Sarracenia flava var. rugelii GIANT (2AT Genetic Giant × Bob Hanrahan)

Origin

Mike's controlled cross — both parents genetic giant rugeliis:

2AT Genetic Giant (a Mike-internal-numbered rugelii giant)
Bob Hanrahan rugelii

Mike grew out a large seed batch from this cross many years ago and distributed several seedlings. The remaining batch (~40 plants) was left in a community tray in the "neglected section" — 5+ years without transplanting, decomposing peat, weed-overgrown, sardine-packed.

In winter 2025-2026, Mike noticed one plant in the neglected tray had pushed out a huge trap. Everything else in the batch produced regular-sized traps and was culled.

Why this is genuinely giant (Mike's diagnostic)

Big trap on a relatively small rhizome — only giant clones manage this. Most clones need a large rhizome before they can support a big trap.
Both parents are genetic giants — high-probability genetic-giant offspring.
Single individual stood out from the batch — giants are typically "one of a kind" within a seed batch, even when both parents are giants.

The hybrid-vigor question

Multi-year evaluation pending: is this clone a hybrid-vigor giant (sizes up year over year through outcross vigor) or a slow genetic giant (years of rhizome buildup needed before gigantic traps appear)? Both are valid giant phenotypes; they behave differently in cultivation.

Standout traits

Confirmed giant on Mike's diagnostic test — relatively small rhizome already pushed a big trap; matches the 'genetic giants only' pattern.

Both parents genetic giants — high-probability genetic-giant offspring expected from this cross.

The standout from a community-tray of ~40 surviving seedlings — the rest produced regular-sized traps and were culled.

Found despite extreme neglect: 5+ years no transplant, decomposing peat, weed-overgrown community tray.

Open question: hybrid-vigor giant (sizes up year over year, vigor from outcrossing) vs slow genetic giant — multi-year evaluation pending.

Cultivation

Mike's giant-clone diagnostic test (recurring across this wiki):

Big trap on a relatively small rhizome = giant-clone signal.
Both parents genetic giants = high-probability genetic-giant offspring.
Rest of seed batch produced regular-sized traps = a giant clone is "typically one of a kind" — not uncommon to get only one or a few in a sizable batch.

This clone passes all 3 tests.

Multi-year evaluation question: is this a hybrid-vigor giant (sizes up year over year, outcross vigor) or a slow genetic giant? Hybrid-vigor giants build size more quickly; slow genetic giants need many years of rhizome buildup before producing the big traps the genetics support.

Mike's framing: with a giant rugelii clone, you typically need an enormous rhizome before gigantic traps emerge. This clone's rhizome is mature-sized and already producing a big trap — that's why the diagnostic flags it as genuinely giant.