Category Archives: Blog

Donnie’s Carnivore Utopia

So, last month, I had the honor and privilege to visit Donnie’s carnivore heaven.   I was actually in town for a wedding that I was photographing for two rad and awesome friends. (Maria and Cameron – congrats again!!!)

Anyway, since I was in town, the day after the wedding I had a chance to swing by and visit another fellow friend and grower,  Don Elkins.  His place is freakin’ phenomenal.   I was at a serious loss for words and my head was spinning from all the Sarracenia and carnivore insanity that abounded.  Everywhere I turned there was something amazing going on.  Talk about carnivore overload!  It was truly mind blowing and nothing short of spectacular.  I won’t bore you with my attempt to explain – cuz’ I really can’t!  See for yourself… (to view full screen, press the icon lower right that expands the slideshow…)

Enjoy…

Donnie: Thank you so very much once again for your hospitality and for your kindness.  I am grateful.  It was fun, and I really appreciate you taking the time to inspire this Sarracenia addict. 🙂  

Seeing Green

Sarracenia (purpurea x rubra ssp. jonesii) x (leucophylla x rubra ssp. gulfensis)Sarracenia (purpurea ssp. purpurea x rubra ssp. jonesii)
x (leucophylla x rubra ssp. gulfensis)

Just a quick update on one of the plants from this cross, I’m loving all the variations from this ’08 batch.  Hope y’all are having a good weekend so far!

Sarracenia courtii x ‘Adrian Slack’

Sarracenia courtii x 'Adrian Slack'[Sarracenia courtii x ‘Adrian Slack’]

A couple years ago I had this strange notion of crossing a very colorful clone of a nice deep red S. courtii with S. ‘Adrian Slack’.  There’s a lot of seedlings from this batch that are coming up pretty nice.  Here’s one pitcher that recently opened.   I’m really looking forward to seeing how these babies will do in the coming years. You may of remembered this entry close to a year ago.  Almost a YEAR ago!  It’s just amazing seeing the “kids” grow up! Geez.

It’s a trip.  Speaking of kids, my youngest is starting kindergarten in the coming weeks ahead.  And my eldest starts first grade.  DUDE.  REALLY?! WTF, where does this time go?! I’m amazed and blown away at how fast time goes by. Seriously!  There’s always that constant parallel of growth in life with the garden.  I love how I can look at the garden and see how it echoes different events and milestones in my life.  YES I’d like to see all these seedlings I have grow up to maturity, however I’m also learning that it takes time.  It’s really teaching me to savor the moment and enjoy every moment, and every season I am in.   It doesn’t last forever…

 

Sexuality in the Garden: Fatal Seduction

 

A few of the BAPP’s crew have come together for a united post. For more fantastic plant/sex posts, check out:

Plantgasm
Dirty Girl Gardening
Phyte Club

And for those of you who don’t really care to read on, that’s fine…
Click here.

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Today we explore some of the more intriguing  qualities of a few Carnivorous plants. Yes, these plants are indeed unlike any other for they employ a wonderful method of seduction to draw their captive audience in. This fatal attraction is nothing short of phenomenal – it’s SEXY… Oh hell yes. These plants literally do make a living off of their HAWT seduction skills!

Check out the oh-so-sensual Sarracenia out for example.

For the lips of an adulteress drip honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil.” (Proverbs 5:3)

Sarracenia leucophylla “Purple Lips” x flava var. ornata

The victims are drawn to her by the sweet aroma she emits, her sexy colors and those hot vein-ey designs tattooed all over her hot pitchers – and  who could resist those sweet wet dripping lips?!?

Sarracenia mitchelliana x “willisii” offering her seducing nectar
to her suitor. They’re busy makin out…

Bug-Dude is enticed and excited…  thinkin’, “I’m gonna get me some action tonight! YYYEEAHH BAYBEEEE!! Let’s get this ON!”  So, Dude throws down and is getting all happy. He starts gettin’ busy making out with the plant and drinking her sweet nectar. He decides to takes this thing up to the next level.

HawtnessSarracenia ‘Leah Wilkerson’ x ‘Wilkerson’s Red’ and the
Bug Dude about to take it to the next level…

It starts to get hot and heavy for both of them. She got his blood a’ flowin’… and her depth of mystery just entices him on. He explores her wonderland of a body. She urges him on to explore her hole.  He can’t resist her powerful seduction, so he thrusts himself deeper…
and deeper…

HawtnessSarracenia moorei urging her suitor to go deeper…
too bad dude here isn’t using protection.
He should of brought a safety net.

