I recently came across some articles in botany journals that describe populations of naturalized Dionaea muscipula (Venus Fly Traps) in NJ Pine Barren bogs. The latest article I found was from 1972, and it mentions a site where Dionaea was established and reseeding from plants placed there several decades earlier. I decided to visit the bog this morning, but I found nothing. The plants might have been lifted, or they could have died off naturally since the article was written. Does anyone know if stands of transplanted Dionaea still exist in the Pine Barrens? I'd like to see them at some point, but have no idea if wild populations can still be found in NJ.
Venus Fly Traps in the NJ Pine Barrens
- Thread starter haribo
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I've heard that Elizabeth White had them growing in Whitesbog for a while but she's been gone since 1954 and they didn't long afterwards.
To my knowledge there never was a truly wild population of Dionaea in NJ. Only those which the Gent. from Green Bank planted in back in the 30's. The last patch I knew of was inundated when they re-built the Dam at Harrisville. If there is any left anyone who knows of it is keeping it to themselves. Much like the patches of "showy orchids" that still exist.
If anyone is really interested in finding Dionaea in the wild, the best place I know of is in North Florida, out in the Panhandle. Tate's Hell National Forest is 170,000 acres, in Franklin Co. There are several meadow areas in excess of 200 acres each and densly populated with Dionaea. I mention this as there are 2 roads that go through the Forest. 2 of the most spectacular meadows can be seen without getting out of your car. [something I don't recomend during "Yellow fly" season.]
If anyone is really interested in finding Dionaea in the wild, the best place I know of is in North Florida, out in the Panhandle. Tate's Hell National Forest is 170,000 acres, in Franklin Co. There are several meadow areas in excess of 200 acres each and densly populated with Dionaea. I mention this as there are 2 roads that go through the Forest. 2 of the most spectacular meadows can be seen without getting out of your car. [something I don't recomend during "Yellow fly" season.]
If I had the time, I'd be tempted to plant in some of the new hybrid pitchers. There are some new ones that are outstanding. I believe our climate here is still a little extreme to sustain Dionaea for an extended period of time.
I know flytraps are native to NC and the winters down there approach ours in terms of low temps but I believe the winters are a bit shorter which of course means the growing season is a bit longer.perhaps this would stop the flytraps from making it here? I had them several times as a kid bought at the local store and they never lasted long.ether this was my fault or not I don't know but I read later that the growth conditions are hard to meet precisely and that many people have a hard time keeping them alive.
When it comes to invasives aren't we all invasive? Everyones in the western hemisphere including the Indians have ancestors that came from the Old World.We're all invasive so i suggest we all get over it.Perhaps we should worry more about the Dandelions in our own yard then the strange pitcher plants in someone elses?
When it comes to invasives aren't we all invasive? Everyones in the western hemisphere including the Indians have ancestors that came from the Old World.We're all invasive so i suggest we all get over it.Perhaps we should worry more about the Dandelions in our own yard then the strange pitcher plants in someone elses?
They are native to NC which they grow in and their Zone is 8 and above. So it would be very hard for them establish here unless we consistently get zone 8 winters such as the one we just had. Most of the Pine Barrens are zone 6 unless your near the shore where its zone 7.
Rave
Rave
Those southern yellow Pitcher Plants were making it just fine here till the plant police yanked them up.Perhpas flytraps aren't as versatile. It's worth a try anyway.Anything that eats flying insects could only be an asset to the Barrens as far as I'm concerned.
There must be a distinction made between Invasive non native species and beneficial non native specie. Unfortunately that isn't happening. Trumpet pitchers are not the same threat as for instance Purslane. Run a rototiller through a patch of purslane containg 10 or so large plants, and you have a solid patch numbering hundreds. It only takes a segment of stem to grow a new plant.
With the pines ever changing, whose to say that Yellow pitchers were not at one time, native here. However, having seen folks pull up to the Wildflower preserve at Bowman's Hill and jump out armed with spades and boxes, and help themselves, it's very possible that the missing pitchers were swiped by a misguided citizen.
With the pines ever changing, whose to say that Yellow pitchers were not at one time, native here. However, having seen folks pull up to the Wildflower preserve at Bowman's Hill and jump out armed with spades and boxes, and help themselves, it's very possible that the missing pitchers were swiped by a misguided citizen.
At one time I had a MASSIVE collection of Pitcher plants, sundews and about 6 or so cultivars of Venus Fly traps. I even hybridized quite a few (sarracenia). All but a few Australian and asian species of Carnivores were grown outside all year. All species of Sarracenia are perfectly winter hardy here as are Venus Fly traps and ALL species of North American Sundews with the exception of the "All Red Form" of Drosera filiformis from Florida which has no dormancy stage. The southeastern species of Butterworts are a little more tender. Last I knew there were about 3 different populations of Venus fly traps that were introduced, but only one may? still exist?? As far as Pitchers go, Sarracenia flava, minor, rubra and the hybrid Catesbaei have been introduced into the pines possibly others as well.
I don't buy into the modern theories as to the cause of global warming though I do believe the planet is warming for entirely different reasons and if the planet is warming then southern plants and animals are going to naturally come this way as we have seen already with the advent of opossums in the past 100 years and I have been seeing Brown Pelicans lately along the bayshore.You should also see northern species beat a hasty retreat.What I'm getting at is nothing is static.You cannot put a lid on Barrens flora and fauna and expect it to stay that way. I also don't believe every extinction event happens to be mans fault though of course many are. I know where a couple of Barrens Bald Cypress happen to resdie and have for almost 100 years.I don't see the ecology collapsing around them yet.If they wait another century they may have company.
I realize this has been a while, but there are quite a lot of Venus fly taps along the water edge at Scotland Run park in Clayton
Are you sure they're not sundew? We are way north of Venus Flytrap range.Could you take a pic of them? I would make the trip up there just to see that
We saw Venus fly trap in its native environment in Green Swamp, NC a few years back. The gent who planted non-native species in the PB was actually from Lower Bank although I imagine there have been many throughout the years.. I'm interested in seeing the changes in flora of NJ occur naturally as the climate and landscape change. It's an interesting process and worthy of closer study. FYI - It's also common knowledge in the professional & academic botanical community of several persons (again, likely more) who intentionally and without scientific basis plant rare species within the pine barrens.
