Category Archives: Nepenthes

A Visit to Paul Barden’s

Last weekend my carni-bro Kinjie Coe and I had the honor and pleasure of visiting one of the great Nepenthes growers, Paul Barden. Over the past few years, Paul has been one of the influences in my growing of Nepenthes. I’ve learned so much from Paul and I’m forever thankful for all of the knowledge and wisdom he’s imparted to me. Paul’s blog Nitrogenseekers and his Instragram feed are simply inspirational. Visiting Paul’s place in person though – OMFG, that is another story. I was overwhelmed by all that is happening there. His garden is well beyond mind melting. It is a psychedelic kaleidoscope of carnivorous goodness where one can easily get locked into that carnivorous plant high. And yeah, for sure that carnivorous plant high is one good place to be.

Only a few highlight photos from our day are below, so be sure to view the slide show to see all of the photos from our visit. Enjoy!

Paul and Lars – thank you both so very much for your hospitality and generosity. Y’all are just too awesome. I am extremely thankful that Kinjie and I were able to experience your beautiful botanical heaven. Thank you so very much.

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[View slideshow in full screen]

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Barden, Co and Coe.

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015  Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015
Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015
Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015
Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015
Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015
Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015
Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015
Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

The Legend in situ.

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Lars giving us a private concert of The Well Tempered API. Note the 3D printed mouthpeice. This was badass. I really loved it! Bravo, Lars!

Paul Barden - 9 Oct 2015

Thanks Paul!

Nifty Nepenthes

I recently had the pleasure of recently visiting a private Nepenthes grower – here’s a few shots of this brilliant collection.


Full slideshow here.

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Private Nepenthes Collection

Private Nepenthes Collection

Private Nepenthes Collection

Private Nepenthes Collection

Private Nepenthes Collection

Private Nepenthes Collection

Private Nepenthes Collection

Private Nepenthes Collection

Private Nepenthes Collection

Glowing Nepenthes: “Sabre” and “Song of Melancholy”

Carnivorous plants are badass. Beauty, seduction (um, yeah that’s a NSFW link), devious trapping prowess… acoustic echo location skills, and even glow in the dark skills just to name a few – they never cease to amaze. Heck, carnivorous plant skills even rival THIS DUDE’S impressive list of skills. Anyway, ever since I saw this in Nat Geo, I’ve been inspired to shoot around with these plants in 254nm UV light.

You can see some of my other posts here: Nepenthes: In Different Light, Red Queen Glows Blue, Nepenthes robcantleyi in UV Light.

Recently, the amazing Paul Barden sent over a few more beautiful botanical gems (THANK YOU PAUL!!) and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity of putting them under some black light and getting a long exposure going. Now, this isn’t your typical black light I’m using. These photos are shot using a specific 254nm wavelength UV light as I’ve referenced in my other posts above.

Check these beauties out! You can mouse over the image to see them in natural light. 🙂

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Nepenthes “Sabre” under 254nm UV Light.
144 second exposure, f 5.0, 50mm. Mouse over to see the plant in normal light.


Nepenthes “Sabre” under 254nm UV Light.
116 second exposure, f 5.0, 50mm. Mouse over to see the plant in normal light.


Nepenthes “Song of Melancholy under 254nm UV Light.
24 second exposure, f 6.3, 50mm. Mouse over to see the plant in normal light.

Collection Surfing: Day 3 of 3

The final installment of this trilogy of vignettes takes to the wonderful garden of Martinez. Drew’s collection is beautiful madness, and his space usage (especially in the Nepenthes houses) is very efficient. As an added bonus, the great Sarracenia artist himself, the legend — Phil Faulisi accompanied us on this visit to Drew’s place too! We had a great day simply immersing ourself in botanical bliss. This was one memorable weekend filled with carnivorous plant wonder. I seriously could use more weekends like this.

Drew and Selina, thank you so much for hosting us. Really appreciate you taking time out of your day to give us a tour of your amazing collection! You both are awesome.

