Blogging in Myrtle Glen

Monday close-up:

nepenthes rafflesiana

Flower on my Nepenthes rafflesiana.
I am not sure why this flower did not develop into a long inflorescence  as it does on my other Nepenthes plants.

not very showy

This Nepenthes, or pitcher plant grows well in a hanging pot in well draining mix of orchid bark and soil. It likes to be kept warm, in light shade and with high humidity, so when temperatures drop below 35F I bring it inside.

nepenthes rafflesiana

nepenthes rafflesiana

Nepenthes are not grown for their flowers but for the pitchers, those pitchers are heavily modified leaves.
Insects crawl into the pitchers searching for nectar. Once inside, the pitcher walls are too slippery for them to crawl back out.  They drown in the liquid and digestive enzymes released by the plant do the rest.

pitcher of Nepenthes rafflesiana

 

Tricyrtis formosana 'Gilt Edge'

This herbaceous perennial is native to Japan. A wonderful plant
for part shade, loves the clay soil we have here, does not mind the hot summers nor the past two extreme cold winters.

But, I found just two varieties suitable for Central Florida, Toad Lily Sinonome and Gilt Edge .
Most of the Toad Lily varieties prefer the cooler temperatures of growing zone 8 and cooler.

The plant forms nice compact mounts about 3 ft tall, and during
fall it is covered in attractive and unusual flowers, looking like delicate little orchids.

(Tricyrtis 'Sinonome')

Toad Lily

a mass of flowers