My Pinguicula macroceras is blooming!

I don't have a photo but I have one that is blooming as of yesterday. It's been raining and it's very cold right now so here's hoping the high winds didn't rip my first macroceras bloom off the plant.

Without a photo it's just your word then.

Hmmm,
Cory and Cristi. Nice names for Cockroaches. You just couldn't have one all by itself. That wouldn't be humane. Now, I guess it's time to go out into the rain and see if I can get a photo. It's so cold out there but for you dear, anything.

Horrible pictures but the color of the bloom is accurate. Definitely not a contendor for the PlantFiles but what the heck!

And another-

While I'm up posting horrible photos, here's one I just took of D. linnearis. It's grown considerably in the past month. I think it's about the size of a quarter now which is up from having been the size of a pencil eraser.

I have three more P. macroceras and those are actually have better growth to them than these two. One of those is sending up a bloom for me but I doubt it will open any time soon.

Incredibly, the macroceras that were outside year round in the bog did better than the two I photographed that were hauled in the garage. Same deal with the linearis and the intermedia. The intermedia and the linearis that were outside through winter in a bog faired considerably better than those in the garage. They're all alive but the ones that were outside are more robust. Come to think of it, same deal with the P. villosa and the grandiflora and the Drosera rotundifolia. I guess these plants like being frozen to death.

LOL! April, you fit right in! Have you been hanging around with Wolf??? He's always questioning Lauren's veracity!

Hey Lauren, I'm going to Heronswood on Saturday!!! Want anything? I can pick up for you, or anyone else who is coming to 'the weekend'. LMK tomorrow or early Sat morning. I'm leaving here about 9:00 my time. I believe there were some ferns you wanted?

Oh. and nice color on those pings!

Hey Hey, just cause April had a good one, dont be throwing her over here to me, she may be a nice girl.

So that's what you two have been doing to me, eh? Well, let me tell you... I have veritable fields of Sarracenia here and none of you are getting any of them because I am greedy greedy greedy and I am keeping these endless fields of Sarracenia under super dooper (sp?) lock and key and nobody... but nobody... is going to get me to even post a photo of these vast fields of Sarrs because I wouldn't want to make any of you jealous. So there, feast your eyes upon that macroceras ping bloom because that's all you're gonna get! Tee he, sure do wish I had fields of Sarr. In my dreams!

Hey Pixie, Thanks for the offer to pick up plants at Herronswood. I appreciate it but I think I'll have to take a pass on buying any more plants other than those that were ordered before I nailed myself. I'm struggling to get help getting what I have in the ground and yesterday I got two boxes that contained over 30 Hostas (I forgot about those) and they delivered five 10-gallon White Pines that will need to go in the ground. That's on top of other orders that came in that I totally forgot about that under normal circumstances whouldn't be an issue. This year it's tough.

Ok any unsolicited packages will be forwarded directly to Lauren! I am not taking any chances!!!

The pings look wonderful, I am jealous. You are a good mom and ever so kind of you to go out in the cold just for a photo.

Also think I am jealous of Pixi, do you leave close enough to drive to Herronswood? You are the lucky one. I live close enough to ...ok well we have the ever disappoining Walmart & HD...hmm something is not right about where I live.

I did go to one decent nursery that we have, which is a headache to get to and did manage to get a pink princess philodendrom- I have to repot then will show you a picture. It's a bit OT for you guys but still something pretty to look at...for Lauren it won't be as attractive as a hissing cockroach but then you can't make everybody happy can you?

You mean that D. Linearis that I transplanted whilst holding my breath? It's still alive? Hot Dang! Yay!

Yes, Lauren has fields of CP's that y'all would die for, LOL! Why, the only thing she has more of is buckthorn! But I really love the ones in her fridge, winky winky.

Hmmmmmmm........

Boxes of cockroaches! I'm game! They must be Hissing Cockroaches though. None of those puny flying cockroaches will be accepted! Well.... I take that back. I'd take a few of those. We have a few Nep pitchers large enough to handle those. Yum yum! Finger lickin good! Burp.

