About
This carnivorous perennial, with upright pitchers produced in spring, almost continuously in summer, and in autumn: they are 35-45 cm high on mature plants, with mouths up to 4 cm wide, the front lips of the mouths turned down, and above them lids up to 8cm across with frilly, upturned edges, and the pitchers are white veined with green and pale pink at first, then darken from the lid downwards until the lids are deep red and the pitchers are deep purple with pink patches; small red flowers appear in spring.
About the genus
Sarracenia can be evergreen or herbaceous, rhizomatous perennials with rosettes of phyllodes mostly modified into insect-catching tubular pitchers with hooded lids, and solitary, nodding cup-shaped flowers in spring
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeLoam
Soil pHAcid
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Poorly-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH3
Plant details
Plant typeBogs, Conservatory Greenhouse, Houseplants
HabitClump forming, Columnar upright, Matforming
FoliageEvergreen
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesPatio and container plants
Care notes
CultivationGrow under glass, keep moist in full light with shelter from hot sun. Use an acidic potting medium with moss. In winter, keep slightly drier, cool and well ventilated. Irrigate with lime-free water. They will generally lose some of their leaves over winter during a period of dormancy. Most Sarracenias can be grown outside in milder parts of the country, but care should be taken in colder conditions. Choose a position in full sun, sheltered from cold winds. See carnivorous plant cultivation
PruningNo pruning required. Remove dead leaves as necessary
PropagationPropagate by division in spring
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to scale insects, mealybugs, aphids, and tortix moth caterpillars
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free