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Carnivorous Garden of Drew Martinez – View in fullscreen

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Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015Pitcher plant powwow.

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015A plethora of Sarracenia flowers.

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015
In that company of Sarracenia flowers, a couple gems stood out. This S. purpurea ssp. venosa var. burkii f. luteola immediately caught my eye. Not just because it was anthocyanin free, but check the flowers out. It’s missing the umbrella shaped style! (See this as a reference of Sarracenia flower parts.) So weird! All the flowers on it were this way. After I pointed it out, Drew called it “Freakshow.” So cool. I love them freaks! This plant originated from a batch of seed grown plants from Chris Gussman. (Great work, Chris!) I recognized the shape and knew straight away it was from Chris since I have one too. 🙂 Mine hasn’t bloomed yet so not sure if this trait is also expressed in the siblings.

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015Here’s a shot of one of the flowers from that strange luteola…

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015…and of the other flower. If you see past the petals, there’s no umbrella! Go home, Sarracenia. You are drunk.

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015Another flower that caught my eye after the strange luteola flower. This is S. lamentations x leucophylla. Notice anything funny about this one? Check the sepals out! (Again, here’s the Sarracenia flower reference photo.) Typically Sarracenia sepals are separated into 5 distinct sepals. This plant has only one fused / continuous sepal. It was consistent on all of the flowers too!

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015An ever-so efficient use of space. It’s packed in here!

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015Phil freaks out over this beautiful N. robcantleyi!

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015WOW. Just… wow.

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015

Carnivorous Plant Collection Surfing - 12 Apr 2015

Predatory Plants!

This last weekend, I had the privilege of visiting Josh Brown – owner of Predatory Plants and Bay Area Carnivorous Plant Society president! If you want to add some great plants to your collection, be sure to visit Josh’s store: Predatory Plants. He has a fantastic collection and I couldn’t help but just be mesmerized by all of that carnivorous botanical wonder at his place. Enjoy the slideshow as well as a few highlight snapshots down below!

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View slideshow fullscreen

Predatory Plants

Predatory Plants

Predatory Plants

Predatory Plants

Predatory Plants

Predatory Plants

Predatory Plants

Predatory Plants

Predatory Plants

Predatory Plants

Predatory Plants

Predatory Plants

Predatory Plants

Josh – thanks for the tour and for sharing your amazing collection with me. Keep up the brilliant work… by the way – now I want to grow ant plants! 🙂

Nepenthes robcantleyi in UV Light

As seen in this previous post, my young Nepenthes robcantleyi has finally put out a decent pitcher in the new tank conditions. It’s been a while since I last tinkered around with the 254nm short wave UV light as seen with the Red Queen here, and some other Nepenthes here; so I wanted to try it out with this new pitcher. I ran a 90 second exposure to really get the glow to show. The resulting shot was hauntingly beautiful.


Nepenthes robcantleyi under 254nm UV Light.
90 second exposure, f 9.0, 50mm. Mouse over to see the plant in normal light.

Snapshots from The Tank and The Greenhouse-in-Greenhouse

While most of the plants currently in their winter slumber, I’m keeping myself occupied by growing a few other plants. At my place, I keep a 50 gallon tank filled with a few Nepenthes, Cephalotus, Heliamphora, and a few other things. In The Asylum, I have a smaller greenhouse that I partially bubble wrapped for insulation.  That’s where I have a few tropicals just hangin’ out. Here’s a few shots from both of those worlds.

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First off a few shots from The Tank.

The TankThe Tank. It is lined with something shiny. Because I like shiny things. And the light makes the plants happy. Yes. Also, notice the 10″ x 20″ trays with the fluorescent egg crate cover that I trimmed over those trays. Excess water drains into the trays after I water the plants, and the crate keeps the plants from sitting in the water while that drainage water contributes to the the lovely humidity in the tank.

Cephalotus follicularisCephalotus follicularis

Cephalotus follicularisFrom the Powazek collection: Cephaltous follicularis growing in a hanging teardrop planter. Brillant.

