Farewell to Black Jungle's Retail Store

The Retail Store

Earlier this month, I learned that Black Jungle Terrarium Supply was ceasing to exist as a retail store, and would only persist as a mail-order business. I am saddened by this news. It was Black Jungle's annual June sale that brought me back into the carnivorous plant world a few years ago. The ability to go to the store and pick out the plants I want will be sorely missed.

Me Looking Through Plants

Due to the fact that Black Jungle would be shuttering their operation, I decided to take a final journey down there. (You can read about prior trips here and here).

A Tray of Nepenthes

Given that it's winter, most plants available are Nepenthes. These are not too well organized, so, by digging through all the plants, you can often find some plants that are not listed on Black Jungle's website, and others that are listed as out-of-stock.

A Sad, Dying Nepenthes vogelii

You can also find some sad plants that just hadn't quite made it...

Tray of Nepenthes

I thought this picture pretty clearly showed the variety of conditions of the plants. This variety is true elsewhere (I've mail-ordered a few plants, notable a Nepenthes ovata, which just never did recover from treatment before I received it).

Hanging Nepenthes

Due to the downsizing to a mail-order only operation, Black Jungle is trying to clear out some of its stock plants as well. The ones they are trying to get rid of are ones like Nepenthes 'Gentle', Nepenthes 'Miranda', etc., not the "rarer" ones like any of the bicals or amps. (I specifically asked).

Nepenthes truncata

This giant Nepenthes truncata was also not for sale. That was probably for the best, as I have no where to put it, but I really can't wait for mine to grow that large!

Me Holding Some of My Prizes

It's sad to think that I could have this picture taken of me during the final months of Black Jungle's retail store within a few years of the first picture of me getting back into carnivorous plants.

New Nepenthes in Quarantine

At least I can provide some of the plants a home. For now, of course, they're in individual quarantine. I've had pests introduced via plants from Black Jungle before, and I no longer add plants directly to the collection from any source.