Pitcher Plants Without Tendrils

[Dexenthes]

I received some new plants today, S. purpurea and D. californica (finally!) I can't say that I am displeased!

Mmmm... Sensuous cobray lily...

More than I was hoping for.

Way more than I was hoping for! Is this a flower stalk trying to come up? 8O

I was really surprised with the size of this plant. The forming flower stalk and the state of the pitchers makes me think that it wasn't quite into dormancy yet.

So any suggestions on how to grow this Darlingtonia?

Should I put it outside? It's kind of cool here, it's been going between the low thirties to about forty - freezing at night a bit... Is that maybe too cold for a plant that came straight from Northern California?

 

[jimscott]

They can tolerate some frost. There have been pictures posted of Darlingtonia enshrowded in snow.

 

[Dexenthes]

Hmm... The worst of Winter has yet to come... I'm wondering how well I will be able to make sure they don't freeze solid in a few weeks or months.

I don't really have an inbetween area. They are either outside or inside. Outside they will have cool roots and plenty of humidity and water, but it may get down into the freezing temps soon, and inside they will be warm and dry.

What to do, what to do....

 

[lizasaur]

Maybe you could keep it inside, on the cool windowsill, and chuck a handful of snow at it twice a day?

 

[Dexenthes]

Hahah! Yeah I bet my parents would just love that.

The problem is I don't really have a cool windowsill. If it's inside the house, it's warm and dry because we heat with wood heat. If it's outside its Southeast Alaskan temps... Which are relatively mild, but never warm.

Maybe that will be what I end up doing. (or some variation of that)

 

[lizasaur]

Yeah, outside on the porch, maybe? So it gets the cold but won't really freeze into a cobrasicle?

 

[Dexenthes]

Not everybody lives in the bayou and has a porch. jks jks jks

But that's my point is that I don't have some intermediate area of my house, it's either inside or out, Freezing or warm.

Right now the temps are in the mild 40's so I'm not that worried, but I'll have to figure this out soon.

 

[truncatacole]

I grew up in Nor Cal and I just actually grabbed a darlingtonia off my family's property. There are large fields of them that are under snow for 4+ months straight. From what I understand/observe you should have absolutely no problem with this plant being "too" cold. Right now mine is sitting outside in central oregon where it is relatively cold and almost always wet and rainy. Don't let it get warm!! Even in the summer these plants need to be kept relatively cool with fresh cold water running over the roots. I know some people in the summer will load the top of their pot up with ice cubes in the morning so it melts down over them during the day. Haven't tried that myself. My plan for mine when the summer comes around is to just go put my whole pot in the ice cold creek outside my house. Unfortunately it seems like these plants will be rather difficult to keep inside, particularly when you need to run heat during the winter. If you do devise some way to keep to happy inside please let me know as I'm trying to figure that out too! I don't see it too much when it is outside

---------- Post added at 12:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:20 AM ----------

If your house isn't too warm, and maybe if you have an old window that doesn't keep the cold out too well... you might be able to put it in the window sill and run some cold water over it once a day to keep it cool. I'm completely speculating here so don't take it as an expert opinion by any means. I'm personally too scared to try it myself lol

 

[Dexenthes]

Hey thanks for input. That sounds like I might not have much difficulty growing outside then. We get considerably less sunlight than most places is the only real problem. And I truly do mean Considerably. Less. Sunlight.

I have mine outside right now, it doesn't seem to be dying or anything bad like that. The weather's not too bad either so if they can withstand snow for four months of the year I should be fine.

It's good to hear perspective from someone who lives within their natural range. I really do hope to see these in the wild someday soon. I'm sure I've driven past some habitat before by now on road trips.

 

[Dexenthes]

Heliamphora heterodoxa x minor

This plant is terrarium grown and can obviously use more lighting. It' is just now after so many months starting to look like anything worth taking a picture of.

 

[Dexenthes]

My best looking Sarracenia (which is not hard to be) has been enjoying the move to the outside now that the Summer is picking up. Sarracenia purpurea

With prey!

An entire family of earwigs.

 

[lizasaur]

Very nice!
Although the prey gives me the willies

 

[Dexenthes]

Well then you'll be glad to know that it is quite dead.