This is the first year my Sarracenia leucophylla ‘Tarnok’ flowered. For those of you who are not familiar with it – it is the really funktified flowering version of Sarracenia leucophylla. Check out the regular version flower here. Then check out the rad funky flowering action here. (Images by Barry Rice, read up on leucophylla goodness here.)
Earlier this year, I attempted to pollinate the flower and wrote a bit about it here and here.
So, what happened? I recently harvested the pod. Here’s a quick look…
9/11 – let us take a moment, pay tribute and remember. My heart goes out to all those who have lost their lives, and my thoughts and prayers are continually with their families and friends. Let us also honor those women and men who continue to serve in our armed forces, law enforcement, emergency response, and medical services – for all of those who serve and protect. I thank you. Let us all continue to hold on to the love that connects and heals.
I’ve been doing some re-organizing, and a little bit of clean up lately. A lot of the pitchers from earlier this year have turned crispy, so I’m choppin’ em off. ESPECIALLY the plants that I moved outside from the greenhouse. (UGH, what a mess.) Anyway, removing dead foliage helps with your basic plant hygiene. Removing those dead pitchers allows for better light and air circulation, which in turn, leads to healthier plants. When plants get crowded and you got all that dead tissue shizznits going on all up-in-that mofo, well – uh — it can open up the door to some Sarracenia funk. It *can* get nasty! A little bit each day I’m doing some clean up. And, come Winter, I’ll probably be slicing everything back down to the rhizome! Oh, good times indeed!
Just a few photos from the first day of September, 2011. I was just randomly shooting about in the yard. Not all are Sarracenia. Not all are carnivorous… Enjoy. 🙂
September is here… a new month and a new season opening up before us. A few plants will start to send up their last pitchers of the season before heading off to slumber. As the calendar page turns, it signals that there is imminent change in the air. Another shift in seasons is about to begin…
Sarracenia ‘Wilkersons Red’ x ‘Leah Wilkerson’ – new pitcher opening Cross by Brooks Garcia
This weekend, I had the honor and pleasure to attend a BAPP (Bay Area Plant People) soiree hosted by Meg and Matti of Far Out Flora! It was yet another venerable cornucopia of plant goodness; a wonderful culmination of plant nerds geekin’ out. I was awestruck to have been able to witness the glory of Far Out Flora Gardens in person. They truly are one of my garden heroes. When I first started blogging, I really had no idea about garden blogs. Their blog was actually the first blog I stumbled across that was quite memorable and significant. I freekin’ wanna be like them when I grow up! It inspired me to blog more about these weird carnivorous things I grow, and I’m thankful for them. From there, I continued my horticultural journey and am so glad to have met many other wonderful gardeners and horticultural fanatics. So, thank you Meg and Matti for doing what you do.
It was great to kick it with fellow bloggers Dirty Girl Gardening, Plantgasm, (Phyteclub, you were missed!), as well as meet some new garden aficionados! Oh man, plants, beer, more plants, more beer… good times indeed.
Without further adieu, here’s a few photos from BAPP III hosted by Far Out Flora! (Tip: For full screen, click the expand/full screen box, lower right corner of the slideshow…) Enjoy!
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Sarracenias strapped down!
Just a quick note about the Sarracenia I brought to the gathering: They were all seed grown Sarracenia leucophylla x flava. (Or, also known as Sarracenia moorei, which is a hybrid of those two plants.) The cross was created in 2008 by fellow carnivorous plant grower, Warren Auyong in Southern California. He sent some seeds to another fellow carnivore-homie, Crystal Morgan in North Carolina, who in turn, sent seed back to me in Northern California. I grew those seeds out for 3 years and they are photographed above, strapped down for delivery. I’ve kept a couple of the seedlings for myself but the rest have now begun their own story with their new homes. From what I can recall, the seeds were made available on the carnivore boards on Terraforums. It is a bit hazy but from what I can remember, the recipients of these seeds also agreed to share the plants that came from those seeds. So there ya go. Well … even if the sharing part wasn’t for this seed set, it’s still good to share! If you were one of the fortunate ones that went home with one of these and if you had any questions about how to care for your Sarracenia – please feel free to contact me. Comment below or hit me up at sarraceniadude *at* thepitcherplantproject.com! 🙂
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Another thing worth noting: Speaking of meeting other plant and garden peeps, one thing I have come to realize even *more* now is that — it really REALLY is a freekin’ small world!!! Here at the gathering of plant nerds, I met the awesome Kristin of Garden Lust. (http://landfieldgardendesign.blogspot.com/).
When she mentioned she was from Atlanta, I mentioned I also knew someone from Atlanta – Brooks Garcia (a major Sarracenia influence of mine and he’s also a F!!CKIN’ rad landscaper!) It turns out that Kristin knows him too! Yo, it’s pretty fresh running into mutual contacts 2,100+ miles away!!! Yes, pretty amazing indeed. Dude, the power of the plant bringing folks together is truly something phenomenal. WORD.
At work we will soon be doing a system upgrade to Windows 7… I’m not quite too sure what to think of it as I’ve never been on 7. Oh well, like I really have a choice, right? From what I hear it’s pretty cool.
Anyway, there are some plants that utilize the windows system (for trapping) as well – fascinating stuff! The areoles (or windows, light patches) provide a false sense of escape for the prey. After entering the pitcher, the victim thinks it can escape it’s doom by flying or climbing towards the light. Frantic – it tries to break free… only to be exausted by it’s futile efforts and eventually succumbs to the plant’s power. Ah shizznit bro, alt+control+delete won’t save it from this windows system. So after work yesterday, I was just hangin’ out in the garden and decided to take a few photos of some of the plants that employ the windows system. Enjoy!
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Sarracenia minor var. okefenokeensis
Sarracenia psittacina “Golfballensis” x ‘Judith Hindle’ A cross by Brooks Garcia that I grew out from seed.
Sarracenia psittacina x minor
Sarracenia minor var. okefenokeensis hybrid Cross by Brooks Garcia I grew out from seed.
Sarracenia minor var. okefenokeensis hybrid Cross by Brooks Garcia I grew out from seed.
Sarracenia minor var. okefenokeensis hybrid Cross by Brooks Garcia I grew out from seed.
Sarracenia minor var. okefenokeensis x ‘Golden-Red Jubilee’ Cross by Brooks Garcia I grew out from seed.
Sarracenia minor var. okefenokeensis x “Green Monster” A collaboration hybrid I did with Miggity-Money Mizzike Wang. My S. “Green Monster” was flowering that year and Mike was rad enough to lend me a flowering S. minor var. okefenokeensis. The seedlings from this cross are AF recessive and I am looking to use them as a base for further AF hybrids.
Sarracenia psittacina, AF (Anthocyanin Free) clone
Darlingtonia californica OK, this isn’t a Sarracenia, however it’s a damn fine California native carnivore that uses the windows system. Dotted all throughout it’s Epcot center like hood, you can find the windows that provide that false sense of escape.
Freekin’ awesome, yo.
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Blog warning: I am not a plant expert. No freekin' way. I just love growing these plants and sharing what may or may not work for me. I consider myself a student - always learning, and always growing, sharing what I learn along the way!
The plant material I distribute is propagated by me. I have not, and do not collect field specimens for propagation, for sale, or for any other purpose. I do not sell plants or seeds that have been field collected by me or my contacts to fill plant orders.
