Darlingtonia californica • Seedgrown Cobra Lily • Rare Red Alpine Form

Darlingtonia californica, the famous Cobra Lily, is one of the most unique and sought-after carnivorous plants. This listing features the rare Red Alpine Form, grown from seed - meaning each plant is a unique genetic individual, no two alike.

These plants are now around 4 years old and measure approximately 5–7 cm, already showing juvenile pitchers with their first cobra heads forming. As seedgrown plants, they promise exciting variation in colour intensity, growth habit and pitcher form as they mature.

In nature, Darlingtonia grows in cool mountain seeps and alpine bogs. The Red Alpine form is especially prized for its striking colouration and adaptation to cooler root conditions. Mature plants develop the iconic hooded traps with translucent “windows” that confuse prey and guide them into the pitcher.

Bright light is key to bringing out the best colour in this form - outdoors in bright (but cool) sun or indoors under full-spectrum LEDs for terrarium cultivation. Under ideal light, the red alpine trait expresses beautifully, rewarding growers with vibrant colour.

These specimens are fully acclimatised to South African conditions and supplied in a Cultivo Rootball Plug™ for easy transplanting. Simply pot them up into a suitable carnivorous mix, or grow them in a terrarium or paludarium where you can enjoy their unusual form up close.

🌱 Availability: Only 2 plants available - you will receive one of the exact plants pictured.

Quick FAQ

Q: Is shipping safe for Cobra Lilies?
Yes! These Darlingtonias are pre-rooted and sent in a Rootball Plug™ - Cultivo's “plug and play” version that keeps roots intact and makes transplanting stress-free. Younger Cobra Lilies actually settle in more easily than mature plants, making this the ideal stage to establish them in your collection.

We also use our deluxe packaging methods to protect the plant in transit and only ship with trusted courier services that understand how precious these amazing plants are. Your cobra lily will arrive healthy, safe and ready to grow.

Ordering

• 🛒 Website items are available online only – We ship anywhere in South Africa
• ⏳ Processing Time – Paid orders are usually processed within 24 hours on weekdays and shipped within 1-2 days (Monday to Friday)

Payment

• 🔒💳 Secure Payments – Pay via Yoco, Payfast, EFT or Buy Now, Pay Later (Happy Pay)
  

Delivery

• 🚚 Delivery Options – Full tracking available with Pargo and door-to-door courier. Pickup and Local delivery within Gauteng available
• 📧 Order Updates – Opt-in for email notifications by checking the box at checkout
• 💰 Shipping Rates from R139 – Get a free, instant estimate using the shipping calculator on the cart page before checking out! This rate covers all packaging materials and actual delivery costs—what you see is what you pay - no hidden fees!
• ✨ Free Shipping on all orders over R2000

• Just a quick heads-up: Since plants are natural products, you might notice some slight variations when unboxing your plants
• We do our best to make sure the plants you receive look like the ones in the photos, but keep in mind that seasons change and plants grow. Some leaves might age and die off, new ones might sprout and the plants may look a bit different over time
• Cultivo is a boutique-style store and 99% of what we sell are one-of-a-kind collector items, so you will receive the exact plant pictured. Some are once-off or limited releases, which means they are available only while stocks last. The labels are spot on, so even if the plant looks a bit different, we 100% guarantee it’s the real deal
• Also, all the photos you see are of our own plants unless we mention otherwise. We update images occasionally to keep things fresh. If you want to see updated pictures before you buy, just let us know - we’re happy to help!