Carnivorous Plants Growing Well In Coir

"After several years of growing Sarracenia in coir the anecdotal evidence is looking good!" says Tim Bailey, Chairman and Publications Editor for the Carnivorous Plant Society.

"Whilst experimental design to collect good quality data may be lacking to change hearts and mind, there is good reason to be hopeful suitable and cost effective alternatives to extracted peat can be found".

The Carnivorous Plant Society share public concern about the effects of global peat extraction on wildlife habitats and the need to protect peat bog habitats, and are currently looking into ways of providing robust evidence and guidance on alternative composts for carnivorous plants.

The plants pictured below have been largely grown in a mixture of 3 parts 'organic' Soil Association Certified coir to one part perlite. A few exception are a few Brooks Hybrids, pictured, which have been grown in a mix of Moorland Gold and coir. Moorland Gold is fine-peat which has been filtered from water arising from blanket bogs which would otherwise enter and build up in a water supply reservoir if not removed.

Plants grown in sustainable and peat-free compost - on display at NEC Gardeners' World 2012

Majority of plants grown in 3 parts coir to 1 part perlite

Brooks Hybrid - time to lower the benches!

Discovering New Species of Pitcher Plant in the Philippines - Stewart McPherson

At the Carnivorous Plant Society AGM, held on 21 April 2012, members were treated to a 25 minute video of Stewart McPherson's latest documentary:

Discovering New Species of Pitcher Plant in the Philippines

Stewart takes you on a journey of discovery on a previously unexplored mountain, Mount Anipahan, and then on to Mount Kiamo on Mindanao.  Enduring energy sapping difficult terrain the expedition proved fruitful unearthing one new pitcher plant, Nepenthes. spec. "Anipahan". The documentation also contains exclusive video footage of N. ceciliae and N. pulchra, two new pitcher plants recently discovered on a previous expedition by another group of Nepenthes enthusiasts.

The initial discovery of N. ceciliae and N. pulchra was made by Fulgent Coritico, a student of Dr. Victor Amoroso, who was unsure about them and showed Thomas Gronemeyer, Marius Micheler and David Marwinski at the Central Mindanao University. Thomas, Marius and David realised from dried specimens that they were probably looking at some new species and organized an expedition to Mount Kiamo, together with Fulgent. On Mount Kiamo, they also saw N. pulchra and realized that they had found not one, but two new species

The expedition did not yield further discoveries of the giant Nepenthes species Stewart discovered on previous trips to the Philippines, N. attenboroughii and N. palawanensis, but with the new plant found proved a huge success and the documentary provides a fabulous insight into the world of discovery.

If you would like to see the documentary, and I strongly urge that you do, it can be viewed free at: Discovering New Species of Pitcher Plant in the Philippines

N. pulchra

N. ceciliae

On behalf of the CPS I would like to thank Stewart for supplying us with a copy of the documentary, and for his continued great support.

National Carnivorous Plant Day

At a Special General Meeting the Carnivorous Plant Society voted on the idea of having a National Carnivorous Plant Day (NCPD), which originally came from a band of bell-ringers.

We loved the idea and a vote was made to make 2nd April the NCPD, to commemorate the start of the new growing season and the life of Scottish-Irish, Governor of North Carolina and naturalist, Arthur Dobbs (1689-1765). It was Dobbs who first made the iconic Venus Flytrap known to botany, in a letter to English cloth merchant and naturalist-collector Peter Collinson, dated April 1759:

"We have a kind of Catch Fly sensitive which closes upon anything that touches it..."

Dobbs also happens to been born on 2nd April.

Arthur Dobbs (1689-1765)

Dobbs is recognised in several respects: playing a significant role in British politics, in particular improving the fortunes of Ireland's poor economic climate; his search to find the Northwest Passage into the South Sea (Pacific), albeit ending in failure; his scientific study "Concerning Bees and their Method of Gathering Wax and Honey" (represented at the distinguished Royal Society); astronomical observation (Royal Society); the colonisation and expansion of Northern America; contributing towards driving the French from North America; and of course the formal discovery of the VFT.

In recognition of the day bell-ringers Sue Tobell, Annemarie Adams, Ian Hamilton, William Pannell and Angie Pannell (left to right below) will mark the day each year, ringing one of the following methods: Triffid Surprise Minor, Sundew or Pitcher.