I tried to get a better photo in the daylight of the macroceras flower but it's too small I guess and the drizzle messed with the camera. I'll try again when the other macroceras blooms. Unfortunately, my little bloom on the plant I photographed last night got beaten up pretty good from the rain.

Speaking of slave labor... why yes, that is the very same one I had you transplant for me. Here's a better photo-

Here's another photo of the same linearis. The plant is over an inch tall now and if you look closely, you can see where it got itself a meal in its tightly clenched little paw-

Hard to see on such a tiny little plant but I circled the fly-

You are gonna have to bring something bigger than that to the flying cockroach party.

Here is the picture of my Philodenron Pink Princess...yes I know this is OT but look on the web I can get this plant for about 25.00 or 30.00, plus S&H & that puts it out of my price range...yeah I'm cheap! So today I found it at this nursery for 19.99 w/ some sort of tropical plant discount it came to 12.99, now the best part; they had sent me a 10.00 off coupon for my birthday so the plant cost me 2.99; ok plus 8.25% sales tax. Still an excellent deal!!

Very nice pink plant. You know... we don't have to stay on topic here. We don't have any tattletales so if a thread goes in a zillion different directions, that's fine by me. I like it when threads get sidetracked. Adds spice to life.

No worries about having something bigger for a cockroach party. In no time at all I will have some generously proportioned Sarracenia pitchers that could easily suck up a measly 2" flying cockroach and my son has some Nepenthes pitchers that could suck up a few of them right now.

All joking aside, D. linearis is a hard plant to grow. I'm really proud of mine. I didn't realize it had a meal until I was looking at the photograph I took. I was really excited that baby caught a meal. I had seen those tiny little flies buzzing around the plants and was sort of hoping but hadn't noticed anything.

As far as off topic, let me just say that one time i got a message from the mgmgnt saying that a posting of mine was removed because I had responded to an OT post- the O/T posting had been removed and that w/o the OT post my post made no sense so they had to remove it.
Also had one of mine censored because I used a word that could have been something beavers build had I spelled it that way, when referring to alzheimer's.

Are you telling me that some one reported the OT posting? and someone reported my comment?
If that's true then I have to wonder about these folks. Is there a bad word monitor? an off topic/on topic monitor?

Well I was thinking that D Linearis was kind of cute but now that you say it's a bit difficult I will put that on my wait list. I never mean to take away from the effort and skill that goes into growing plants, any of them- all of you bog waders impress me, especially if you are able to grow plants that will eat my flying cockroaches! You are the bomb.

I have learned that forums take on the collective personalities of those who are most interested in that particular topic. Most carnivorous plants people are pretty wholesome and low key. Many are interested in conservation and preservation and/or are actively involved in restoration work yet on the other hand, they aren't anal so to speak and most seem to enjoy a thread being hi-jacked, at least I do. This particular forum seems to attract people who really are respectful of carnivorous plants as well as the fragile ecosystems from which they originate. That being said, your warning was probably a result of somebody who believed that the ot post detracted from the thread and they are entitled to their opinion. I find I learn so much when threads get ot and additionally I have found that most ot threads end up round robining back to the original topic of the thread anyway so diversions are welcome in my book.

The D. linearis would probably not grow well for you in Texas. Simply stated, you are too warm. I think I may be at the fringe of its southern hardiness here in northern Illinois. I had to stick those linearis in the refrigerator every time the temps rose above 35F over the winter and then I had to make sure they were damp not moist. They are a pain in the rump. They also aren't that terribly common in cultivation. I have a man from Switzerland, one from Norway of all places, and another man from Germany somewhere who are repeatedly contacting me trying to get a plant or seed of P. villosa, P. vulgaris, and D. linearis is top on all of their lists. Not much I can do for them given I will not break the laws and ship a plant to them let alone seed. I can still ship seed to Canada legally depending upon what species it is but no plants so that's about as far as I go and I have to like the person to send anything to Canada. I'm human too and am relatively a newcomer to carnivorous plants. I'm not a newcomer to native plants and ecosystems though so this was a natural progression.

