Darlingtonia californica, "The Cobra Lilly"

Found in California, The Cobra Lilly is one on the most prized of all plants in a Carnivorous collection. Developing huge pitchers up to 60cm long the Cobra makes a very impressive specimen plant. The Cobra Lily was given its name because of the unusual pitchers that curve upwards, has a rounded head and has two projections coming from the mouth that appear like fangs. The Cobra Lilly is truly one of natures wonders.

The Cobra Lilly comes from areas where cool running water permeates the ground and therefore the plant is not very tolerant of high temperature. Cobras are considered challenging to grow and much is dependant on where the plant is kept.

Cobras should be kept in a well shaded and ventilated position in the summer months. The plants should only be potted into live sphagnum moss which should be kept wet at all times. In our houses, we find that if the plant is sitting in water it will not do as well as in wet moss, unfortunately to keep the plant cool we must keep the pots sitting in water. Our best plants are grown in large polystyrene trays rather than pots. Reproduction is by runners underground. These runners can be chopped up to produce new plants or allowed to reach the surface where they produce new plants.

Cobras may only be fertilized with a weak dose of fertilizer about once a month over the warmer months. The water they are sitting in should be flushed out once a month.

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