Cobra Lily is native to Northern California and Oregon. It grows in bogs of Sphagnum moss and in peat soils and gravel near cool springs and streams from sea level to several hundred meters altitude.
Cobra Lily also called as Darlingtonia californica, Cobra plant, California pitcher plant, Chrysamphora californica, is a carnivorous plant of the genus Darlingtonia. This species was described by John Torrey in 1854.
IDENTIFY COBRA LILY - DARLINGTONIA CALIFORNICA CARNIVOROUS PLANT
Cobra Lily is native to Northern California and Oregon. It grows in bogs of Sphagnum moss and in peat soils and gravel near cool springs and streams from sea level to several hundred meters altitude.
Darlingtonia californica has mostly-upright tubular leaves with a cobra-like hood complete with fang-like appendages. The leaves exude a sweet scent to attract insects to the plant. Nectar secreting cells line the trap opening and fangs, which attract foraging insects. The translucent window-like effect in the plant’s hood confuses the insects into making futile attempts at escape which ultimately ends in exhaustion, drowning and digestion. Unlike many carnivorous plants that produce enzymes to aid in digestion, Darlingtonia appears to rely on symbiotic microbes to help breakdown their prey.
The flowers of Cobra plant are also rather unusual. Each rosette of leaves generally produces a tall scape with a single flower in the spring. The flowers begin as upright buds, but become pendant when mature. Five yellow-green sepals hang loosely around five crimson petals. The petals almost completely enclose the reproductive whorls, except for windows formed by notches in adjacent petals, which allow access to the flower’s interior. 12 to 15 stamens are located at the base of a bell-shaped ovary. Darlingtonia flowers produce no nectar, and thus abundant pollen is the only likely reward for pollinators. Following pollination and subsequent fertilization, the flowers mature into upright capsules capable of producing over 2000 seeds.
COBRA LILY - DARLINGTONIA CALIFORNICA CARNIVOROUS PLANT CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Cobra Lily is preferable to grow outside in a cool spot in bright light, with light shade to filtered sun. Avoid hot masonry walls or hot courtyards. If grown indoors, put the plant in a brightly lit place but not too close to a window where the sun can shine onto the pots. It is normal for old leaves to brown off and die as new ones grow to replace them.
Temperature:
While the temperatures in much of the species's range can exceed 25 °C, their roots die back after exposure to temperatures not much higher than 10 °C. Temperature plays a large part in the functioning of all plants, but it is very rare for individual organs to have such different temperature tolerances.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Cobra Lily may be grown in baskets – the type used for aquatic water-lilies. Plants grown in baskets need to be watered by the tray system, with the baskets standing in several centimeters of water.
Alternatively plants may be grown in a compost comprising equal parts by volume sphagnum peat and perlite. Coir may be a potential alternative or part substitute to peat for Darlingtonia. Plants grown this way will still need to be watered by the tray system and can be flushed with cool water in hot weather for best results. As a further means of keeping the roots cool, plants can be grown in terracotta pots to encourage cooling of the roots through evaporation. Growing your plants in white colored pots also works well.
Darlingtonia californica do well in a standard compost comprising of peat, perlite and possibly grit or sand. The addition of about 15% coarse orchid bark has been shown to be very beneficial. You can also use 1 part live sphagnum moss to 1 part perlite for growing media. The dried Sphagnum will usually start to grow if kept moist and in bright light. Pre-soak the moss 24 hours before use to ensure that it is thoroughly wet and at the right pH. The moss will provide a cool root run for your plant and will give you a visual indication that the conditions are right – if the conditions are good for the moss it will be good for the plant.
California pitcher plant need repot when the plant appears to be outgrowing its pot, or when the potting media appears to be deteriorating.
Watering:
Use rainwater where possible. If tap water has low or neutral pH it can be used, but ensure that the watering is done from above. Flush the tray out completely every two weeks or so, to ensure that dissolved salts/minerals/contaminants are removed.
Fertilizer:
Do not feed the plant. It is not needed, and will raise the nutrients in the pot to a toxic level and may kill your plant.
Rest period:
Cobra Lily goes dormant in winter. Plants originating from coastal areas generally require less of a dormancy period.
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