Should I grow a Cobra Plant outdoors here in Florida?

[Wolfn]

I'm considering getting a Cobra Plant. Would they be okay to grow outdoors here in Florida? I would grow it in a large clay pot because I hear that they keep the soil cool. I would also keep the plant shaded by my other plants.

If outdoors are not acceptable here in Florida, could I grow it on my windowsill?

 

[BigBella]

Darlingtonia can be grown in almost any environment, provided that some simple planning is taken into consideration. Provide an unglazed -- porous -- terracotta pot, cool or even refrigerated water in a deep tray, some shading, and all should be well.

A friend in Texas grows them quite successfully in summer climates which exceed 100˚ during the summer . . .

 

[Wolfn]

Cool. I'll look into buying one.

 

[theyellowdart]

As BigBella said, you should be fine.
I think a key factor in my success with them is the fact that they receive barely any (if any at all) hot afternoon sun. I do this by placing them on the east side of a pillar in front of my south facing house. This way, they recieve sun at all parts of the day but the afternoon (after 2 or 3 PM). If you can do something similar, I highly reccomend it.
I also reccomend directly top watering the plant with cool water, as opposed to the tray sytem.

 

[Wolfn]

I read in "The Savage Garden" never to keep them in undrained containers. Does this mean they hate very wet conditions?

 

[elgecko]

I never had any luck growing this plant outside in PA. They always died in the summer. They where potted in glazed pots and I never tried any terracotta pots.
I tried again growing this plant inside in an orchid pot in a south facing windowsill where I've had success with it.

 

[BigBella]

I read in "The Savage Garden" never to keep them in undrained containers. Does this mean they hate very wet conditions?

The primary reason why I suggest a tray system is that keeping the root system cool is the most important factor in Darlingtonia surviving and the key reason why they fail in cultivation; and the same goes for Heliamphora in that respect. If you're truly dedicated -- far more so than I -- and never forget watering on a hot day, don't use the tray.

If you get distracted by everything around you -- as I do -- go with the tray (for insurance) and overhead watering.

It's the lazy man's out, but there it is . . .

 

[theyellowdart]

I didn't really mean not to use the tray sytem if thats what it sounded like. I just meant to top water and to let the water drain into a tray, as opposed to only watering the tray.
Sorry if there was any confusion.

 

[Not a Number]

There was some discussion on growing Darlingtonia in warm conditions (e.g. Florida) in this thread on the ICPS board. It may be of some use (besides the great photos).

http://icps.proboards105.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=darlingtonia&thread=1768&page=1

 

[Wolfn]

Tell you what. I'm going to wait awhile before getting one. I'll be moving away for college this fall and my growing space is already pretty crowded.

 

[jimscott]

I never had any luck growing this plant outside in PA. They always died in the summer. They where potted in glazed pots and I never tried any terracotta pots.
I tried again growing this plant inside in an orchid pot in a south facing windowsill where I've had success with it.

Don't laugh, but a plant sent to me from the West Coast not only survived for me, it did so outside, from spring through fall. I had it wintered in a co-worker's garage and last spring it flowered. I went on to produce a stolon and is again being wintered in the co-worker's garage. I hope to bring it and the rest of the temperates back in a few weeks. We may not be as warm as Red Lion, but we had a few days in the 90's last summer.

 

[Indigo]

i live in maryland, the summer temperature here sometime reach to 95 to 99`F and i had successfully get it start pulling out new growth in shaded area. but it died for unknown reason.