Unable to control himself, he keeps going deeper and deeper, getting lost in her seductive embrace. He finally lets his guard down and his world is falling around him.

Spinning… lost in a downward spiral of lustful fatal bliss.

He only lasted a minute then starts to shoot down her throat.  She doesn’t hesitate and swallows … him up.  Oh hell yes.

Sarraceniagasmic.

***

She’s good. So good in fact that the payment for her services costs his life.  To every guilty pleasure, there is a price…

The Sarracenia’s fatal seduction claiming it’s victims…

Sarracenia’s seduce their meals by color, scent, and that sweet dripping ambrosia.  Powerful stuff indeed.  The sweet secretion literally is intoxicating. Sarracenia flava nectar, for example, is said to contain coniine. The glands around the pitcher mouth secrete this sweet sexy substance, and lure and urge the prey even further in. As the unsuspecting bug drinks this amazing nectar, it starts to get drunk, and looses it’s foothold her slippery throat and slips in. As the prey slides down her throat, the waxy smooth walls make it difficult to gain a foothold to escape.  And once in, there is little chance of escape. Downward pointing hairs that prevent the insect from climbing back up. Instead it is pushed deeper into the hole by it’s own movements…  only to end up as a meal for the temptress plant.

***

Let’s look at a few other sexy meat eaters… like Nepenthes, for example.
A friend of mine called them “Condom plants.” I really have no idea why she called them that.  Where would she get that idea?!

Are you happy to see me or is that a Nepenthes in your pocket?
Un-opened Nepenthes pitcher…

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And recently reported was a Nepenthes munching on a tit. Not just any tit. A great tit!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-14416809

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And of course, let us not forget the lovely Tipitiwitchet!!! (EW EW EW!)

HawtnessTipitiwitchet: What do you see?

A tippiti-whut?? What’s that you ask? I won’t bore you with the details here, but if you really want to know then check out Barry Rice’s explanation here…

Rad. Now go uncurl your toes, read the other blogs, then go plant something. 🙂

Hybrid Update: S. courtii x “Green Monster”, AF Clone

Happy Friday everyone!  I was out relaxing a bit in the garden when I got home, and just wanted to share with y’all how this cross was doing.  Again, it was a cross I did back in 09, and now I’m starting to see the work start to pay off, 2 years later! Be sure to check this post out so you can see how far these babies have come along.

And again, just to show you, here are the two parents:

[Meet the parents]

[Left: S. courtii, AF | Right: S. “Green Monster”. (S. excellens, AF)]

What’s funny is that the the two “select” seedlings that I set aside back then, are about the same size (or now even smaller) than some of the other seedlings I have growing in that tub now.  Goes to show you, you never really know what you’ll get when breeding and growing from seed —  and what seedlings will spring up as late starters. Or I should say, late jumpers.

I’m really liking the seedlings with the clean polka dotish action on the pitchers. Finally seeing the fruition of my labor is exciting and keeps me going in this obsession.  I’m still fairly new at breeding – can’t wait to see some of the other stuff cookin’ grow up!

Sarracenia courtii AF x "Green Monster"[S. courtii AF x “Green Monster” –  August 12, 2011]

Oh Crap

So the other day as I was just wandering about the Sarracenia grow pit inspecting the plants and I noticed some of the pitchers lined with poo from either slug or snail.  I don’t have any pitcher damage from slugs or snails eating the foliage, but I do notice the slimy critters now and then.  I guess they’ve been using the pitchers as their restroom or something.  I’ve been noticing this crappy phenomenon more often now.

Anyone else’s  ever get pitchers o’ crap? If it’s been going on for some time with my plants, I guess it hasn’t been harming them. Perhaps the plants feed off of it?! Eh, whatever.  Sarracenia can sure put up with some crazy sh*t; that’s fo’ sho.

Oh Crap
[Sarracenia pitcher full o’ crap.]

Move it Out

So, I’ve honestly let things in the greenhouse get slightly outta hand… It really looks crappy, I know. Way over crowded. So you know what I did today? I set up a new outdoor growing area.

Gottacleanthis
[This looks so crappy.]

And slowly, I am moving plants OUT of the greenhouse into a new outdoor small  growing area.  It’s funny – only this year have I really put my reservations aside about my greenhouse plants  — and slowly I’m moving plants out.  When things get overcrowded like this, it may look good for a quick second, but the plants would be so much more happier with more air movement and more light! I’ll still grow a select few plants in here and will think they’d like all the room I’ll be freeing up! The other thing I’d like to do with this greenhouse is have it more focused on seedlings .  Yeah! More expansion on the way! It’s a never ending cycle! 🙂