Post by lovecarnivorousplant on Dec 18, 2015 2:05:21 GMT -5
After a few experiences searching for carnivorous plants on a kayak, I have a few tips that would make a first timer's experience very fruitful. Any experienced "bogger" please feel free to add in!
1. Look for grassy areas that do not have many shrubs and trees over hanging the shore. Most shrubs and trees out compete pitcher and sundew plants for light and space, so do not strain your eyes looking in the shrubs.
2. Sphagnum moss= Carnivorous plants. Usually, flats of sphagnum moss provide perfect environments for native carnivores and usually when you see a colony of sphagnum moss, they will be some pitcher or sundew plants growing in it. I've seen the most spectacular specimens nestled in the moss.
3. Look for "islands" or floating wood. Countless times, I've seen sundews growing on floating pieces of wood and stumps sticking out of the water. Sometimes the "stumps" will have a very sandy substrate and the constant moisture of the wood seems to be perfect for sundews. You won't find any pitcher plants on wood but you might find a spectacular colony of D. rotundifolia, D. intermedia or hybrids between the two.
4. Look for the flowers/seed pods. It's difficult to spot a pitcher plant within tall grass or a colony of sundews from a far. Look for the flowers/ ripening seed pod on mature pitcher plants and sundews when scanning an area. Sundews are a bit easier to spot because you will see some red "things" which most of the time, are the sundews.
Hope this helps!
How early in the year/spring is it interesting to hunt to look at droseras in the wild? How about Pings? Do the pings go dormant too? Is it still interesting to see them in winter?
(the only wild CP I have ever seen are the drosera in my profile picture, in a high mountain in Kauaii, Hawaii. And this was in summer...)
Thanks!
Nathanaël