Platycerium coronariumSpeaking of hanging things, I have a recovering Platycerium coronarium that didn’t like how cold it was getting in the greenhouse, so I moved it here. Seems to like it as it’s putting out new growth.

Pinguicula mesophyticaPinguicula mesophytica bloom.

Nepenthes hamataA young Nepenthes hamata pitcher.

Nepenthes hamata and Nepenthes burkeii x hamataLeft: young Nepenthes hamata pitcher. | Right: young Nepenthes burkeii x hamata pitcher.

Drosera regiaDrosrea regia vs. moth.

Nepenthes singalana Tujuh x hamata - Red Hairy FormNepenthes singlana Tujuh x hamata – Red Hairy Form… Beast!

Nepenthes singalana Tujuh x hamata - Red Hairy FormNepenthes singlana Tujuh x hamata – Red Hairy Form – check out the red/orange fuzz! Sweet!

Nepenthes singalana Tujuh x hamata - Red Hairy FormNew pitcher recently opened of Nepenthes singalana Tujuh x hamata – Red Hairy Form.

Nepenthes singalana Tujuh x hamata - Red Hairy FormNew pitcher recently opened of Nepenthes singalana Tujuh x hamata – Red Hairy Form – a closer shot of the same pitcher above.

Heliamphora heterodoxa x minorI did a few Heliamphora divisions and some reside in the tank and are adjusting quite well! This is Heliamphora heterodoxa x minor. The older pitchers look crappy but the new pitchers are coming up quite nicely.

Nepenthes robcantleyiA recently opened pitcher of Nepenthes robcantleyi! YEAH! I’ve had this for years and it has never really grown well for me. After moving it into the tank, it immediately let me know it was happy with these new conditions.

Nepenthes robcantleyiNepenthes robcantleyi. Ugh, that peristome tho. So magnificent. I can’t wait for this baby to put out larger pitchers! The whole pitcher will color up as it gets more mature. Seriously love this plant.

Tank - FanHere’s what I use for some air movement inside the tank – an Evercool computer fan. I currently have one on the left side of the tank but I’m planning to add another on the right side for better air movement.

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And now – a few shots from inside the partially bubble-wrap clad greenhouse inside the greenhouse. (So bontanically inception-y, eh?)

Nepenthes houseThe Nepenthes/Tropical house.

Nepenthes lowii x campanulataNepenthes lowii x campanulata

Nepenthes thorelii x aristolochioidesNepenthes thorelii x aristolochioides

Nepenthes "Eglantine"Nepenthes “Eglantine”

Nepenthes burbidgeae x platychilaNepenthes burbidgeae x platychila

Nepenthes Poi DogNepenthes – Poi Dog Hybrid

Nepenthes Poi Dog - maxima hybridNepenthes Poi Dog – Maxima Hybrid

Nepenthes platychilaNepenthes platychila – new pitcher steadily growing.

Nepenthes maxima x aristolochioidesFrom the Powazek Collection: Nepenthes maxima x aristolochioides

Nepenthes spectabilis x platychilaAlso from the Powazek Collection: Nepenthes spectabilis x platychila

Nepenthes densiflora x glanduliferaYoung pitcher of Nepenthes densiflora x glandulifera

Nepenthes x ((eymae x (stenophylla x lowii)) x x trusmadiensis)Nepenthes ((eymae x (stenophylla x lowii)) x x trusmadiensis)

Nepenthes spectabilis x singlanaNepenthes spectabilis x singlana

Nepenthes jambanNepenthes jamban – check out the pitcher in the back.
There’s a slug going for a swim in that pitcher.
I found it that way.

Nepenthes jambanAnother angle of Nepenthes jamban – you can see the slug a little better in there.

Nepenthes "Enigma"Nepenthes “Enigma”

AechmeaHad to throw a bromeliad up in here… (A type of Aechmea, not sure what the species is. You bro experts let me know what it is!)