Sarracenia Pitcher Plants
Sarracenia are the tall, trumpet-shaped pitcher plants of North American bogs, and they're the toughest carnivorous plants you can grow. Most are hardy outdoors to zone 6, and some purpurea types to zone 3. They trap wasps, flies and moths by the dozen in summer. Pick white-topped leucophylla for color, yellow flava for height, or one of the many hybrids for both.
How to choose Sarracenia Pitcher Plants
- Tall species: flava, leucophylla and alata grow pitchers 2 to 3 feet tall and look best in a bog garden or large pot.
- Compact species: purpurea and psittacina stay low. They suit small pots and windowsill-sized displays.
- Hybrids: named hybrids like Scarlett Belle are vigorous and colorful, and usually easier than pure species.
- Division size: a medium division or 1-quart pot gives you full-size pitchers sooner than a seedling.
Sarracenia Pitcher Plants at a glance
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Light | Full sun, 6 to 8+ hours; weak light means floppy, green pitchers |
| Water | Distilled, rain or RO water; sit the pot in a tray, never let it dry |
| Soil | Peat and perlite or silica sand, 1:1 |
| Hardiness | Most zones 6 to 9 outdoors; purpurea to zone 3 |
| Dormancy | 3 to 4 months of cold, 35 to 50°F |
| Mature height | 6 inches (psittacina) to 3 feet (flava, leucophylla) |
How to plant a Sarracenia
- Mix peat moss and perlite or silica sand 1:1 and wet it with distilled or rain water.
- Use a tall plastic pot, at least 6 inches deep for tall species, with drainage holes.
- Set the rhizome horizontally just under the surface with the growing point facing up, and firm the mix around the roots.
- Stand the pot in a tray of 1 to 2 inches of pure water. Keep it topped up all summer.
- Place it in your sunniest outdoor spot. Pitchers color up within a few weeks of strong sun.
- In fall, let it go dormant outdoors. Mulch the pot or sink it in the ground below zone 7.
Common problems
- Pitchers browning in fall: Normal. The plant's heading into dormancy. Trim the dead pitchers in early spring before new growth starts.
- Green, floppy pitchers: Too little sun. Sarracenia want the hottest, brightest spot you've got.
- Crispy edges in summer: The tray ran dry or you used tap water. Switch to pure water and keep the tray full.
FAQ
Can Sarracenia grow indoors?
Only under very strong light, and they still need a cold winter. They're far easier outdoors.
Are pitcher plants winter hardy?
Most survive zone 6 to 9 winters outdoors in the ground or in a bog garden. In pots, protect the roots from hard freezes below about 20°F.
What's the difference between Sarracenia and Nepenthes?
Sarracenia are upright, cold-hardy bog plants from North America. Nepenthes are tropical vines that hang pitchers from their leaf tips and don't tolerate frost.
Do I feed my pitcher plant?
No. Outdoors it catches plenty. Never put fertilizer in the soil.
Related collections
Carnivorous Plants · