Report from Meadowviw Event

[PlantAKiss]

Hi everybody

October 11th was the Fall Event at Meadowview Biological Research Station located near Thornburg, Virginia.  I was accompanied to the event with PFT forum member Cynic81.  

 I thought I would share some photos from the day.

Meadowview, run by director Phil Sheridan, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and restoration of CPs (mainly sarracenia) in Virginia and parts of Maryland.  They schedule a CP event every quarter and for this fall we had speaker Bill Scholl talking about a trip to the jungles of Sumatra to hunt for nepenthes.  It was a fascinating talk with a video of some of what they saw.  I don't know the names of all the expedition members but it included Bill, author and nep expert Charles Clark and one of our very own PFT moderators, Troy Davis (Fatboy)!

The day dawned cloudy but the rain held off so we could all enjoy being outside to see the plants.  From the top left: Meadowview's entrance sign; the beautiful pond located across the street; lunch was served...and there is Cynic81 stabbing a carrot!; Phil Sheridan showing a group the propagation pots carefully tented for protection.  Note that Cynic is watching verrrrrry closely.  

After lunch and some general wanderings outdoors, everyone gathered inside to hear Bill Scholl's talk.  The accompanying video was incredible!  The scenery was breathtaking--neps everywhere, huge lakes, vines, mosses, dripping leaves and there were even a few critter shots (a huge orange flat worm, a gigantic millipede, a rhinoceros beetle and...*gag* a leech on Bill's bloody leg&#33

and some orchid shots. From the top left:  Bill with the display of some nepenthes books waiting to start the talk; Bill studying notes as he stands in front of the map where he indicated their locations; Phil Sheridan, Director; two photos of an aroid? (not sure...maybe Troy or someone can identify this)...one of the smelly plants--it was stunning!; a rather blurry pic but I had to include it...a huge clump of n. ampullaria that brought ooohs and aaaaahs from everyone; Charles Clark talking about a nepenthes.  I wish everyone could see the video with all the variety of neps and local flora.  It made you understand why people want to go on these expeditions.  I can't describe how beautiful it all was (well...except for that leech...).

After the talk everyone dispersed to explore the grounds and the plants.  Phil (third from the left) chats about the various sarracenia.

Here are some composite photos of the many sarracenia.  I can't I.D. them all although I know some of them.  If anyone wishes to be bold and try to I.D. them that would be great.  

  The flava in the photo is HUGE...the lid is almost the size of the span of my open hand!  I LOVE the flavas!

More sarracenia...just beautiful!

And even more!

Isn't that a beautiful clump of cephalotus?!  

 To die for!   And no its not for sale.  You couldn't afford it if it were...it was in a gigantic pot.  The s. psittacina is pretty too.

OK...I'd love to get an I.D. on this one...very unusual looking.  The tube was tall and thin, flaring to a very gaping, steeply sloping "mouth".  The lip was a very bright magenta and the very flat lid stands straight up.  Interesting little guy!  Anyone know what sarra it is?

This was an neat example of opportunistic critters living in partnership with the pitcher plants.  Cynic found this spider web built to funnel right down into a purpurea pitcher...the spider is hoping to snag some of the bugs going to the pitcher.

And lastly, this is the motley group of CP enthusiasts from as far away as New York who came to enjoy this wonderful day at Meadowview.

Thanks to Phil Sheridan and his wife Marge for hosting the event and to Bill Scholl for the fascinating talk.  And to Mother Nature who held off the rain til after it was all over.  It was a really fun day.  

Suzanne

 

[SnowyFalcon]

Wow, those are some awesome pics! I hope someday my Sarr collection will even come close to that! Congrats to all who got the pleasure of seeing all those plants in person!

SF

 

[Tamlin Dawnstar]

Hmmm, seems like all the CP notorieties have pony tails. Far out man! Thanks for the taste!

 

[schloaty]

Wow, those are some great pics! What is that sar with the magenta lips? S. x 'Neon Sign'? So cool!

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Hmmm, seems like all the CP notorieties have pony tails.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

Really? Well....looks like I'm destined for greatness....

 

[PlantAKiss]

I wear a ponytail sometimes...does that count?

I want to post this on the sarracenia forum in hopes of maybe getting in I.D. on that "gaping" sarra, but of course the forum isn't working right. (BTW...Phil IS working on that.)

Hmmm..maybe I'll post it to the ID that Plant forum.

Well...I'd better go stick my hair up in a pony tail.

 

[D muscipula]

Gonna stop cutting my hair and hope it helps my poor sarrs...

PlantaKiss, i'm pretty sure that carrion plant is called a Rafflesia flower. Wonder who THAT could be named after...

