Carnivorous Plant Clone Wiki
Awaiting Mike's review. This entry was AI-extracted from forum posts. Treat specifics as a working draft until reviewed.

darlingtonia californica

Darlingtonia californica 'Alpine Farms' (RED) Del Norte Co, CA

Del Norte Co, CA

First described
2013
Type
wild population locality
Cultivar
'Alpine Farms'

Genetically RED color form from a wild seep population in Del Norte Co, CA. Mike's 2013 trip with Rob Co (Pitcher Plant Project) documented the site at unusually high red-plant density. Mike's later cultivation tests (2023-2024) provide direct evidence that the red trait is genetic — when grown side-by-side with the green Rattlesnake Creek form under identical conditions, only the Alpine Farms variant produces consistent solid-red bodies.

Standout traits

  • Genetically RED color form — direct evidence in cultivation: red plants colored solid red while green plants from Rattlesnake Creek (Josephine OR) stayed green under identical conditions (Mike, post #45 of thread 673, 2023-11-21)
  • Color expression is genetic, not purely environmental — confirmed by side-by-side cultivation tests with Stefan Barth (Mike, post #16 of thread 940, 2024-01-23)
  • Red color strongest in fall in outdoor culture; even genetically-red variants don't fully color until then
  • Indoor LED with anthocyanin-maximized spectrum can drive solid color year-round
  • Population has unusually high density of pure reds compared to other wild Darlingtonia sites

Cultivation

  • Cool-soil obligate — soil ≤75°F at all times. Air temps irrelevant if soil is cool ("can be 110°F out there and they'll still do fine if the soil stays cool"). Soil temps above 75°F for a few days can wipe out mature plants, particularly in small pots.
  • Smaller plants are more heat-tolerant than mature plants.
  • Outdoor cultivation: red color expresses fully only in fall.

Photos (10)

Alpine Farms RED, wild population Del Norte Co CA, 2013-10— Mike Wang
Alpine Farms wild population — high density of red plants, 2013-10— Mike Wang
Wild Alpine Farms, 2013-10— Mike Wang
Wild Alpine Farms — elegant red trap, 2013-10— Mike Wang
Wild Alpine Farms — natural color, no photoshop, 2013-10— Mike Wang
Wild Alpine Farms, 2013-10— Mike Wang
Wild Alpine Farms — bright red tongue, 2013-10— Mike Wang
Wild Alpine Farms — dense red population, 2013-10— Mike Wang
Wild Alpine Farms population, 2013-10— Mike Wang
The seep at Alpine Farms, 2013-10— Mike Wang

Naming

Site nickname — large pot grow found above the seep.