I'm looking for some Cobra lily ( california pitcher )seeds. If anyone has these and would like to trade with me. LMK Thanks

Damon, Your site looks ideal. The presence of the Skunk Cabbage suggests a soil composition that is organically rich in nutrients that have siltated into the area and probably where water tends to stand for prolonged periods of time. Look to see where the sphagnum grows in relation to the Symplocarpus. In fact you may want to draw a "floor plan" of the area noting roughly where can be found whatever is there and indicating the wettest spots and the driest spots. Have you checked out the water in the stream? To find out its pH, presence of organics, etc. and to find out what lies upstream that could imperil the colony. The site appears to be subjected to winter flooding and for this reason I would suggest that you find a location that lies protected from any strong flooding surges but one that is accessible to the existing creek via an intake channel and an outflow channel back into the creek. You will need to do some digging and measure out an area for the population to begin in. Dig out the top 12 to 18 inches and refill with a 50 50 mix of creek sand and and peat moss. Be sure the channel to the site is higher than the growing site and outflow slightly lower. This will take some adjustments but I suggest the inflow coming from the upstream portion and the outflow routed to the downstream portion of the creek-either need not be deep, maybe 2 to 3 inches to do the job. You will have to experiment. Once you get all of this done and the water is moving into and out of your bog and the bog is stable introduce some of the sphagnum moss you have growing there into the bog and see how it fares. You could also introduce a Darlingtonia as an experiment to see what happens. If it takes and looks healthy then go for more as you desire. Here are several links I recommend you either Favorite to read later or print out as suits you. Darlingtonia around Florence, Oregon US Forest Service-Darlingtonia Robert Ziemer Field Observations SF State Biogeography of Darlingtonia

I've had more experience with killing cobra lilies than keeping them alive. But then again, it's the experimenting that has given me the results and I've learned a lot. One thing that I have learned about these plants is that one ought provide new surroundings with respect to not only what we have read from the experts, but also to go from point A to point B gradually (acclimation). My second cobra lily died pretty much from shock - taking it out of a Lowes cube and repotting into better conditions, but in summer heat.It withered within jours. My first plant was an attempt to provide it with cool, running water ovef its roots. So I anchored the pot at the edge of a streamlet. A 3" rainstorm dislodged it and sent it along a raging river, lost forever. I was given a group of seedlings and had them growing in a bucket, as a minibog. I asked about whether I should provide drainage holes and then decided to poke some in there. The water level went down and they withered. My last plant went through a proper dormancy in our cold attic and was placed outside in the spring. All was going well until they and my VFT's got attacked by mammalian critters. So I brought it (them ) inside to the screened window sill, where they began to recover. I asked about my suspended setup and was advised by a 14 year hobbyist to all ow the plant to be submerged in water. So I let it be 'open tray", sitting in water and the plant withered away. I have done cold stratification for seeds and so far I have nothing to show for it. Another thing I have learned about these planst is to be patient. They may appear to be dead or shocked to death, but I have seen weeks go by and then new life appears. Another thing I have learned is that while there a few absolutes, there's still a variety of ways, usually a variation on a theme, to cultivate them successfully. Lastly, it is best to get the plants in the best conditions you can provide and then refrain from changing them. Too much tweaking could easily result in plants that react. Greenfreak: Your best bet is to stick with cobra lilys, VFT's and Sarracenias, with maybe a few temperate sundews (D. binata, filiformis, rotundifolia, and intermedia) Alyss: My guess is that your temps are on the warm side of acceptable, but dormancy is mostly photoperiod and secondarily temperature. I really defer to Flytrpl8e since she is more experience than I and is a native to California. Lois: Your 2 cents is worth a million!

I bought two of these from home depot at the same time probably just like the one you got just now. I wouldn't leave it in the cube. It will probably get moldy/slimy very quickly. As for repotting, you want to do that sometime in late dec/early jan. You could even do it now if you really wanted to as their growing season is over. Whenever you repot, remove the plant but keep the soil its in(probably pure sphagnum) intact. Basically, don't mess with the roots by trying to remove the old medium. This will also help make a smooth transition for the plant. Get a pot and fill with 50/50 sphagnum and perlite, and put in the plant. I would put it outside. They are very hardy and used to the cold. I don't think they do well indoors. As for the cooling of the roots. that is for summertime only. I don't imagine those roots are going cook this time of the year. No go for the terrarium. Put it outside. It doesn't need or want to be all stuffy. Flsuh it every once in a while, but it can stand in water alongside your vfts and sarracenias for days and it won't die or anything. Mine has been just sitting in a water try for months and is flourishing(I do live in CA) and I never flsuh it. Rain does some flushing naturally of course. Good luck, Me