I bought these today at HD, I noticed a few of them were mislabeled, but they looked pretty healthy for a big box store so I couldn't resist.

One I think is the Cobra Pitcher Plant (Darlingtonia californica?) and the other I think is a type of Sundew (Drosera adelae?). CP growers please correct me if I am wrong! Also any culture tips would be much appreciated!


http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a93/tdrollo/12006_0204Image0001.jpg

Cool! I love sundews, particularly. Haven't tried a pitcher yet. My new ping looks like crap, but the new leaves coming out have picked up some gnats upstairs. Honestly I could use like five more of these carnivourous plants to spread through the growing areas.

I've been spending some time at Winston flowers this week (job prospects) and they have some large nepanthes. Has anyone tried growing these? How much food do they need? How do they work? They're so much larger! Very cool though.

Nynaeve, yes that pitcher plant is Darlingtonia californica. Unfortunately, I don't think it will survive in your climate. It can take the heat on the pitchers OK, but its roots must be kept absolutely cool (<70F) for it to survive. They live in northern California and southeast Oregon in seepage bogs. The day time temps can climb to 100F, but the roots are bathed in cool mountain water constantly.

The Drosera should do fine for you since it is a tropical species. Keep it moist and humid and it will multiply nicely!

If you want to try pitcher plants I stronly suggest any of the Sarracenia species. The Texas native, S. alata is a good one to start with!

Tom

Thanks Tom, I was just reading up on the cobra plant online and found the same info about the roots. Hmmm, I will try my best to put ice cubes on the medium twice daily when it gets hot, and maybe it will live a little longer. Until it croaks I will enjoy it! I do have a purple pitcher plant, and it thrives here, although it looks a little crappy right now because it is in the dormant stage. The leaves are a little brown on the tips. My flytrap also looks crappy, but has new growth coming out. I really LOVE this sundew! I must get more. It has already caught several gnats! :mean:

Heather, I have a Nepenthes Ventrata (improperly labeled alata) I got at Lowes about a year ago. It has tripled in size and has continuous made pitchers all over the place. If you want I will attempt to root you a cutting. I read somewhere that they are fairly easy to root. Here is a pic when I first got it (it looks so SMALL!):

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a93/tdrollo/Nep.jpg

Here is a picture of it NOW:
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a93/tdrollo/21006_0204Image0001.jpg

Notice Hubby in the background. he was making fun of me taking pics of my plants. All the while he has a football in his hands and is making mock throws across the living room...hmmmm who's the REAL dork here? Pot calling the kettle black I think!

Teresa! That'd be great!!
I think that's the same one I've been seeing lately. They are so cool.

But - do they eat gnats? That is the question.
(not like I have a nasty invasion, but I have enough to feed a few CPs.)

Cool! I'd love a cutting if it works out!! Thanks!!!

Very nice Teresa!
Home Depot is turning into quite the greenhouse center!

Teresa! That'd be great!!
I think that's the same one I've been seeing lately. They are so cool.

But - do they eat gnats? That is the question.
(not like I have a nasty invasion, but I have enough to feed a few CPs.)

Cool! I'd love a cutting if it works out!! Thanks!!!

YES they eat gnats. Apparently they only need about 2 gnats a month to be properly fed. Mine catches way more than that. I look down inside the pitchers every now and then and that's pretty much all I see in there. OK tomorrow I will do a cutting for you. I will do several in case some don't survive :roll: