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 flava

Sarracenia flava 'red form' Cook's Bayou, Bay Co, FL

Bay Co, FL

First described
2013

A red-pitchered S. flava from Cook's Bayou, Bay Co, FL — a source population reported extirpated. Originally documented in 2013 with a rubricorpora-vs-atropurpurea question mark; by 2025, Mike calls it "unquestionably an atropurpurea." 36 Mike-photos spanning 12 years.

Origin

Wild-origin S. flava from Cook's Bayou (also colloquially "Chef's Bayou") in Bay County, FL. The source population is reported to no longer exist, per Mike's 2014 statement, with no specific year of extirpation. Original collector and date are [MISSING].

The clone arrived to Mike with a label suggesting S. flava var. atropurpurea, but reviewer kiwiearl argued (and Mike initially agreed) that it might be more accurately a typical western FL red-expressing flava without formal atropurpurea status. Over 12 years of cultivation, full red coloration developed; by 2025 Mike calls it an atropurpurea unambiguously.

History

  • Pre-2013: Wild collected (year, collector [MISSING]); Mike acquires.
  • 2013-05-18 (post 1): First forum documentation, with photobucket photos that were later lost. Mike notes the distinctive "kink" in the lip and red interior.
  • 2013-05-20 (post 2-3): Forum discussion on whether 'atropurpurea' is the right label.
  • 2014-04-20 (post 4): One division finally colors up, body bright red. Mike documents same-clone phenotypic variation between adjacent pots.
  • 2014-04-25 (post 5): More photos.
  • 2016-04-21 (post 8): Mike rediscovers a larger surviving division he had thought lost.
  • 2017-05-02 (post 9): Update.
  • 2020-05-06 (post 11): "It's been a very long time since this clone has colored up for me like this, YESSSSSSSSSSSS!"
  • 2020-05-17, 2022-06-01, 2022-06-24, 2025-06-23, 2025-07-24: Continued documentation. By the 2022-06-24 update, Mike says "this clone atropurpurea-ed up pretty hard this season."
  • 2025-07-24 (post 16): Mike's verdict — "unquestionably an atropurpurea!"

Standout traits

  • Solid red pitchers at full coloration (eventually achieved).
  • Distinctive "kink" in the lip — visually recognizable shape.
  • Strong red interior even when exterior isn't fully red.
  • Phenotypic variance year-to-year is unusually pronounced.
  • Source population extirpated — conservation interest.

Cultivation notes

Standard S. flava care. Expect heavy year-to-year phenotypic variation; don't conclude mislabeling on a single underwhelming year. Full coloration may require many years of established growth — Mike's plant took ~7 years to consistently show its full color.

Photos

See gallery below — 36 Mike-photos spanning 2014 through 2025.

Standout traits

  • Capable of solid red pitchers when fully colored up — Mike (2025-07-24): 'unquestionably an atropurpurea!'
  • Distinctive 'kink' in the lip / mouth shape (Mike, 2013-05-18) — visually striking even without the color
  • Strong red interior / throat coloration even when the exterior isn't fully red
  • Possible Killer-clone resemblance — Mike speculates breeding offspring might resemble S. flava 'Killer' (the extreme-red-blotch clone) when used as a parent
  • Heavy phenotypic variance year-to-year — Mike (2014-04-22) notes the same clone can look 'remarkably different' across seasons; a chameleon trait shared with S. leucophylla 'Hurricane Creek White' (Mike's comparison)
  • Source population extirpated — adds conservation significance
  • Veining on the lid is distinctive — fine, dark vein pattern

Cultivation

  • Phenotypic variance is normal. Don't conclude the clone is mislabeled if a single year's traps look different from prior years' photos. Mike has documented this clone looking "remarkably different" across years.
  • Light matters. Mike (post 1) notes the lid hadn't turned solid red outdoors but suspects greenhouse / different conditions could push it further. By 2025 he's documented full red expression — ~12 years of observation gives a sense of what's possible.
  • Standard S. flava culture otherwise.

Photos (36)

Cook's Bayou red form, 2014-04-20 — bright red body finally colored up on a division— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2014-04-20 — same plant, different light; developing pitchers not fully colored yet— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2014-04-20 — rubricorpora-like lid; clone's source location reported extirpated— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2014-04-20 — same clone, separate pot side-by-side, very different look— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2014-04-20 — distinctive lid veins— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2014-04-20 — closer to the 2013-photo phenotype— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2014-04-25— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2014-04-25 — 'red interior is very intriguing'— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2016-04-21 — Mike rediscovered a larger surviving division— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2016-04-21— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2016-04-21 — atmospheric shot— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2016-04-21 — distinctive lid— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2016-04-21— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2016-04-21— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2016-04-21— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2017-05-02— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2017-05-02— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2020-05-06 — 'It's been a very long time since this clone has colored up for me like this, YESSSSSSSSSSSS!'— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2020-05-06— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2020-05-06— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2020-05-06— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2020-05-17— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2020-05-17— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2020-05-17— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2022-06-01— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2022-06-01— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2022-06-01— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2022-06-24 — Mike: 'This clone atropurpurea-ed up pretty hard this season!'— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2022-06-24— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2022-06-24— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2022-06-24— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2025-06-23— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2025-06-23— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2025-06-23— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2025-07-24 — Mike: 'unquestionably an atropurpurea!'— Mike Wang
Cook's Bayou red form, 2025-07-24— Mike Wang

Naming

Mike's informal 'red form' label, descriptive of the deep red pitcher coloration the clone produces. The thread title at one point uses "atropurpurea(?)" with a question mark — the taxonomic placement is not settled. Forum reviewer kiwiearl (post 2, 2013-05-20): "no atro in my opinion" — argues this is a typical western Florida flava with red expression, not a formal atropurpurea. Mike (post 3): "I agree...just respecting the label that it came with." By 2025-07-24 (post 16) Mike declares it "unquestionably an atropurpurea!" after observing fully solid-red expression.