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A few weeks back, I made the 2+ hour trek to see this exhibit in Columbus. If anybody else is thinking of doing the same, let me tell you...it ain't worth it. The giant fake CP statues are great. The 9 ft VFT that closes when you push the button twice is awesome, but it is in a greenhouse surrounded by VFTs, Sarrs and Nep 'Mirandas'. Yes, Sarrs and VFTs in the greenhouse in the same setting as neps:

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VFTs and Sarrs in greenhouse:
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The outdoor bogs were nice, but the plants were mostly pretty small and fairly typical:
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Then there were the displays in the hallways...glass on one side only. They had open bowls like this with neps (including a dinky bicalc, I think), Helios (honest!), cephs, one for butterworts, darlingtonia...pretty much one display for each of the major groups. All in woefully inadequate lighting:
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---------- Post added at 06:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:12 PM ----------

The worst was the sundew area that I don't have pics of just now. The giant sundew sculpture was beautiful, but the tons of dews around it were wilty in the lack of lighting and many had the tell tale sign of aphids which I did confirm upon closer inspection. Just a horrible display.

The neps were almost all Mirandas and Ventratas, although there were a couple of less typical ones but they were all very small.

Then, of course there was this....
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I did let out a yelp of agony.

They had pots of sarrs on the tables in the cafe area, the cashier desk had potted sarrs and there were a few in fancy old Victorian looking terrariums in the gift shop. The lighting was terrible, but one plant did beg to be rescued. If anybody can ID this for me, I'd be much obliged. I think I have it narrowed down, but I want some expert input. Keep in mind that it is probably a fairly readily available TC species:

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I'm please to report that it settled in nicely in the big planter in the back yard.

So the plants were sometimes sickly and while the pickins were varied, but not much really jumped out at me. The sculptures were nice, but overall it was a distressing way to present our beloved CPs to the general public.

---------- Post added at 06:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:26 PM ----------

oh, and yes I did purchase the sarracenia. I didn't just help myself to one on the table.
 
well that's too bad...
 
I am going in October... I may be just gooing to buy a plant!

---------- Post added at 07:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:41 AM ----------

I think it's S. Redbug, but not 100% sure.
 
It is sad,
but it is more about quickly creating a display for the general public to see, and merchandising plants to sell. :down:
It is a lot of work to set one of these up, especially to do one well. (Which this one obviously wasn't, from what you show.)

They are not concerned about the plants actually growing in those conditions permanently,
yet it seems they could care less about them even surviving for long at all.

Do remember that these things are usually temporary setups, and only created to attract some interest from people who know nothing about CP's.
Educate and introduce CP's a bit to people, and of course sell some plants!
(And it works apparently!) :oops:

It is obvious that the way the plants are positioned and set up,
that they are not expected to actually grow that way for any length of time.

It is sad that, what to many are rare and expensive plants, are being treated as nothing more than expendable merchandise. :lac: But then, welcome to America! :crazy:
 
According to the website the display lasts from July to mid November...that is certainly a long time for the plants to be improperly housed. You would also think they would take into consideration that the time frame is a good portion of the growing season for the temperate species. Would certainly put a damper on development, no? What a shame.
 
Bright lights and museums do not mix as bright light will damage many of the artifacts they have on display. What plant displays they do have were not designed from the ground up for carnivorous plants.

The BACPS recognizes these drawbacks and rotates the plants in displays they help to maintain.
 
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