Beautiful photos of beautiful plants. Nice job! I've never seen so many amazing sarrs before, or even knew that they existed.

 

[jeffsz28]

so all those cps stay outside year around??

 

[Mike King]

Thanks for that Suzanne, I wish I could have been there too! We had an open day here on the same day in England:

Enjoy the pics! http://www.cpukforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1169

 

[Cynic81]

I would've replied much sooner, but such are the demands of college life

The plants were more than we could've expected. I saw at least one purp with a pitcher big enough to fit my entire fist! Flavas that come as close as anyone's going to get to rivaling GardenofEden's titans! And as PlantAKiss has already shown, some magnificent cephs. Phil also had sprigs of Red Aldrovanda for sale. And of course the big lipped Leuco (my vote goes for S X "Rolling Stone". You know, with the huge lips... never mind

).

Unfortunately, all was not quite pleasant. As PlantAKiss told me on the way to Meadowview, several rare Leucos were murdered by herbicide spraying

. PlantAKiss can give more detailed info, but Phil suspects the neighbors are retaliating for his having to kill several squirrels to protect the plants. Either that or the squirrels have finally declared open war

. He's also had to pay a large sum of his own money in order to put a fence around the propogation area to prevent further casualties. I suggested to Marge as we were leaving that whoever is responsible should be fed to the giant flavas. The sheer childishness of it is infuriating. These people are just as bad as poachers. And I'm stopping here before I enter rant territory.

Other than that unpleasantness, the day was quite enjoyable. It warmed up enough to where I could take off my coat, and the sun even managed to peek out for a few minutes. At least the rain held off until the drive home. I got Bill Scholl's autograph (don't even try looking on eBay, I plan to enjoy it for a whiel

). And I managed to snag a few sweet D. Binatas, and a pair of D. Capensis courtesy of PlantAKiss

All in all, a good day indeed.

 

[alandallas]

Beautiful pics PlantAKiss! Looks like you all had a great time wandering amongst all of that eye-candy. All of the pitcher plants looked great but I have to say, the leukophylla "all
green form" made me drool!!
BTW, I sent Meadowview a check a couple of weeks ago, but I haven't received a confirmation that they received it and my main worry is, with the ineffency of the postal service here, the check could very well be in Naples, FL or even Tuna, TX. I also am keeping in mind that they (Meadowview) may be busy and just haven't had any spare time on their hands.
Anyway, thanks for showing the wonderful photos.

Alan

 

[PlantAKiss]

Hey Alan

Thanks for the compliments. Yes, it was a lot to look at! And I'm with you...that all green form leuco is my desire as well. It is next on my list...when I get the money that is. No matter who offers it, it always carries a hefty price. I've wanted that one for a long time.

And thanks for supporting Meadowview. That's very nice of you. I can ask Phil S. about your check if you want. He is always busy. I HOPE he's busy working on the newsletter because I'm going to be doing it for him.

Mike K., I wish you could have come too! But I also would have loved to go to your Open House. I didn't realize it was the same day. It is too bad all that big water gets in the way of getting there.

Jeffsz28--yes, sarrecenia stay out all year 'round. They are a temperate species.

Thanks for the compliments everybody. I wish everyone could have come. That would have been so fun!

 

[larry]

Cool pics Suzanne! Just one question, are you in any of these pics?

 

[PlantAKiss]

Larry... I have more sense than that! I am BEHIND the camera... hehe. I make sure I stay there too. Photogenic I am NOT.

I couldn't afford to pay for a new camera lens if I broke it.

 

[alandallas]

PlantAKiss, thanks for offering to ask Phil, but I spoke with him today and he has definitely received the check. As long as I know that it got there, I am perfectly happy. I can't wait to get my first copy of the newsletter and patiently I shall wait for it.

Yeah, I also used to wear a ponytail and occasionally I think about growing it back. Anyway, haircuts are just too expensive nowadays.

Alan

Oh yeah! I wanted say that my conversation with Phil was a worthwhile and most pleasant one. He is a very nice and informative guy. It never occured to me that he would know some of the people that I have worked with on bogs here in Texas.

 

[D muscipula]

It was indeed a busy day in the CP world. That was the day of the first annual New England Carnivorous Plant Show, too.

Anyone who's curious can read about it on the web page. There are a bunch of pics of cool plants, but i'm afraid the sarrs there just couldn't compete with those at Meadowview.

 

[PlantAKiss]

Hey D Mus

Thanks for the link. That looked like a blast too! So many beautiful plants! And I saw Schhhhhhloatyyyy! Thanks for posting the link...I enjoyed that. I wish I could have split myself and gone to Mike's Open House and the NECPs event too.

That's pretty funny that there were three big CP events all on the same day. Popular day.

Suzanne