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 rubra

Sarracenia rubra 'Ancestral' Crawford Co, GA

Crawford Co, GA

First described
2015

A tall, chameleon-like S. rubra 'Ancestral' from Crawford County, GA — a separate locality from Mike's better-known Taylor Co, GA Ancestral accessions. Phenotype shifts dramatically over years (jonesii-like → rubra/gulfensis-like → with subtle wherryi vibes per other growers). Documented from 2015 to 2020 (12 Mike photos).

Origin

Wild-origin S. rubra 'Ancestral' from Crawford Co, GA. Original collector and date are [MISSING]. Recent literature (CPN v47n4 2018) may reclassify Ancestral material as S. rubra subsp. viatorum; alexis prompted a re-label discussion in 2020.

History

  • Pre-2015: Mike acquires.
  • 2015-07-16 (post 1): First forum doc — Mike rediscovered the plant after 2 years of overlooking it.
  • 2018: Forum member clue posts flickr links from a seed batch he grew out and distributed.
  • 2020-07-14 / 10-01 (posts 5-6): Plant has matured; phenotype has shifted toward rubra ssp. rubra/gulfensis.
  • 2020-10-24 (post 7): alexis raises the viatorum re-classification question.
  • 2021-06-13 (post 8): clue's 2021 photos under the new viatorum label.

Standout traits

  • 2-foot pitchers on small rhizomes.
  • Phenotypic chameleon — looks dramatically different across years.
  • High genetic diversity within the broader Ancestral group; this clone is one data point in a much wider variation pattern.

Cultivation notes

Standard rubra care.

Photos

See gallery below — 12 Mike-photos spanning 2015 through 2020.

Standout traits

  • Crazy tall pitchers — about 2 feet (~0.6 m) tall on a relatively small rhizome (Mike, post 1, 2015-07-16)
  • Phenotypically chameleon — Mike (post 5, 2020-07-14): 'every time I see this plant, it looks different! A few years ago, it looked like a jonesii, now it looks like a big rubra ssp. rubra/gulfensis!'
  • Very different from other Ancestral accessions Mike grows — Marion Co Ancestrals look gulfensis-like; Taylor Co Ancestrals look more rubra-ssp.-rubra-like; Peach Co looks like a jonesii x gulfensis cross
  • Reflects the high genetic diversity Mike attributes to the broader Ancestral group
  • Forum member clue (post 8, 2021): 'fairly squat in the upper third and with an undulating lid. I feel like this really gives off subtle wherryi vibes despite coming from the middle of Georgia.'

Cultivation

Standard rubra care. Pitcher size impressive even on small rhizomes — pot generously to allow size potential.

Photos (12)

Crawford Co Ancestral, 2015-07-16 — first forum doc; ~2 ft tall trap— Mike Wang
Crawford Co Ancestral, 2015-07-16— Mike Wang
Crawford Co Ancestral, 2015-07-16— Mike Wang
Crawford Co Ancestral, 2015-07-16— Mike Wang
Crawford Co Ancestral, 2015-07-16— Mike Wang
Crawford Co Ancestral, 2020-07-14 — now looks more like rubra ssp. rubra/gulfensis than a jonesii— Mike Wang
Crawford Co Ancestral, 2020-07-14— Mike Wang
Crawford Co Ancestral, 2020-07-14— Mike Wang
Crawford Co Ancestral, 2020-07-14— Mike Wang
Crawford Co Ancestral, 2020-10-01— Mike Wang
Crawford Co Ancestral, 2020-10-01— Mike Wang
Crawford Co Ancestral, 2020-10-01— Mike Wang

Naming

Mike's 'Ancestral' label, locality-tagged. A separate accession from his Taylor Co, GA Ancestrals. Forum member alexis (post 7, 2020-10-24) suggested re-labelling as *S. rubra* subsp. *viatorum* per the 2018 paper at CPN v47n4 p152-159 (link preserved in source thread). clue (post 8, 2021-06-13) subsequently uses the *viatorum* label.