Tag Archives: nepenthes

Baby Hamata

Nepenthes hamataNepenthes hamata

Awwwww, isn’t it cute?! Roughly 2 months ago I acquired a baby N. hamata from Drew Martinez (Yo, thanks Drew!) and it’s been doing well despite all of the moving that I’ve recently done. It recently put up a new tiny pitcher and I’m excited to have this amazing plant as part of my humble group of Nepenthes. If you want to see a great example of the adult plant, check out this beautiful photo of Nepenthes hamata by Paul Barden on his blog, Nitrogenseekers. Can’t wait for  this baby to start looking like that!

A Visit to California Carnivores

Last weekend, Dahlia and I had a little weekend excursion in Sonoma County. It was a much needed time to relax after all the moving that we recently had to do. We’re settling into our new place nicely – but man… moving always sucks! (Thanks again to everyone who helped out!)

So anyway – what would a mini-vacay be without carnivores?! For me, vacations are never complete without carnivorous plant goodness. Since we were in the ‘hood of California Carnivores we decided to stop by to immerse ourselves in the carnivory. If you haven’t been there, I highly recommend stopping by. It’s always a pleasure to visit this magnificent and magical place. Thank you, Cal Carn for what you do. Continue to embolden and equip us to be better growers!

Click here for the full screen slideshow!

A few highlight photos are below the slideshow.

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A Visit to California Carnivores

Kickin’ it with Wang and Martinez

Last weekend, I had the honor and privilege of kickin’ it with fellow carnivore-heads Mike Wang and Drew Martinez. Both are truly amazing individuals and growers par excellence. I’m very thankful to know Mike and am quite privileged to have met Drew on this monumental day. We met up at Mike’s and spent the day geeking out over plants there for a while. We then headed over to Drew’s place for more botanical nerdiness! I really can’t capture what I’ve seen and witnessed in words – so I’ll let the photos do the talking. Immerse yourself by checking out the full screen slideshow! Mike and Drew – thanks again for your kindness and hospitality! Much props and respect to both of you. Continue to motivate us all to be great growers like yourselves! WORD, HOMIES.

Click here for the full screen slideshow!

(Note, you may use your arrow keys to scroll through photos in the slideshow.)

Below are a few highlights from our delicious carnivorous soiree.
Bon appetit!

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From The Garden of Wang…

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez
Mike with the ultimate frisbee while Drew is paparazzi-ing.

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez
Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez
Sarracenia homies in effect.

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From The Garden of Martinez…

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

Kickin' it with Wang and Martinez

A Couple of Neps

Hope you all are doing well. I grow a few other pitchers outside of the Sarracenia genus.  Nepenthes are a very beautiful and stunning genus of pitchers – hauntingly beautiful. I have a few Nepenthes here and perhaps once I get more space and better facilities, I’ll explore and dive into this genus a bit more! Here’s a couple of photos of Nepenthes pitchers for your enjoyment.

Nepenthes densiflora x truncata
Nepenthes densiflora x truncata

Nepenthes jambanNepenthes jamban

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.

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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.

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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. 🙂

Treat or Treat!

Treat or Treat! Recently my good friend Jacob Farin from Sarracenia Northwest sent a pretty freekin’ awesome treat! A big ol’ box arrived and what would I find inside? Hmmm…. A treat… or treat?? 😉 Hahah! What an awesome combo — candy!! (Love the Almond Joy’s!) And carnivores!  Ohhh… Check out some Sarracenia peeking through the packing! And the other very well packed treats – various Nepenthes, Sarracenia, and a drosera. Very cool treat indeed. (Yes, I do grow other carnivores other than Sarracenia!)

For those of you who don’t know, when I first started to get back into growing carnivores, Jacob was one of the first growers I came into contact with that really showed how easy growing carnivores really is. He helped demistify the growing process. His site has some great info and easy to digest carnivore growing info.  Anyway, hope everyone out there has a fun and safe Halloween!

Treat or Treat! 🙂
Treat or Treat!