The Society are looking for other suggestions to mark the day and your comments would be very welcome.

Carnivorous Plants of the British Isles

Did you know that at least 13 carnivorous plant species, and 3 natural hybrids, are native to the British Isles. Yes 13! One less species than it used to be following the apparent extinction of Pinguicula alpina from 1919 (Druce, G. C. 1932), which used to grow in Scotland. And here they are:

Temperate Perennial Drosera

D. anglica - Great or English Sundew
D. intermedia - Oblong-leaved Sundew
D. rotundifolia - Round-leaved Sundew

D. intermedia

D. anglica

D. rotundifolia

Natural Hybrids Dosera

D x obovata (D. anglica x D. rotundifolia)
D x beleziana (D. intermedia x D. rotundifolia)

Temperate Perennial Pinguicula

P. vulgaris - Common Butterwort
P. lusitanica - Pale Butterwort
P. grandiflora - Great, or Large-flowerted Butterwort
P. alpina - Alpine Butterwort

P. lusitanica

P. vulgaris

P. grandiflora

Natural Hybrids Pinguicula

P. x scullyi (P. vulgaris x P. grandiflora)

Temperate Aquatic Perennial Utricularia

U. minor - Lesser Bladderwort
U. australis - Wavy Bladderwort
U. vulgaris - Greater Bladderwort
U. intermedia - Intermediate or Flat-leaf Bladderwort
U. ochroleuca - Pale or Yellowish-white Bladderwort
U. stygia - Nordic, or Artic Bladderwort
U. bremii - Bladderwort

U. vulgaris

There are also a few P. grandiflora forms described in Ireland, with white, pale-lilac or purplish-pink flowers.

What is perhaps the most surprising is the number of aquatic Utricularia. Aquatic Utricularia are thread-like and rootless plants that grow as a long network of thin stolons (specialised horizontal shoots or stems) blessed with fine branching photosynthetic leaves. Small bladder-like traps, which give rise to the plant's common name form on both the stolons and leaves in varying abundance. By-and-large the British Utricularia inhabit quiet, open, shallow nutrient-deficient pools, ponds and ditches.

Invite to Tepui Documentary Premier

As you may be aware, carnivorous plant expert and geographer/explorer Stewart McPherson has been assisting a non-profit conservation effort to help the protection of the Tepuis - the spectacular "lost worlds" of Venezuela that are home to Heliamphora, and other incredible wildlife, much of which is found no where else on Earth.

Part of the project was to produce a non-profit conservation documentary to raise awareness of the incredible diversity of life found atop of Mount Roraima, and to highlight the conservation concerns that afflict this spectacular lost worlds.

It is Stewart's pleasure to invite you to the world premier of the film in London at the Royal Geographical Society on September 13th, 2011.

The event will be hosted by Michael Palin (presenter for many travel documentaries and lead in Monty Python) who is the president of the Royal Geographical Society.

Sir David Attenborough has also agreed to attend, if his filming commitments allow. He will be joined by some well known television presenters and personalities who will be amongst the first to view some world exclusive footage of when Jimmy Angel discovered the legendary Angel Falls, amongst incredible material of rare carnivorous plants, spectacular animals and the strangest landscapes on the planet.

The project, and the premier are both non-profit making. However, the conservation group behind the project does have to hire the RGS venue, and to cover costs, it is asking just £15.00 per ticket per person – available at http://lostworld.eventbrite.com . V.I.P. tickets, which include a drinks and canapés reception and the opportunity to meet our specially invited guests are priced at £50.00 and can be ordered by calling 0207 609 6775 and quoting 'Lost World'.

Stew really hopes to see you at the premier. It will be a night to remember!

Posted on behalf of

Stewart McPherson 

EEE 2011 is a resounding success

On the weekend of the 2^nd and 3^rd of July the Carnivorous Plant Society hosted the EEE 2011 at Chester Zoo in a blaze of sunshine, with hardly a cloud to be seen all weekend. As a top public attraction Chester Zoo was the perfect location to showpiece carnivorous plants.

With the great weather, the presence of a dinosaur exhibition, and superb local and national media interest, the Zoo was filled to the rafters with around 20,000 visitors over the weekend, a large number of which made their way to the EEE Village. Tim Bailey, Chairman of the CPS recalls: "Fixed in my memory is a little boy practically dragging his dad towards the Exhibition! 