Now Look! I am coming all the way to Chicago to meet lauren and all her midwestern plant-loving, bog -saving , carnivorous- plant- petting friends, and I fully expect to see those fields and fields of Sarrs! And no flying large bugs whatsoever! Plus I want that blue flower to still be in bloom when I get there! I'm feeling mighty demanding tonight, but i think I am on firm ground here. Also, my 'John rizzi' is getting ready to bloom and it better just wait until I get back! It's way too exciting!

Okay, now that I've stated my needs, yes, april, I live about 45 minutes away from heronswood and I welcome anyone who wants to come up here and nursery hop. We have incredible nurseries here and i don't mean maybe. Of course, heronswood is the top of the chart since there are so many incredible things there that no one else sells. That's because no one but dan Hinkley has a life that involved climbing to the top of mountains in china to collect rare and never-before-grown-in-american-gardens plants. I am planning to buy a polygonatum that allegedly grows to be 6 feet tall. I am hoping there are some in bloom in the wooded garden so I can be impressed in person, and then buy some. I want to stand underneath a 6 foot tall solomon's seal. Too cool! Here's a photo from last summer's visit to Heronswood. This fountain was designed and built by Little and Lewis. check out their website by doing a google search. They have fabulous, and very, very expensive, art for the garden.

come on up and we'll go to Heronswood and to the rain forest. I might not have fields and fields of sarrs, but I've got rain forests! Dripping with moss! so there! Oh, yea, and I can grow Darlingtonia californica, too!

Oh, and Lauren, I know about the boxes of hostas. They're from me, remember? I will volunteer some slave labor while I'm there and help you get them in the ground if they aren't already done.

Pixi that photo can't be from Herronswood, it's from my backyard...just had to slap myself, it was only a dream. That is amazing!
I am envious of all that you can grow in your area Pixi. My daughter reminds me of all that we can grow and I know that, but the grass is always greener!

Lauren I know so little about all of the carniv plants that all of you grow but always thought of them as more tropical, clearly they are not. Now if I'd put plants in my fridge I'd have had to put a note on it for my DH advising him not to eat it! LOL.

As far as OT comments- I think they do come round robin for the most part and other times if I don't find the thread interesting I just go to the next. Personally I don't find it necessary to be the topic monitor. I think it's reasonable to let folks know that you are going OT, you know out of courtesy.

I question your charecterization of the regulars in this forum as wholesome...I don't know all of you but frankly Lauren your fondness for and attraction to hissing cockroaches seems somewhat less than wholesome to me. Maybe I am wrong and it is just my opinion but maybe we should poll the others.

what does all this conversation have to do with frost? Sorry couldnt help myself. Lauren, nice drosera there, let me know if you end up with some seed, I am sure I can find something to trade for it. I am trying to move my tropical drosera outside so they can start catching there own meals, but I have found with growing them completly through fluor lights from seeds to mature plants you have to becareful introducing them to the sun.

Speak for yourself, Equil. I'm not wholesome...why, I'm surprised you let me in your house, LOL!

Tee he he, hand is doing much much better! I was able to get all 30 of the Hostas in the ground today all by myself. I cheated because I had been digging extra holes all along so it wasn't as if I had to dig thirty 2-gallon holes all in one day. I only had to dig about 15 holes today. Granted, I'm a little slower than ususal but I did it. I did not get the 4 Heuchera in the ground yet so they will have to wait until about two weeks to get in the planted because this weekend we will be very busy! Actually, I had a few more plant orders come in the mail and they're all going to have to wait until after you leave.

Good news, my washing machine part will be in this coming Monday or Tuesday. This means everyone gets clean sheets (you included). I think it has been just over two weeks and I can tell you going without a washing machine is terrible. You don't realize how many loads you do a day until the machine breaks and the laundry starts piling up, and piling up, and piling up. There are mountains of laundry here and I dread having to deal with it.

