Kenny and I went on an expedition to see if we could spot carnivorous plants in Longleaf Pine Preserve for my birthday. There are reports of Drosera capillaris, Drosera brevifolia, Sarracenia minor, Pinguicula caerulea, and Pinguicula lutea in the area and I was excited about the prospect of observing carnivorous plants in situ.
The preserve has wide paths with ample room.
There were large patches of Mimosa strigillosa, many of which were flowering. They are native plants known as the sunshine mimosa. Even though they aren’t carnivorous, they will fold their leaves when touched much like their better known cousin, Mimosa pudica. My inner child couldn’t help but harrass several specimens to watch the great example of rapid plant movement.
Many plants were in bloom. These little pink flowers were pretty common along the trails. If you know their identification, share it with me and I’ll update this post.
Finally! We found a small cluster of Sarracenia minor. One of them even had a flower on it.
Unforunately, those were the only specimens we found. Still, it was a fun and exciting trip and I’m glad to have finally laid my eyes on a native carnivorous plant in situ! I’m already looking for ideas on where the next trip should be. I’d really love to come across some sundews! If you know of any local sites, let me know about them.