Question
QUESTION: I have been reading info from all over the web lately and came across some interesting comments in one forum (in the UK I believe). The people in there were discussing whether or not the Hummer's Giant is truly a different cultivar or if it the same as a regular ceph, and just grows larger, hence people call the larger specimen by a different name. They were trying to determine the lineage of where HG came from. Have you heard anything similar to this?

ANSWER: Hi Holly,

This is a common debate that goes on all the time with plants selected as cultivars.  Keep in mind that a cultivar is simply a plant selected for unique features, then gets registered.  It can be either a species or a hybrid, but it has to be propagated vegetatively to get the same features.  I think the debate comes from plants that show unique features in their native habitat, but when grown out of that habitat, they revert to typical.  Some of the marl bog Sarracenia purpurea are like that.  However, you have other examples like the Okeefenokee Giant S. minor that shows distinct differences no matter where it is grown.  It is markedly different from the typical plants.  I would have to say from the specimens in our own nursery, that the Cephalotus "Hummer's Giant" is also in the same category.  When grown beside typical Cephalotus they are always larger.  I would say that it's cultivar status is warranted.

On the contrary, some of the Venus flytrap forms I'm a little more dubious of.  Some like Dente, Akai Ryu, Red Pirhana, etc...  These seem very distinct and warrant cultivar status.  Many others I've seen don't look much different from the typical variations the occur in regular Venus flytraps.


Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: In the case of the cephs then, will you ever offer both varieties, typical and HG?
Thanks for the reply.

Answer
Hi Holly,

I would expect us to have the typicals back online if a couple of months or sooner.  Hummer's Giant is going to be awhile since we just aquired some of these and haven't started propagation yet.


Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com