Hey Craig, those linearis are only two years old. I have no idea if they will flower or not this year and I have no idea if I will be lucky enough for them both to flower at the same time. If they do, you and me can split the seed. I'm going to go take that off my grow list because those plants, and a few other species, are really causing me a lot of grief with people contacting me to get them. I can't imagine how slammed Phil would be if he posted his grow list.

Yes Dode, you're wholesome. I just love your pet tarantula named 'Tiny Tina'. She's so cute and when she crawls up my arm it is the weirdest sensation. her lover boy 'Tiny Tim' is adorable too. I can't wait until your spiders have babies because I want to try a few for myself and I'm hoping you have many babies so you can share some with aprilwillis. Your spider puts the hissing cockroaches we used to have to shame.

To add more OT chit chat, I scored three White Turkscap Lilies yesterday. I have been looking for that particular plant for well over 5 years!

Let's see... frost. Was that what we were talking about? I don't have any of that right now but I'm sure there's still a risk. I was looking at the weather report and it is going to be unseasonably cold for a while.

Oh you guys are all way to funny, but still I am less convinced of your wholesomeness...what is this Tiny Tim??? No need to share. Really. REALLY!

Hey Lauren, where do you have your growlist posted?

Oh please do ask Dode about Tiny Tim. I dare you. No, I double dare you.

Wolf, growlist is now removed. All gone, bye bye. You know what I've got over here for the most part anyway... about 1/100th of what philcula has. And if you don't, I can forward the whole list to you.

Lauren,
Thank you, no.

Grammostola rosea

Do I have to report you to the censors? Stop using that kind of language! Kids have access to this site you know!

Uh oh! I'm in trouble now! The post police are coming to get me! I'm shaking and a quaking in my boots. Oh me oh my! What will I do when the forum enforcers come to send me a nasty gram about using the words Grammostola rosea.

Now, go and cut and paste Grammostola rosea into your Google engine and click on images and see what you come up with.

No, I am afraid and you can't make me do it!!! So there!!!!!

http://search.msn.com/images/details.aspx?q=Grammostola+rosea&color=both&size=1p&ht=330&wd=490&tht=86&twd=128&su=http%3a%2f%2fwww.spidy.goliathus.com%2fgrammostola-rosea-id35.html&iu=http%3a%2f%2fwww.spidy.goliathus.com%2ffoto%2f0412_rosea.jpg&tu=http%3a%2f%2fimages.picsearch.com%2fis%3fK89eIzjrPY4_El_KPn4yna41B9X4uRsuW-lEPLmlA5k&sz=84


Yikes! Actually spiders in general do not bother me, although I have to admit that I'd be a bit startled to wake up next to this one...oh wait I believe I have woken up next to scarier things. LOL.

I am a sound sleeper, very sound to the extent of being virtually comatose. Not a liquor induced sound sleep either because I virtually don't drink and never have even when I was younger. Back in college I went to a party and left to go back to my room because I was tired. I went to bed alone. In the morning when I woke up there were many body parts in my face. Arms and feet that didn't belong to me to be specific. Arms that were attached to one person and feet attached to another person. All in my twin size bed- three of us- go figure. Turns out two of my girlfriends got locked out of their rooms and had no where to sleep so they had rammed my body up against the wall so they could all fit in my little bed with me. I think I'd take a tarantula any day. I still can't figure out how three of us fit in a twin sized bed other than that I was rolled over and smashed up against the wall and two of us were one way in the bed with one the other way in the bed and that's how I ended up with Lisa's feet in my face. Now what were you saying about waking up next to scarier things than a spider?

uh...hem...maybe this isn't the right forum to discuss one's proclivities but I have to say that I have never woken up w/ 2 women in my bed, LOL.

I was always the party pooper who turned into a pumpkin at midnight. How ironic that I was the one who ended up with two girlfriends who had consumed too many adult beverages in my bed.

Get out the magnifying glass...Equil has a CP blooming!

Anyone who knows me knows my feelings about spiders. Spiders and Raid go together like daylight and sunshine. No tarantulas here...that I know of.