Darlingtonia

Darlingtonia (Darlingtonia) is a carnivorous insectivorous plant from the Sarracenia family. The homeland of this perennial is the border zone of the US states of California and Oregon. It is found in mountain forests and meadows, but certainly near cold running water: a river or stream. A rare species is under state protection.

Californian Darlingtonia (Darlingtonia californica) is the only and unique representative of its kind. This carnivorous flower is also often called "cobra": its long leaves have an unusual shape, reminiscent of a snake's hood. The similarity is complemented by the leafy appendages of a reddish or yellow color that are visible from them, similar to a forked tongue. But this unusual snake is not at all miniature. In nature, darlingtonia leaves can be up to 1 meter in height.

The so-called flower hood is intended for catching insects. In its structure, it resembles a jug with slippery walls. If a fly gets inside it, then it cannot find a way out back - the surface of the sheet is filled with spots with transparent blende windows. Insects are attracted by the aromatic nectar secreted by the glands on the leaf plate. But such prey is not the only way to feed Darlingtonia. She still receives most of the substances necessary for growth from the soil.

In spring or early summer, noticeable yellowish-purple flowers up to 6 cm in diameter appear on Darlingtonia. They are located on single high stems. Who pollinates the peduncles of the green predator remains a mystery to botanists to this day.

Darlingtonia care at home

Lovers of unusual plants will not be intimidated by their exotic appearance and diet. But it is rather difficult to recreate the natural environment of this flower at home or garden. The most important requirement for caring for darlingtonia is to keep the roots of the plant in cold and damp soil at all times. In a suitable home, the size of the flower can be up to 45 cm.

Location and lighting

Darlingtonia can be grown both in a pot and outdoors. In the garden, she will most of all like the area located near the reservoir. Optimal lighting: diffused light or partial shade. In this case, the sun's rays can affect the intensity of the color of the leaves. Red and green-red varieties of the plant acquire this color only in sufficient light. There are also types of pure green color.

At home, when looking for a place for darlingtonia, you should focus on air humidity. If it is low, partial shade should be preferred. A warm and humid area allows for a moderately sunny area.

Suitable temperature

Unlike many predatory plants, Darlingtonia does not need tropical heat. In summer, she will be comfortable at 18-20 degrees. In winter, the flower goes into a state of dormancy and requires lower temperatures - from 10 to 18. A similar regime should be observed when changing day and night. During the day, the plant prefers warmth, and starting in the evening - coolness. It is convenient to use a greenhouse box for its content.

Watering rules

For watering darlingtonia, cold, but always soft, settled water is suitable. In a hot period, you should not save on it. To avoid overheating the roots, which should always be kept cold, the pot can be placed in a container with moist peat. Otherwise, the flower may die. During periods of extreme heat, you can put a few ice cubes on the ground in a pot. Some growers allow spraying the plant, but this is not necessary. With the onset of cold weather, when the flower goes to rest, spraying is completely stopped, and the watering rate is reduced.

The soil

When creating an earthy mixture for growing Darlingtonia, you should focus on its natural habitats. For a flower, it is best to pick up a wide pot. Its bottom is 3-5 cm filled with drainage: perlite or expanded clay. This layer is covered with a centimeter pillow of sphagnum moss, and only then the soil is poured. Its composition in equal proportions should include sand without lime impurities, perlite and peat. You can do without perlite by taking only white sand and peat.

From above, the finished soil is covered with another layer of moss. This will help keep the soil moist and cool. Darlingtonia will not need feeding or pruning, but it should be transplanted every few years.

Dormant period

Darlingtonia's rest period can last up to 5 months. At this time, the container with the plant is taken to a dark cool corner and no manipulations are carried out with it. Moving the pot from place to place is also not worth it. Closer to spring "cobra" throws out stems with peduncles. A few weeks after flowering, it grows new jug leaves.

Darlingtonia breeding methods

An unusual flower can be grown from seeds that form after flowering. The main difficulty is caring for small sprouts. They will need bright light, temperatures up to 29 degrees and high humidity. After the formation of the first true leaves, the temperature of the content is recommended to be reduced.

In order not to waste time on germination, the plant is most often propagated by dividing the bush. Due to the large width of the pot, Darlingtonia produces many underground shoots. Carefully separating some of them and transplanting them into a new container, you can get another copy of the flower. But this should be done only after the shoots have their roots. The best time to divide is spring.

Diseases and pests

Even a predatory flower is not always able to resist insect pests. But it is better to replace chemical means to combat them with organic broths. In case of emergency, you can try an ordinary insecticide, but significantly reduce its dose.