Darlingtonia, Northwestern California, Coastal Habitat 5/30/2010

[meizwang]

I suppose if you call the previous post the "mountain variety," the plants from this area are considered the "coastal variety." The plants in these coastal environments were a bit ahead of the mountain variety. They were still in the mountains so to speak, but perhaps at a lower elevation.

After hours of searching for Darlingtonia, the evening was approaching, and I was considering camping, until I saw this black bear!

This Calchortus sp. was growing in a field near the darlingtonia seeps. There are other bizzare plants out there besides the cobras

Cypripedium californicum, also known as the california lady slipper orchid, is only found in California and Oregon, and commonly inhabits Darlingtonia seeps. This very rare companion plant can have more than 20 blooms on a single spike! The fragrance is intense and sweet

Close up of Cypripedium californicum. Notice the darlingtonia in the background

Rhododendrons were blooming literally everywhere

To continue the theme of flowers, here's a darlingtonia bloom. It smelled like a weak S. flava flower

patch of Darlingtonia

A new pitcher of the coastal variety of Darlingtonia. These plants were definitely ahead of the mountain variety. There was no snow in the area

clump of Darlingtonia with their new pitchers just emerging

These pitchers are no joke-they're gigantic!

Edited June 12, 2010 by meizwang

[jimscott]

That's like 3"! That's huge!

[thez_yo]

Holy flying giant cobras batman, that last pitcher is HUGE!

[Kiwi Earl]

Ahh......that photo of the bear looks a bit shakey.......