Tim's strange plant thread

[TimV]

I've collected unusual plants for years, and one the fun thing I do on Sundays is play around in my greenhouse. I'll plan on updating this thread occasionally. I hope some of you enjoy these, which is one of the reasons I don't think I would believe in evolution even if I weren't a Christian.

The first is one of our West Coast carnivorous plants, the Cobra Lily Darlingtonia californica. On the top you can see small clear patches. When an insect flies in the hole at the bottom of the dome, they see the clear patches, or "windows" and bash themselves against them like you see flying insects try to get out of your house by repeatedly hitting a window. The insect eventually falls down the tube, and is used by the plant as food. They grow on very poor soils, where there isn't much competition from other plants, as there are not enough nutrients in the soil to keep plants alive.



The second is Drosera binata, the Forked Sundew. These plants also live where other plants can't, due to limited nutrients in the soil. This plant has caught a mosquito, and will pull the insect to the center of it's leaf, where specialized cells digest it. They get big enough to catch birds.

[TimV]

This is Cephalotus follicularis from Australia. That trap is actually a leaf. The teeth point inwards, and when a bug crawls into the trap to get nectar, the teeth keep it from climbing out, and it's used for food. This is a difficult, slow growing plant only found in a small area.

[blhowes]

Those are pretty cool. How many plants have you collected over the years?

[TimV]

About 500, Bob.

This one is Stapelia hirsuta from Southern Africa. They attract pollinators by imitating an infected sore on an animal. The flowers smell so bad you can't breath too closely to them. They look and smell so much like rotten meat that flies are attracted and actually lay their eggs on them. I've seen them hatch and maggots emerge, and the flies of course are unwittingly pollinating the flower. This species reminds me of Patrick Star on Spongebob.

[Gryphonette]

Mercy Maud, Tim, can't you raise orchids or roses like normal people?

Seriously, those are fascinating! How many species of plants do you have? I'd not heard of any of those before.

[Beth Ellen Nagle]

Fascinating plants. The second one would be fun to take photos of.

[etexas]

I want a greenhouse now! Cool plants!

[TimV]

There are around 500 species, Anne.

Here's a Sarracenia hybrid. Remember the story of Socrates? How they made him drink Hemlock? The active ingredient in Hemlock is connine, and this plant mixes connine in with it's nectar, which it exuded around the lip, above the trap. The flies and wasps eat the nectar, are paralyzed in a few seconds, fall in and are eaten. I never fertilize these, and by the end of the year their traps are full of bugs that they've captured. The hairs you can see point down, which keeps the bugs from crawling out.

[Leslie]

Neato!!!

[TimV]

This is a Nepenthes. The trap is also a modified leaf, and it contains chemical to sedate it's prey, as well as surfactants to wet insects which drowns them faster. They get big enough to catch rats, and there is documentary proof that they do.

[CalvinandHodges]

Very, Very interesting!

[PuritanCovenanter]

Tim,

This is awesome. Thanks for sharing this stuff. Keep up the good posts.

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Wow!!! Cool stuff...

[TimV]

The last one until the next time I get my camera out. I'll try to fit a mini botany lesson with each post.

Here's a "stone mimic", a Gibbaeum. Plants are very scarce in Bushmanland due to only 3-5 inches of rain per year, and the antelope are always hungry, so some plants look like rocks to keep from getting eaten.

[satz]

Great thread.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by satz

Great thread.

Neat stuff, Tim.

[Presbyterian Deacon]

Tim:

Do you have any plants that will eat my mother-in-law?












_______________________________________________
Just kidding of course!

[DMcFadden]

Wow! Our God is an amazingly infinite Creator.

[BJClark]

These are so cool..

I'm in agreement with Dennis..WOW, Our God is an amazing creator..

[jwithnell]

Another carnivorous plant fan in reformed circles! So far, I only have a few in the cobra lily family. Last winter I had my eye on a Nepenthes, and really wish I had gotten one. I am trying to rig up a fountain so I can keep my plants out back with their pots sitting in water that won't become a major mosquito breeding ground.

[SteppingHeavenward]

These are so neat! I'm afraid I don't have much of a green thumb when it comes to exotic plants... I can handle regular garden crops, but our poor orchids aren't faring too well.

One question - is there any hazard to your health (or safety!) when handling some of these plants? I'm thinking that it would be a fun hobby to pursue when our kids get older, but am wondering if some plants may not be recommended for a young hobbyist.

How do you acquire these plants? Any recommended books or websites?

[Southern Presbyterian]

Thanks for the photos and the botany lessons!





*Wondering if anyone else has the theme from "Little Shop of Horrors" playing in there head, like me.*

[JBaldwin]

The plants are really neat!

[TimV]

None of the plants I've shown so far are poisonous. I keep quite a collection of medicinal plants, including hallucinogenic plants, but those are usually cactus like things or foul tasting so I've never even considered banning my kids from the greenhouse.

I've collected them through the years by building relations with other growers, and we buy and trade cutting, seeds etc...There are some forums online like this. Some are easy to grow but some are advanced, so they would make a good project for a young person or an older one who wants a challenge.

International Carnivorous Plant Society - Home

Thanks, all