In my wanderings I came across an abandoned sand pit in southern NH. Years ago a construction company used to lease this land for hauling out sand for their projects. The area was basically a white pine woodland growing on top of pure fine sand surrounded by an immense beaver dam. The company had built a causeway through the beaver dam to access the sand, cut down the pine trees and excavated a huge bowl in the earth. About 20 years ago the laws in NH regarding wetlands were changed and the company was forced to pull their out their operation.
While walking through the area a few years ago to photograph some rare local turtles I noticed that Drosera intermedia had seeded itself in the bottom of this sandy depression along with other bog plants like Green Bog Orchids, Meadow Beauty, Cranberry, Bog Violets, Yellow Eyed Grass and, Sphagnum moss. Seeing this put a thought into my head...... Why not help other species native to the region colonize the area ?
Last year I introduced young plants of Sarracenia purpurea purpurea and Utricularia macrohiza and seeded the area heavily with Drosera rotundifolia. The plants I added all originated within 10 miles of this location. Since the plants seem to like their new home, I'll be adding some more local Sarracenia purpurea purpurea along with Calopogon tuberosus and Utricularia purpurea next year.
Some of you may love this idea, some of you may think it's wrong. Whatever your opinion, just try to enjoy seeing these plants now thriving in a wild semi-natural habitat.
Please excuse the quality of the pictures, I was being eaten alive by mosquitoes and deer flies while trying to take them. I'll return and get some better shots later on.
Here are the Drosera intermedia that were already present in the area growing amongst the grasses and bog violets.
<a href="http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/?action=view¤t=017.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/017.jpg" border="0"
alt="Drosera intermedia - Pelham, NH"></a>
Utricularia macrohiza now growing happily in the beaver dam beside the old causeway.
<a href="http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/?action=view¤t=020.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/020.jpg" border="0" alt="Utricularia macrohiza - Reintroduced - Pulpit Rock Rd. Pelham, NH"></a>
<a href="http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/?action=view¤t=021.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/021.jpg" border="0" alt="Utricularia macrohiza - Reintroduced - Pulpit Rock Rd. Pelham, NH"></a>
<a href="http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/?action=view¤t=022.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/022.jpg" border="0" alt="Utricularia macrohiza - Reintroduced - Pulpit Rock Rd. Pelham, NH"></a>
Sarracenia purpurea purpurea
<a href="http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/?action=view¤t=019.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/019.jpg" border="0" alt="Sarracenia purpurea purpurea - Reintroduced - Pulpit Rock Rd. Pelham, NH"></a>
<a href="http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/?action=view¤t=016.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/016.jpg" border="0" alt="Sarracenia purpurea purpurea - Reintroduced - Pulpit Rock Rd. Pelham, NH"></a>
<a href="http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/?action=view¤t=015.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/015.jpg" border="0" alt="Sarracenia purpurea purpurea - Reintroduced - Pulpit Rock Rd. Pelham, NH"></a>
While walking through the area a few years ago to photograph some rare local turtles I noticed that Drosera intermedia had seeded itself in the bottom of this sandy depression along with other bog plants like Green Bog Orchids, Meadow Beauty, Cranberry, Bog Violets, Yellow Eyed Grass and, Sphagnum moss. Seeing this put a thought into my head...... Why not help other species native to the region colonize the area ?
Last year I introduced young plants of Sarracenia purpurea purpurea and Utricularia macrohiza and seeded the area heavily with Drosera rotundifolia. The plants I added all originated within 10 miles of this location. Since the plants seem to like their new home, I'll be adding some more local Sarracenia purpurea purpurea along with Calopogon tuberosus and Utricularia purpurea next year.
Some of you may love this idea, some of you may think it's wrong. Whatever your opinion, just try to enjoy seeing these plants now thriving in a wild semi-natural habitat.
Please excuse the quality of the pictures, I was being eaten alive by mosquitoes and deer flies while trying to take them. I'll return and get some better shots later on.
Here are the Drosera intermedia that were already present in the area growing amongst the grasses and bog violets.
<a href="http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/?action=view¤t=017.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/017.jpg" border="0"
alt="Drosera intermedia - Pelham, NH"></a>
Utricularia macrohiza now growing happily in the beaver dam beside the old causeway.
<a href="http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/?action=view¤t=020.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/020.jpg" border="0" alt="Utricularia macrohiza - Reintroduced - Pulpit Rock Rd. Pelham, NH"></a>
<a href="http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/?action=view¤t=021.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/021.jpg" border="0" alt="Utricularia macrohiza - Reintroduced - Pulpit Rock Rd. Pelham, NH"></a>
<a href="http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/?action=view¤t=022.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/022.jpg" border="0" alt="Utricularia macrohiza - Reintroduced - Pulpit Rock Rd. Pelham, NH"></a>
Sarracenia purpurea purpurea
<a href="http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/?action=view¤t=019.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/019.jpg" border="0" alt="Sarracenia purpurea purpurea - Reintroduced - Pulpit Rock Rd. Pelham, NH"></a>
<a href="http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/?action=view¤t=016.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/016.jpg" border="0" alt="Sarracenia purpurea purpurea - Reintroduced - Pulpit Rock Rd. Pelham, NH"></a>
<a href="http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/?action=view¤t=015.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Wild%20Carnivorous%20Plants/015.jpg" border="0" alt="Sarracenia purpurea purpurea - Reintroduced - Pulpit Rock Rd. Pelham, NH"></a>