Cobra Lily (Darlingtonia) Generał Information
Darlingtonia, or the Cobra Lily, is an exceptionally beautiful and unique pitcher plant. The delicate window-like appearance to the upper portion of the pitcher is striking, with the cobra like tongue near the opening lives up to the common name. Known for being difficult to grow, these plants tend to be not as common among growers. Their habitat is the main reason for this, as it is rather tricky to recreate the conditions they enjoy. If you can overcome these challenges, Cobra Lilies tend to be incredibly rewarding plants to grow.
Etymology
Darlingtonia is a reference to the Philadelphia born botanist, William Darlington. Californica refers to California, where it was initially discovered. Sadly, that makes this plant's name relatively easy to break down. Instead, I want to at least mention that William Darlington is an incredibly fascinating individual to look into. He had quite the career and it's easy to see why he would've inspire somebody to name a plant after him.
Botanical History
Darlingtonia Californica was first discovered in 1841 by the botanist William D. Brackenridge at Mt. Shasta. The species would not be formerly described until 1853 by the botanist John Torrey. It was then that John Torrey decided to honor William Darlington by naming the genus and species after him. All of these individuals have fascinating histories which are a great glimpse into how field botany operated back in the 1800's. The communication to discuss new findings and formerly describe them in an era without the internet or even telephones is a completely alien concept to modern day sciences. If Darlingtonia was discovered today, it would likely have less than a few years from discovery to description, opposed to the 12 years back then!
Habitat & Behavior
Cobra Lilies occur in a very particular habitat and range along the western portions of Northern California and Oregon. Typical habitats are areas with running water, usually seeps or rivers. They can be found in the occasional bog, though one common trait is the presence of serpentine rock. This is an ultramafic rock that is usually toxic to most plant life. This makes the plants that adapt to growing in serpentine rich soils have the advantage of much less competition. The species usually occurs in mountainous areas, where more highland conditions and mountain streams provide a cooler environment. Darlingtonia is known to occur in rivers, streams, and bogs that rarely exceed 80F at their roots. Inadequate root temperatures are likely the most common reason for Cobra Lilies dying in cultivation.
The traps are more intricate than most other pitcher plants, being almost entirely enclosed, except for a small round opening. The window-like cut outs confuse the insects into think that there's a way out and they crawl in further to their doom. Downward facing hairs cause the prey to progress further into the pitcher until it eventually drowns. Cobra Lilies maintain their pitcher fluids much like Nepenthes as opposed to Sarracenia or Heliamphora which can be more readily diluted or filled by the rain.
Issues Facing Genus
Cobra Lilies face a rather small list of conservation issues. Thankfully, due to their more remote and mountainous location, most populations aren't in immediate danger of being developed. Poaching remains a rather prime concern, though their availability makes demand for poached specimens rather low to non-existent. The major issue facing the species is climate change warming up their streams and bogs to a point that the plants can no longer sustain healthy growth.
Section Breakdown
Cobra Lilies exist as a single species within their own genus of Darlingtonia. Darlingtonia belongs to the larger Sarraceniaceae family, which also consists of Heliamphora and Sarracenia. The relationship between these three genera is most prominent in their young seedling stages, where all three grow similarly shaped pitchers. Being found in both North and South America shows that the family likely evolved to meet the specific conditions of the Americas as they spread from Pangea. Darlingtonia represents the existing populations that adapted to the conditions along the mountains near the California and Oregon coastline. Cobra Lilies also share a similar love for cooler temperatures to the relatives, Heliamphora, yet go dormant like Sarracenia.
Lifecycle
The life cycle of a Cobra Lily begins as winter turns to spring. Requiring cold stratification, the seeds readily start to germinate as warm weather returns. The small pitchers lack the complete hoods of more mature specimens and are much more suited for capturing tiny prey items. This stage can last upwards of 2 years, but usually lasts only the first year at most. Winter rolls around and the first dormancy begins.
After the first dormancy, plants usually start to produce their first “mature” pitchers. During this stage, Cobra Lilies will start to grow much readily. After the second year's dormancy, exceptionally vigorous plants will flower as spring approaches. More typically, 4-5 years of growth can be expected before a flower will emerge. At this point, the plant has reached full maturity. Before this point, stolons will emerge and act like runners, vegetatively propagating the plant as they grow. This leads to large colonies forming in good conditions.