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Post by mabudon on Jan 27, 2007 10:51:41 GMT -5
I have just been wondering a little about this phenomenon..
Why is it that all the really hardcore North American growers are so Sarracen-tric?? I wonder, could it be something to do with what was available back in the old days?? I do love the plants but the way things are now, so many species from so many places on earth are easily available, many just as endangered as our native Sarracenia, and for me it is impossible to really call one Genus my "forte"
But looking at the growlists of some of the long-time growers, they all seem to be really Sarr-loaded, Bugweed and Purpman immediately spring to mind as they are both folks who have been dealing with CPs for a LONG time..
So I ask here (duuno why it never came up before but whatever)
What is the allure, what makes Sarracenia THE Genus?? I have a few theories but I'd rather wait until a few answers get posted.
OH and in NO way is this meant to be any sort of slam, I just wonder if there's a simple answer, a complicated one or just plain "no real reason"...
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Post by bugweed on Jan 27, 2007 11:56:06 GMT -5
C.F., I have raised them all at one point. Room, and specialized growing areas are too much of a pain as you grow older, so I chose to stick with what I started out with when I was 11 years old. North American CP. I love neps, but in someone elses collection. Cephalotus, a long time favorite, grows ok, but the winters kill it. I just find that plants from here, are easier to grow here. But then, I HAVE realized that Sarracenia come in sooooooooooo many different color forms, you can be busy for AGES!!!!!!!
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Post by lloyd on Jan 27, 2007 12:51:24 GMT -5
Sarracenia are certainly the most decorative. If I had a greenhouse or a secure bog area I would definitely have lots more of them.
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Post by mabudon on Feb 3, 2007 10:44:11 GMT -5
Oh, some of them are totally shocking when ya get to see them with your own eyes, for sure, and even the plain ol all-green plants can be nice to look at (that's for purpman, that reference) I just seem to notice that the same fellow who has dozens of different types/forms of S.flava will often not even have any ID-ed Drosera, say... Hopefully purpman will post his thoughts, as being up here the "ease" factor isn't as important- some of the things locals do for their plants is verging on madness, to me Thanks for the replies!
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Post by jay on Feb 3, 2007 15:38:50 GMT -5
I don't know as a kid i thought the end all and be all was the fly trap (due to EC comics) But i have to agree the colour's and forms are just so varible , and they are easy to grow , you just need the room , i guess whats really got me going is breeding and seeing what pops up , i need to get an acre of land and a couple 40 ft hoop houses, coarse it won't be enough, never is
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Post by purpman on Feb 3, 2007 17:13:01 GMT -5
I don't really know why I grow sarrs. I'm sure there are a number of reasons. First, they were the first plants I ever saw in the wild, plus when I was a kid, I could grow them outside in "kiddie pool". I then built a small greenhouse when I was about 16. I grew my plants in there, and moved them to the fruit cellar for the winter. I guess as far as growing goes it was pretty simple.
As I got older I started making connections with many of the big Sarracenia growers in Virginia, namely Phil Sheridan, Bill Scholl and John Hummer. They were all very gracious in helping me expand my collection. On my first visit with Phil, I brought back litterally 30 or so varieties of sarracenia seed. Then I made other connections with other growers and it all snowballed. During that time I also bought a small 8 x 16 hobby greenhouse. At that point a came up with the philosphy that if it grew in my greenhouse I'd grow it. Well guess what, that pretty much limited me to sarracenia native drosera and dionaea.
Also over the years I've made many many trips to the southeast US and found a real appreciation for sarracenia. They are truely beautiful plants.
So I guess, ease of growth is tops for getting me going, and beauty and appreciation of the genus got me into them for the long haul. I really have to say that I'm not person who fusses over his plants. Grow chambers and tanks and the like have never really worked out for me. Granted, I'm really trying with my cephs in a tank.
Anyway , now I'm at the point where I"m looking to make growing them even easier. I'm going to move most of my collection into outdoor bogs.
I"m finding now that even the greenhouse is getting to be a lot of work. With a large collection, repotting, and maintenence takes a lot work, and I find in a greenhouse pests can be a problem. I've had outdoor bogs for years and have grown everything from GA north outside at one time or another with incredible success. My friend Jay has put a bunch of plants outdoors here (even leuco) and they grow fine! So... Why not. That way they'll be out in the yard where I can appreciate them when we're sitting on the patio! Much better than cooping them up in a greenhouse!
My thoughts.
Purpman.
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