I have always had a real love and hate relationship with Heliamphora -- love them when they grow rapidly and occasionally reach “spectacular” size, and loathe them when they remain interminably juvenile, sometimes for years at a stretch (even after threatening them as I have, with the salad bowl).
Finally, this is coming to a close for one such frustrating bit of green -- Heliamphora exappendiculata, which had been “thumbing its chin” at me since 2008. Its first mature pitcher is now on its way. Perhaps the thought of a salad spinner and a very expensive tossed green salad (even by SF standards) was the last straw . . .
Heliamphora exappendiculata (Apacapa)
Among other more . . . vigorous favorites, has always been H. chimantensis -- first described only in 2002 (http://www.carnivorousplants.org/cpn/Species/v31n3p78_82.html) -- with its tight clumping leaves, very distinctive shape, and sometimes overpowering floral fragrance, which attracts bees and wasps beyond number by June. My plants have produced viable seed on occasion; but apparently, this species is more dependent upon division for reproduction in the field -- along the order of Darlingtonia.
Heliamphora chimantensis
Finally, this is coming to a close for one such frustrating bit of green -- Heliamphora exappendiculata, which had been “thumbing its chin” at me since 2008. Its first mature pitcher is now on its way. Perhaps the thought of a salad spinner and a very expensive tossed green salad (even by SF standards) was the last straw . . .
Heliamphora exappendiculata (Apacapa)
Among other more . . . vigorous favorites, has always been H. chimantensis -- first described only in 2002 (http://www.carnivorousplants.org/cpn/Species/v31n3p78_82.html) -- with its tight clumping leaves, very distinctive shape, and sometimes overpowering floral fragrance, which attracts bees and wasps beyond number by June. My plants have produced viable seed on occasion; but apparently, this species is more dependent upon division for reproduction in the field -- along the order of Darlingtonia.
Heliamphora chimantensis