Darlingtonia surprise

[Peatmoss]

I got this Darlingtonia back in May and it has been growing very well since then. Today I was looking at the pot when I noticed something growing in the corner:

I was impressed that this stolon was able to make it that far away from the mother plant, only to be stopped by the pot itself.

Thanks for looking!

 

[LeafKirby]

It's always fun when plants do that.

 

[fdfederation]

It gave you a present!

 

[Not a Number]

That's most likely a seedling, not a stolon runner. You can tell by the immature Sarracenia-like pitchers. Runners usually start out with mature/juvenile leaves with the full hoods.

However runners almost always end up on the pot edge. The solons normally extend up to several meters before sending up a new plant. In pots the stolons usually wind around the inside of the pot several times before emerging as leaves.

 

[Peatmoss]

Could it be a Sarracenia? I planted some minor seedlings to see how they would do and I thought they had all died. Nah, just googled Darlingtonia seedlings and they look just like that.

The pot has never had seed in or near it, infact I have never had Darlingtonia seed. I suppose it could have been a hitchiker in the live sphagnum that I topdressed the pot with. It came from the same seller.

Oh well, a nice surprise nonetheless!

 

[Not a Number]

The hooked over "nose" is typical of Darlingtonia seedlings, as well as grow along the ground and the hoods twisting around:

~two year old:

If you obtained the plant potted, the previous owner may have had flowering plants nearby.

 

[Peatmoss]

Nice photos and plants!

No it was unpotted. But I checked and it is indeed a stolon. The "root" attached to the plant reaches very deep into the ground. Too deep for a seedling.

 

[Not a Number]

Stolons are pretty thick, maybe 2-4mm in diameter, wheat colored and with vestigial leaves space somewhat regularly along the length, much like the flower scapes. I should have taken pictures when I repotted mine earlier this year. Roots don't have the vestigial leaves.

 

[Peatmoss]

Here is a photo:

Are those little things on the side the vestigial leaves?

 

[Not a Number]

Yep, that's a stolon. Expect to see much more of them in the future and more mature leaves next season

 

[Peatmoss]

Yay! Darlingtonia is proving to be much easier to grow than I expected!

 

[mass]

 

[Not a Number]

With any plant if you hit the sweet spot for their growing conditions they'll thrive. However one growing season does not a growing success make. Pat yourself on the back after you've kept a perennial going for at least two full growing cycles.

I also think the stock of plants going around are much better genetically than say 10 years ago. Less tissue cultured plants, more divisions from plants grown in cultivation 10+ years. And a lot less poached plants on the market. Plants taken directly from the wild seldom survive in cultivation.

 

[lance]

Suprising... I love it when plants do strange things like this!

 

[An1matr0n1k]

That's so cool. How are you growing this? Is it outside? Terrarium with refrigerated dormancy?

 

[jht-union]

Ahh very nice, and that looks like a pretty healthy darlingtonia!

 

[Peatmoss]

NAN: As far as I know the supplier who sent me this plant tissue cultures his. It seems like a rather tough clone.

The plant is inside with no dormancy since my temps are low enough to put them into dormancy without removing it from the terrarium. I have it on a ten hour light cycle during the winter.

Next year I plan on giving it a really good dormancy.