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

sarracenia alata

Sarracenia alata 'Night' Stone Co, MS

Stone Co, MS

Breeder
Tom Cahill (UC Davis seed grow-out and selection)
Collector
ICPS (wild-collected seed)
First described
2012

A premier dark S. alata — wild seed from Stone County, MS, collected by ICPS, grown out by Tom Cahill at UC Davis, with this clone selected for vigor, shape, and color from the seedling batch. Capable of meter-tall traps that go dark purple to almost black under optimal conditions. Documented from 2012 to 2025.

Origin

Wild seed from Stone County, MS, distributed via the ICPS to Tom Cahill, who grew out a seed batch at the University of California, Davis. From many seedlings, this individual was selected for its combination of vigor, shape, and color. Mike Wang acquired the selected clone at some point pre-2012.

Wild collection year and the selection year at UC Davis are [MISSING].

History

  • Wild seed collected (year [MISSING]) and distributed by ICPS.
  • Grown out at UC Davis by Tom Cahill; this individual selected.
  • Pre-2012: Mike acquires the clone.
  • 2012-07-24 (post 1): First forum documentation. Mike summarizes the provenance and notes meter-tall trap potential.
  • 2012-07-27 (post 8): Mike's note about selfed 'Night' offspring performing better than outcrossed offspring under at least one observed cross.
  • 2012-08-30 / 09-09: Updates with end-of-season color.
  • 2018-06-18: Mike's first photographs from his new grow site — with a wistful note about his old site being easier.
  • 2018-07-31: More photos and Mike's gibe about hasty varietal taxonomy.
  • 2025-10-06 (post 51572): Mike re-shares Matt Miller's photographs of his Mike-acquired plant — among the most spectacular images of 'Night' in the thread.

Standout traits

  • Tall — traps can reach a meter.
  • Capable of dark purple → almost black in optimal conditions.
  • Bulbous, fuzzy pitchers (Matt Miller, 2025) — distinctive shape and texture.
  • UC-Davis-selected for best-of-batch vigor, shape, and color.

Cultivation notes

Standard alata culture; full sun. Color shows up best as nights cool and dark hours increase. Bright red color can show up early in the season under the right conditions.

Photos

See gallery below — 22 Mike-photos plus 4 Matt-Miller photos that Mike re-shared in 2025.

Standout traits

  • Tall — traps can reach a meter (~3 ft) in height (Mike, 2012-07-24)
  • Dark purple to almost black under optimal conditions; bright red coloration shows up early in the season
  • Best vigor, shape, and color of many seedlings grown out by Tom Cahill at UC Davis from the original wild seed batch
  • Bulbous pitcher shape — Matt Miller (2025-10-06): 'I love the bulbous shape of the pitchers and they're fuzzy too!'
  • Fuzzy / pubescent pitcher exterior
  • Selfed offspring can be even darker — Mike (post 8, 2012-07-27): 'they selfed S. alata night, and the selfed plants look better than the outcross! Some were almost black'

Cultivation

  • Color comes with cool nights and increasing dark hours — Mike (2018-08-07): "The traps will likely turn solid red as the nights cool down and as the number of dark hours increase."
  • Bright red can show early in the season under the right conditions, before the deeper purple-black phase.
  • Standard S. alata full-sun culture. Mike noted (2018-06-21) that his old grow site was easier for cultivating these plants than his new site (no specifics on what made the difference).

Photos (26)

'Night', 2012-07-24 — first forum documentation; bright red color showing up early— Mike Wang
'Night', 2012-07-24— Mike Wang
'Night', 2012-07-24— Mike Wang
'Night', 2012-07-24— Mike Wang
'Night', 2012-07-24— Mike Wang
'Night', 2012-08-30— Mike Wang
'Night', 2012-08-30— Mike Wang
'Night', 2012-08-30— Mike Wang
'Night', 2012-08-30— Mike Wang
'Night', 2012-08-30— Mike Wang
'Night', 2012-09-09— Mike Wang
'Night', 2012-09-09— Mike Wang
'Night', 2012-09-09— Mike Wang
'Night', 2018-06-18 — summer trap with nice early color— Mike Wang
'Night', 2018-06-18— Mike Wang
'Night', 2018-06-18— Mike Wang
'Night', 2018-06-18 — younger pitcher (left) with little pigment vs older trap (right)— Mike Wang
'Night', 2018-07-31— Mike Wang
'Night', 2018-07-31 — Mike's gibe about hasty varietal naming— Mike Wang
'Night', 2018-07-31— Mike Wang
'Night', 2018-07-31— Mike Wang
'Night', 2018-07-31— Mike Wang
'Night' grown by Matt Miller (flytrapcare.com), shared by Mike, 2025-10-06— Matt Miller (shared by Mike Wang)
'Night' grown by Matt Miller, shared 2025-10-06— Matt Miller (shared by Mike Wang)
'Night' grown by Matt Miller, shared 2025-10-06— Matt Miller (shared by Mike Wang)
'Night' grown by Matt Miller, shared by Mike 2025-10-06 — 'JESUS!.......is lord'— Matt Miller (shared by Mike Wang)

Naming

'Night' references the dark coloration the clone is capable of — Mike (post 1, 2012-07-24): "It can get dark purple to almost black under optimal conditions."