Tim also comments: "The quality and range of plants displayed and traded was exceptional! Not surprising given the talented growers we are blessed with in the UK and on the Continent."

Visitors gather around the trade stands

National Collections of Drosera and Heliamphora (Langford Williams), Sarracenia and Dionaea (Mike King), Nepenthes (Derek-Clavell-Bate) and a display of Pinguicula (Dennis Balsdon) where highlights in the main marquee. 

National Collection of Drosera

Another highlight was the CPS display, which formed the centerpiece attraction. To the side was the CPS Hydroponic and Peat-free display, showing that there is life after peat and new ways to grow these amazing plants! 

Hydroponic and Peat-free Display

Complimenting the main marquee was the wonderful artwork of James O’Neill, and the CPS promotions stand and kids corner, which proved extremely popular, so much so that some of the adults shook of the years to join in the activities!

The trader stands were stacked to the rafters with an amazing array of genera, species, forms and varieties to suit all appetites and tastes.  Trading were Mike King (Shropshire Sarracenias), Derek Clavell-Bate, Phil Wilson/Alex Abrams, Frank Almedenni (Euroflora), Andreas Wistuba (The Nepenthes Nursery), Gert Hoogenstrijd (Araflora/Extreme Plants), Langford Williams/Becky Gardner (PJ Plants), Steve Taverner, Simon Lumb, Phil Green and Chris Crowe (Sarracenia Nurseries) and Andy Smith representing Hampshire Carnivorous Plants. 

Mike King - Shropshire Sarracenias

Stationed at the CPS History and World of Carnivorous Plant Stand was actor and botanist Chris Bailey who played the part of Charles Darwin. From the same display the CPS also held a number of very well attended and received cultivation workshops: Dionaea/Sarracenia (Tim Bailey), Nepenthes (Derek Clavell-Bate), Pinguicula (Dennis Balsdon) and Drosera (Langford Williams). Also provided was a full

lecture programme, with superbly delivered talks by Gert Hoogenstrijd (General Carnivorous Plant Cultivation), Andreas Wistuba (Nepenthes and Ant Plants of Sulawesi), Rob Cantley (Nepenthes – New Ecological Discoveries), Diana Williams (Life with Nepenthes) and Mike King (NCCPG – Plant Heritage). 

Dennis Balsdon says: 'EEE 2011 exceeded our expectations thanks to the dedicated CPS Committee, traders, exhibitors, lecturers, helpers and of course the visitors who made the event such an amazing success." 

Dennis Balsdon - CPS Membership Secretary and EEE Organiser

Ark of Life - Stopping Extinction

The Carnivorous Plant Society support the Ark of Life conservation initiative. The Ark of Life was founded by Stewart McPherson in 2010 and formally launched on 1st March 2011.

The first ark is the Rare Nepenthes Collection, which was inaugurated on 7th August, 2010 at the Leiden Botanic garden in partnership with the Hortus botanicus Leiden (represented by Paul Kessler) and the International Carnivorous Plant Society (represented by Marcel van den Broek). 

Nepenthes aristolchiodes - Courtesy of Stewart McPherson

The initial set up costs for establishing Ark of Life and setting up the Rare Nepenthes Collection were provided by the International Carnivorous Plant Society and Redfern Natural History Productions Ltd.

Rare Nepenthes plants were generously donated by The Nepenthes Nursery (Andreas Wistuba) and Borneo Exotics (Robert Cantley), as well as private individuals interested in the conservation of carnivorous plants.

The CPS is delighted to support Ark of Life and to help to expand the initiative to save other carnivorous plant groups, and further plant and animal species!

If you want to find out more about Ark of Life and to support this important conservation initiative visit Ark of Life

Courtesy of Stewart McPherson

About Ark of Life

Ark of Life is a nonprofit organisation set up to save species that are already extinct, or nearly extinct in the wild. By building and organising permanent collections of imperilled plants and animals in partnership with botanic gardens and zoos, we aim to support an ex-situ approach to conservation to prevent extinct species from vanishing altogether. Each collection, or "ark" serves as a resource to preserve the genetic diversity of extinct organisms in cultivation, to ensure that in the future, repopulation of the wild remains viable.