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Where do you guys buy your carnivorous plants?

aachenelf z5 Mpls

17 years ago

I know I should check they Carnivore Forum, but I know you guys and know a lot of you grow these. I'm most interested in other cool Drosera (I have lots of Drosera capensis)and others good for indoors. I have lots of Sarracenia outdoors and don't care for Neps.

Kevin

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Comments (16)

howard_a
17 years ago
Go figure, I'm just the opposite. Drosera species don't do anything for me, I am likewise indifferent about the Sarracen's but I am in love with Nepentes. Esp the ones reputed to have baseball size pitchers. I have never kept any carnivores but I would be surprised if the 'Glasshouse Works' in Stewart, OH didn't have a good selection. They take forever to ship an order but I can recommend them if you accept that the last time I had any dealings with them was at least ten years ago. Oak Hill gardens used to have a good selection of tropicals and carnivores but they seem to have gotten out of that segement of their operation, still you might be able to get some good recommendations from Greg as to who to try. They had to send all that stock somewhere.

H
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corymbosa
17 years ago
I'm not in the US so I have no first hand experience on how good these places are but I've heard reasonable comments about the quality and service of the following:
California Carnivores- http://www.californiacarnivores.com
(They supposedly mail plants in the pot to minimise root disturbance -you may find shipping costs kill you.)
Cook's Carnivorous Plants- http://www.flytraps.com
Sarracenia Northwest - http://www.cobraplant.com
Meadowview- http://www.pitcherplant.org
(Looking at their site, they're definitely not cheap.)
ICPS has a seedbank for members- http://www.carnivorousplants.org
(Like any society seed bank it's supply is based on donations so the list is rarely extensive. For reasons you've no doubt gathered from your capensis, Drosera are well represented)

Prices are a usually lot cheaper in my area so I can't comment on how those sources stack up for value. Having said that, private growers from the US sell their plants at much higher prices than I'm used to paying so I expect what you pay at those sources is fairly standard in the US.
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cjwatson
17 years ago
There are many dealers on Ebay who sell them, too.
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mrbreeze
17 years ago
I haven't mail-ordered any in years. Back when I did, I got them from BlackJungle and/or Tropiflora. But that was because I wasn't aware of California Carnivores. Paul D'Amato literally wrote the book on them, "the Savage Garden". I visited the nursery a couple years ago and it was absolutely amazing.

He's got every type you can think of and many you can't. From the tiny little droseras to Nepenthes big enough to eat a squirrel. If his selection isn't the best in the world, it has to be top three. I wouldn't hesitate to try an order with him. And he'll autograph a copy of his book for you.
-MB
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clairewags
17 years ago
I got a few nice things from Cook's a while back.
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aachenelf z5 Mpls
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks for the great suggestions. I know I've come across a couple of these in my Googling, but I always like to get recommendations for people on this forum.

Howard - I guess I don't hate Neps, but most are just too large for me. I like the ones I can just tuck in amongst the orchids and let them do their work. So far the Droseras seem to work really well for me.

Cory - I may have to check out that seed bank. If other Drosera are as easy to grow from seed as the capensis, that may be a very good way to go.

California Carnivores sounds like a place I need to spend some time checking out. Oh yeah, for some reason I remain EBay shy. I know I'm probably missing out on lots of cool stuff, but I still prefer just ordering plants from a dealer and being done with it.

K
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penelope14
17 years ago
Kevin,

Try J & K Orchids in Neenah, WI. Their website is not up to date but click on the contact information and give them a call.

Penelope

Here is a link that might be useful: J & K Orchids
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aachenelf z5 Mpls
Original Author
17 years ago
I just checked out one of the links on the ICPS Web Ring and found this site if you really like Drosera at REALLY cheap prices. Only a few plants offered, but the prices are nice and shipping is only $7.

Here is a link that might be useful: Homers
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scott361
17 years ago
All I really grow anymore are Darlingtonia's, a Ping and a few Sars.
I have some wild taken photos on my Flickr page. I guess that I should take some recent photos of my group!

I grew up near California Carnivores and can't say enough good things about Peter and Marilee!
I used to obsesively lurk there and go through everything every chance I got.
That was when they were located at the Mark West Vineyards.
Even then, their plants were spectacular and since the move to a larger space, it's breathtaking.
I moved and hadn't been there in years and yet they always remembered me.
I even brought wild collected Nepenthes seeds back from Kalimantan for them.
A few years ago, I was showing a visiting friend the Giant Redwoods and heard someone call my name in the giftshop.
It was Marilee and I was really surprised that she remembered what I looked like! (Small world!)Although I had made a stop there once on my way to Oregon, I hadn't seen her in several years.
Next time I get down that way, I really have to stop in. The last time, I must ahve looked a mess. I had a
truck and horsetrailer and had been drivin' all night! ;~)
The point is...great people, great plants and have I mentioned great people?

Scott
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whitecat8
17 years ago
Hey, Kevin,

Two years ago, I ordered from CA Carnivores and was pleased with the plants and the customer service. Paul and I exchanged several e-mails, until he was sure what to recommend for my conditions. Sure enough, he nailed it w/ a Drosera capensis alba. There were 3 tiny plants in a pot for $6-$8, as I recall, and they took off and have trapped boatloads of fungus gnats.

At the time, he had a minimum order.

Hope you find something cool. Whitecat8
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aachenelf z5 Mpls
Original Author
17 years ago
I spent some time today looking over CAC. Their selection really is quite amazing. Thanks for recommending them. In a way, there are almost too many choices for me. I can see how this could lead to yet another plant collecting frenzy.

K
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whitecat8
17 years ago
You're welcome.... for steering you to yet another potential frenzy. Have fun! WC8
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mswmom
17 years ago
For those interested, they have Venus Flytraps at Pike Nursery.
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tommyr_gw Zone 6
17 years ago
Cook's, Sarracenia northwest, California carnivors, etc., the better known carnivorous web stores.

Tom
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elvinwei
17 years ago
carnivorous plants rock!

recently i purchased from Houston Herps--the plants were small but very healthy and the packaging was awesome!! each plant's soil was wrapped and each plant had a plastic dome (a plastic cup) protecting it
i found them on eBay, but they have their own website
http://www.houstonherp.com/

the plants were cheap--$7 for nepenthes and $4 for pings and sundews. i think shipping was $10

it was good, hope this helps
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aachenelf z5 Mpls
Original Author
17 years ago
elvinwei

Thank you. That site is great and those prices are wonderful.

Kevin
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