales of Sundews. Impatiently I kept asking 'How much further?' My friends just kept answering 'Just a little ways!' It was a long hour of this before we arrived.

I wasn't ready for the reality. Huge naked expanses of bogs, with Drosera anglica growing everywhere! You could hardly take a step for fear of crushing them. That day, high in the cool air of the mountains, surrounded by sundews is a memory I will keep forever!

Wishing you all joy and wonder!

Johji
 
  • #10
You know, everytime I have visited "my bog" a 200 acre affair here in Upstate New York, I have always noted that same "pulse of excitement" and I wonder if there isn't a physiological explanation for it as well as the sheer metnal thrill. My bog sits in a bowl like depression, and considering that every square inch of it is photosynthetic, I would imagine the oxygen levels to be significantly higher there, providing an additional "rush" to the experience. If anyone is ever in the area, I would be happy to meet with them and show them the bog (weather permitting: theres not much to see in the winter).

On my most recent visit, I noted all the Drosera rotundifolia have already set hibernacula.
 
  • #11
I remeber before i knew any thing about CP's i went out to a tree farm that was rented out to a hunting camp, it was in Florida close to georga and there i forget how many sguare miles of woods most of which where swamp and pine barrens many many miles Ithink it was 40 or so. but while I was out here I found scatterd stands of S.flava every where miles back in misquito infested wilderness I could scarcelly contain my Joy. They where dotted all over beside the road every where. I had only seen a pitcher plant once that I rember in my whole life and that was a puprple pitcher plant ona friends window sill in northcarolina as a very little child. It was amazing the most wonderfull thing I have quite possibly seen.
Oh and then I found Drosersa every where in another location
I think it was cappillaris little red dots covering the sides of a streem goodness gracious if i died then i would have died fullfilled. I had never seen a sundew before in real life only the discovery channel. Its amazing how something that people will step on without a thought can be so fascinating,and nooneevreven notices them.I hope one day to go back and see that place to see the sarracina stands there. I also found a huge dried up old lake bed more south towards tampa the whole bottom just coverd inthe glowing red little drosera, not very long ago. That was again one of the greatest things I have discoverd
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  • #12
Wow! I can only imagine what it would be like to come upon a stand of Sarracenia flava! How tall were they? The round Drosera species you saw was probably capillaris! I visited a spot in the mountains where Drosera rotundifolia literally outcompeted the sphagnum they were in. Hummocks looked like red sofa cushions glistening red in the sun.
 
  • #13
Wow Id die to see a stand of rotundifolia like that! It hard to say becouse its been years but they were about 3ft tall, i just remeber being amazed by these huge pitcher plants every where, still makes my heart go pitter patter thinking about it!
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wow I really would love to see more stands like that. I plan on going to see the dried lake bed within this year and see what else i can find, down side to that is that last time i went i came back coverd in little deer ticks. A very interesting experience you can never get all of them even if you shave you head wash your body and wash your cloths, and your family will not come near you, oh so there is a positive side.
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  • #14
Hi carnivorous23,
Yes, I live in NY, but down near the city. Actually, I just moved north, to Putnam county, which is abou 1 hour north of the city. I don't really know the local habitat too well yet (two jobs keeps me indoors way too much). I think I need to get a copy of that latest book by what's-his-name about CP's in North America. Them maybe, just maybe I can track some down.

Tamlin,
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I would imagine the oxygen levels to be significantly higher there, providing an additional "rush" to the experience[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>,

Too bad it's not nitrous....
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  • #15
Schloaty - Oh, I'm in the other end of the state. I also need to get around to finding a copy of that book, it does sound really interesting.
Around here, it is beginning to seem like most ponds have utricularia in them, it grows everywhere there is water that doesn't move, but it's through flowering now.
 
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