Gardening with Carnivores: Sarracenia Pitcher Plants in Cultivation & in the Wild
A family of carnivorous North American pitcher plants that grows  wild in the Southeastern United States, the colorful and  striking Sarracenia thrives in nutrient-poor areas, especially  near bogs and swamps, and is also surprisingly cold-hardy. Thus,  Sarracenia offers gardeners an unusual alternative. In this  unique work, Romanowski, an Australian biologist and commercial  grower of aquatic plants, first introduces the history, habitat,  and function of Sarracenia, covering such topics as how the  plants attract and capture insects, pollination and germination,  and efforts at conservation in the wild. He then presents the  ten major taxa, with thorough descriptions of each. Part 2  covers the plants' cultivation, including nutritional needs,  pests and problems (which are relatively few), propagation  techniques, and constructing a bog garden. These plants are easy  to hybridize, a process covered here in detail. Part 3 discusses  the value of the plants as cut flowers and provides valuable  advice for establishing a business. Illustrated with 79  beautiful color photographs, the book also includes a list of  worldwide carnivorous plant societies. Recommended for both  public and academic libraries. Phillip Oliver, Univ. of North  Alabama Lib., FlorenceCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.