Hey fellow forumites(I like the word),
I just noticed one of my capensis plants has a flower stalk that splits into two at the end. The stalk is otherwise normal(but unusually healthy), but at the end it splits into two separate stems with buds attached. The plant itself is large, very healthy, windowsill grown, and in a community pot with a few other, smaller capensis. One half-stalk holds about fourteen buds, while the other has twelve. More are growing on both, and none of the buds have opened yet. I once saw a pic of a Sarracenia scape where something similar had happened. I think it's in the rare and unusual section in the pic gallery of carnivorousplants.org--check it out. Has anyone had this happen with a plant before(never happened to me)? I'm looking forward to when it flowers--I think it'll periodically have two flowers open at once. The stalk is really pretty cool looking! My only fear is that the stalk will abort(suddenly stop growing and die without apparent reason), but that is doubtful.
Speculation: The growth tip of the stalk was somehow incised or battered by unfortunate environmental conditions(bumped by my elbow?), and just started growing into two as a result, or, genetically, the plant is different and made an 'incorrect' stalk because it is programmed to. I definitely don't have the knowledge or documentation to back up the latter explanation. Again, has this ever happened to anyone?
Chris
I just noticed one of my capensis plants has a flower stalk that splits into two at the end. The stalk is otherwise normal(but unusually healthy), but at the end it splits into two separate stems with buds attached. The plant itself is large, very healthy, windowsill grown, and in a community pot with a few other, smaller capensis. One half-stalk holds about fourteen buds, while the other has twelve. More are growing on both, and none of the buds have opened yet. I once saw a pic of a Sarracenia scape where something similar had happened. I think it's in the rare and unusual section in the pic gallery of carnivorousplants.org--check it out. Has anyone had this happen with a plant before(never happened to me)? I'm looking forward to when it flowers--I think it'll periodically have two flowers open at once. The stalk is really pretty cool looking! My only fear is that the stalk will abort(suddenly stop growing and die without apparent reason), but that is doubtful.
Speculation: The growth tip of the stalk was somehow incised or battered by unfortunate environmental conditions(bumped by my elbow?), and just started growing into two as a result, or, genetically, the plant is different and made an 'incorrect' stalk because it is programmed to. I definitely don't have the knowledge or documentation to back up the latter explanation. Again, has this ever happened to anyone?
Chris