In 2010, I had the opportunity to cross two special plants – both of which I would consider to be an all time classic. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I knew that I was hoping for something interesting. And by the time 2011 rolled around, there was this nice pot full of tiny babies:
Photo from 10 Feb 2011. Sarracenia ‘Reptilian Rose’ x Adrian Slack’ – 2010 Cross.
From that pot, only four survived. (It was a time where a lot of transition was happening. Move after move after move…) Then the four became three. And those three have settled in nicely. Characteristics of both parents are beautifully and elegantly cominbed. Here’s a few quick shots of how they’re currently shaping up:
S. 'Reptilian Rose' x 'Adrian Slack' - 2010 Cross (Clone I)
S. 'Reptilian Rose' x 'Adrian Slack' - 2010 Cross (Clone II)
S. 'Reptilian Rose' x 'Adrian Slack' - 2010 Cross (Clone III)
S. 'Reptilian Rose' x 'Adrian Slack' - 2010 Cross (Clone III)
I’m liking all of them – but it’s clone III that I’m partial to at the moment. Later in the season the contrast will intensify. Updates to follow from this, and updates to follow on seedlings from the same cross done in subsequent years. 🙂
With the weather warming up, the plants are gaining a lot of momentum and pushing up new growth. Here are a few photos from this first week of May. There is a lot to look forward to; and there is a lot to enjoy in this present moment. It’s fascinating watching the garden evolve through the season.
Sarracenia flower buds.
Juveniles. Various young plants from S. oreophila x flava AF glowing in the afternoon light.
Growth everywhere.
A mob of S. moorei – AF blooms.
Blooms unfolding.
Sarracenia moorei – AF in bloom.
Sarracenia “Asbo”
Sarracenia flava lidless
Sarracenia flava lidless
Sarracenia sink, starting to overflow with new growth.
In another sink, an old pitcher of veinless clone of S. rosea catches some afternoon light.
It’s the end of April and plants here in the PNW are on the move. After a long dormancy, it is so refreshing to see growth happening. It’s been pretty busy in the garden the past few months. A lot of the work happens right before the explosion of growth. There’s the traditional pre-growth clean up. This includes (but not limited to) re-potting, dividing, trimming, and also building some things. As of 30 Apr, most of the trimming has been completed. (Just a couple bins left…)
These are strange times we are currently in. This new norm is so surreal. As things continue to dynamically unfold, I’m thankful to have the opportunity to tend to a garden. Working with these plants helps to ground my being. It’s almost like they are watching over my mental well being. In working with these plants, something I’ve come to admire about them is their ability to adapt and thrive in what would otherwise be adverse conditions. It’s good energy to be around.
Dormancy feels like it can just drag on here in Oregon. It’s cold. It’s wet. It’s cold. It’s dark. But then – a little bit of sun and blue sky would peek through. (Even during a hail downpour. See hail video below.) Then it would happen more often. Then I started to see signs of new growth show up in the garden. New pitchers starting to form and flower buds starting to rise. Then – it happened. I saw the first Sarracenia flower open on 27 Apr. And at this moment, many more buds are getting ready to burst. Gardening – it’s something I really appreciate. It’s something that gives me hope for a brighter future.
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Trim: 20 Feb 2020 My favorite trimming clippers provided by the homie Jenn.
There was some hail in early March. Here’s some dried hail hitting Sarracenia ASMR for your enjoyment.
Hail in reverse.
Snow (in reverse) – 14 Mar 2020. To think I was once growing these plants in a greenhouse in California doing pollinations as early as January.
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Here’s a few photos of how things are coming along. There’s a lot to look forward to. Stay tuned!
Sarracenia flava – first flower to open this season.
Sarracenia hybrid
Sarracenia flava
Sarracenia oreophila x AF flava seedlings waking up.
Hello World! Welcome to The Pitcher Plant Project. Happy New Year! 2020, we here. ’20 and blogging – is it even still a thing? Anyway, thanks for checking in again. Between the now and the then, a lot of life has happened. It has been a two year digital dormancy, but one that was much needed.
One significant event that transpired in the chaotic silence was another plant move. This time – the garden is finally settling in after so many shifts. It really does feel good to finally put roots down and to grow properly. And with this, I figured might as well update the blog format too. To those familiar with this space, and to those who may have just stumbled up on it – thanks for tuning in. I’m happy that I’m able to continue sharing this plant journey with you.
