Half Moon Bay ~

Yesterday, I paid a visit to my favorite grower in Half Moon Bay: Worlds Rare Plants.

Richard, Production Manager, took us on a behind-the-scenes tour of the greenhouse – which included a peek at two “carnies” I hope will become available to the public (i.e., moi) very soon: Cephalotus follicularis (Australian Pitcher Plant) and Heliamphora (“sun pitchers”)!

Big things…

Welcome to World’s Rare Plants
	Nepenthes



A sea of Sarracenia –	and this was only one section
of the Greenhouse.

Even more exciting was seeing Richard’s personal collection of Nepenthes (“hanging pitcher plants” or “monkey cups”) – some very rare. He’s been collecting carnivorous plants for decades.

Until you see the varieties of Sarracenia massed together you miss the (often subtle) differences between them: color variation, pitcher shape (trumpet, squat), “lip” shape, hood (frilly, winged), growth pattern (erect, prostrate, compact). The same can be said for Nepenthes: pitcher shape, color variation, lip and shape of hood. With sundews and flytraps the differences occur (mostly) in color variation and growth patterns.

If you’re ever in Half Moon Bay put their store on your list of “places to visit”.

Thank you Phil, Jan, Mary, and Richard
for your hospitality