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Nasc and botanique

Hey Folks,

Some of you may have seen Rob Sacilotto's recent announcement that Botanique is closing its doors this year as a for-profit, and may be reopening as a nonprofit.

I was thinking that perhaps, with its extensive collection of Sarracenia, the "New" Botanique may be well down the path that the NASC wishes to travel. Rob tells me that others estimate that his collection is perhaps one of the largest in the world.

I have never been to Botanique, so I cannot verify this, but as I said, the NASC might do well to consider joining forces or cooperate in one way or another with Rob.

$.02

Barry
 
That sounds like a really good idea to me, maybe this should be brought up before the board if there is a meeting tonight.
 
I have contacted Rob, and hope to hear from him soon. His collection is quite massive, containing thousands of plants.
 
Aren't they in VA?
 
I visited him last year when I visited my sister in Charlottesville.
I hope to visit him again this year.

I posted this on the SEPACPS last year after my visit.

At least once a year I go to my sisters in Charlottesville Virginia to visit and go hiking on trails at Skyline Drive. I decided to do a Google search to see if there was any nurseries in the area that sell carnivorous plants. What I found was Botanique, which is located NW of Charlottesville. Checking over the site I see it's not open to the public. I decide it would not hurt to email and see if I could visit......
On Sunday afternoon (9/5/04) I met with Robert Sacilotto of Botanique http://www.pitcherplant.com/ . Robs nursery is located in Stanardsville, VA.
Rob has been growing carnivorous plants for 33 years. He has been selling plants for 22 years.
Rob has done a lot of work with highland nepenthes seedling in the amount of tolerances which they can take. He has his findings published in the March 2004 Carnivorous Plant Newsletter: Experiments with Highland Nepenthes Seedlings: A Summary of Measured Tolerances. You can read the article here: http://www.carnivorousplants.org/cpn/samples/Cult331NepSeedlings.htm .
Rob also is working on trying to find a Darlingtonia californica which can take higher soil temperatures. He is going about this by having someone he knows collect seed legally from different sites which the soil temps were measured several times. He has some seedlings which were taken from plants which were growing in a soil temperature of 80-82 degrees. Only time will tell if the trait of the parents will flow down to the seedlings and allow them to also withstand higher soil temperatures.
Rob also creates many hybrid Sarracenia. He is working on making more robust and red plants.
Robs facility is very impressive. He specializes in Sarracenia, but also has many Nepenthes, Dionaea muscipula, a few Drosera, Heliamphora, Cephalotus follicularis, and Utricularia.
I was tempted to buy a red tube flava, but did not. Now I'm kicking my, you know what, for passing up some very beautiful red tube plants. I'll have to pick one up next time I go and visit my sister.
Thanks Rob.

133visitsars2.jpg

Some Sarracenia growing a little bigger to be ready to sell. Also in the process of enlarging the area for more plants.

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Sarracenia as far as the eyes can see.

133visitsars.jpg

Look, more Sarracenia.

133visitneps.jpg

Lots of neps and nep seedling growing in here.
 
Wow. thats a big nursery.
 
where is it?
 
  • #11
Yes, Botanique is in Va near Charlottesville. They are not open to the public so I've never been there but a lot of my Sarracenia are from them as they have supplied a local greenhouse here with most of their bog/water plants.

I could contact them...perhaps send them a brochure if you all want me to.

It would be great to have them behind us.

Thanks for the tip Barry.
smile.gif
 
  • #12
PAK, would you please do exactly that?????? Let's move on this. Rob would be an incredible asset.
 
  • #13
Okey dokey....I'll see if I can draft a letter this week at work. I guess they have their addy on their website. I've talked to someone from there but can't remember his name. They have on occasion shown up at the spring plant sale at the Botanical Garden here. They didn't come this year unfortunately and maybe that's why. I guess this will mean no more Sarracenia at The Greenhouse.
confused.gif
There goes my source.

Actually the last time they were at the plant sale, I was going to buy a very stunning Sarracenia in flower but after telling me the plant was for sale, they then said they wouldn't sell it until after 3 p.m. as they were using it for display. I couldn't come back to the sale again at that time so I couldn't buy it after all. I was rather peeved. They shouldnt say its for sale until its actually up for sale. But I won't mention that in my letter. hehe
smile.gif
 
  • #14
That would be awesome! I think this would open up a lot of possibilities for NASC.
 
  • #15
Hey, just saw this thread. Rob is absolutley an awesome guy. I love the plants I have received from him and I am particularly enamored with the 'White Sparkler' I just received a few days ago. I am saddened to hear that all is not well for Botanique. Can we please discuss contacting Botanique at the next NASC meeting as suggested by 0zzy before initiating any contact or am I too late? I'm thinking the NASC needs to be a little bit more up on its feet before brochures and such are sent out to anyone. Just a thought.
 
  • #16
Laura, Check out his "Red Sumatra". One fine red moorei!
 
  • #17
I was out of money, I had already bought about 6 or 7 plants from him. He had a few other things I really wanted but I figured I'd pick them up next year. Hind sight is always 20/20 as he is no longer taking orders. Now I suppose you are going to post a photo of his "Red Sumatra" so I can cry over being cheap?  What's incredibly sad is that my husband told me to just order what ever I wanted and we'd make room but noooooooo, I figured there would always be next year. I do have some gorgeous bog orchids from him from a few years ago. Glad I picked those up when I did as I was certainly deliberating over ordering those at the time. Calopogan that is white is very difficult to locate. It's not even all that hardy. Fortunately, it is coming back for me better than ever.
 
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