cubes of purified water on the soil surface. They prefer sunny conditions if in a humid, warm location, and prefer part-shade if humidity is low or fluctuates often. Plants can adapt to low humidity conditions, but optimum growth occurs under reasonable humidity. Growing cobra lilies from seed is extremely slow and cobra seedlings are difficult to maintain, so these plants are best propagated from the long stolons they grow in late winter and spring. When a minute cobra plant is visible at the end of the stolon (usually in mid to late spring), the whole stolon may be cut into sections a few inches long, each with a few roots attached. Lay these upon cool, moist, shredded long-fibered sphagnum moss and place in a humid location with bright light. In many weeks, cobra plants will protrude from each section of stolon. Like many other carnivorous plants of temperate regions, cobra lilies require a cold winter dormancy in order to live long-term. Plants die down to their rhizomes in frigid winters and will maintain their leaves in cool winters during their dormancy period. This period lasts from 3 to 5 months during the year, and all growth stops. As spring approaches, mature plants may send up a single, nodding flower, and a few weeks later the plant will send up a few large pitchers. The plant will continue to produce pitchers throughout the summer, however much smaller than the early spring pitchers. Many carnivorous plant enthusiasts have succeeded in cultivating these plants, and have developed or discovered three color morphs: all green, all red, and red-green bicolor. Wild-type plants are all green in moderate light and bicolor in intense sunlight. See also Darlingtonia Botanical Wayside, Florence, Oregon References External links Calflora Database: Darlingtonia californica (California pitcherplant) USDA Plants Profile for Darlingtonia californica (California pitcherplant) Darlingtonia State Natural Site Botanical Society of America, Darlingtonia californica – the cobra lily U.C. Photos gallery – Darlingtonia californica RHS Gardening – Darlingtonia californica Growing Darlingtonia californica – ICPS Sarraceniaceae Carnivorous plants of North America Endemic flora of the United States Flora of California Flora of Oregon Flora of the Klamath Mountains Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Stoloniferous plants Rhizomatous plants Plants described in 1853 Taxa named by John Torrey