Chomp! They Came from the Swamp!

Through October 19th, 2014, the special exhibit at the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco is Chomp! They Came from the Swamp, an exhibit of carnivorous plants.

There is already an impressive collection of tropical Pitcher Plants in the rest of the greenhouse to see, but this exhibit had a few carnivorous plants I didn't know about. 

This section of the greenhouse had almost constant misting going on, giving the room an ethereal feeling. In the center of the room stood several giant carnivorous plants.

I haven't had  much experience growing these plants, only murdering a Venus Flytrap here and there.

Enjoy the exhibit!

Giant Cephalotus

Giant Cephalotus Baby

Giant White Trumpets

Cephalotus follicularus

Cephalotus

Dionaea (Venus Flytrap)

Dionaea (Venus Flytrap)

Sun Pitchers

Pitcher Plant in Flower

Butterwort (Pinguicula)

Pinguicula

Pinguicula

 

Sarracenia (White Trumpet)

Sarracenia

Giant Dionaea (Venus Flytrap)

Amorphophallus (not sure which one) in a steamy room

 

Cobra Plants and Hooded Pitcher Plants

Cobra Plant (Darlingtonia)

Rainbow Plants (Byblis)

Rainbow  Plants (Byblis)

Rainbow  Plants (Byblis)

Purple Pitcher Plant

Conservatory of Flowers

The Conservatory of Flowers was my last stop in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco.

 

This conservatory opened in 1879, making it the oldest public glass and wood greenhouse in North America. It is a city, state and national historic landmark!

It has survived a boiler explosion, earthquakes, closure for structural instability, and severe windstorm damage.

In 1999, a $25 million dollar restoration took place with the conservatory reopening in 2003.

I cannot express the sheer joy and glee I had wondering around in here. I had multiple "plantgasms".

The conservatory is broken out into sections: Potted Plants, Lowland Tropics, Highland Tropics and Aquatic Plants. There is also a special exhibit area, which I will showcase in another post.

In the Lowland Tropics, plants from low-laying tropical forests are featured. Plants from Mexico, Brazil and Indonesia.

It's a jungle in there!

Pavonia strictiflora (Goethea strictiflora)

Chocolate!

 

There was a great selection of Pleurothallids, Masdevallias, and Draculas in the Highland Tropics. As a former "Orchid Geek", it was fun to see plants tucked in here and there. This room had it's own fog to simulate the cool temperatures and high humidity of  being at 3,000 feet elevation. It was amusing to balance taking lots of pictures with keeping my camera out of the constant mist.  

Dracula bella

Nepenthes lowii 'Mulu'

Petrocosmea begonifolia

Restrepia antennifera

Barbosella cogniauxiana

Bulbophyllum 'Elizabeth Ann'

The Aquatic Plants room featured plants from the Amazon and Mekong.  There was a large collection of pitcher plants and Bromeliads

A world in a bowl.

 

Guzmania conifera

 

Gorgeousness!

Bulbophyllum blepharistes

Pitcher Plant in bloom.

The Potted Plant area had an assortment of orchids, bromeliads, begonias and other interesting plants. Upon entry into this room a beautiful Schomburgkia splendida was in flower with it's long arching bloom spike.

Schomburgkia splendida

Globba schomburgkii (Dancing Girl Ginger)

A mix of Phalaenopsis

Nepenthes robcantleyi

Zamia roezlii

Vireya rhododendron

Tacca chantrieri (Bat Flower)

The special exhibit was of carnivorous plants. I will include the special exhibit in a special extra post.