Darlingtonia Californica

Darlingtonia californica, the cobra lily or California pitcher plant, is the sole species of the monotypic genus Darlingtonia, native to cold serpentine seeps and bogs in northern California and southern Oregon. Its dramatically hooded pitchers—shaped unmistakably like a striking cobra—are among the most visually distinctive structures of any carnivorous plant. The dome of the hood is translucent, confusing trapped insects with false 'exit' light in a manner analogous to Sarracenia minor's window mechanism. The plant's most demanding cultivation requirement is cool root temperatures: in nature, its roots are bathed by cold, oxygen-rich upwelling groundwater, and in cultivation the root zone must be kept below approximately 15°C in summer to prevent decline. Pure or rainwater, sphagnum media, strong light, and cool ambient temperatures are all required.

Insects (auto-capture)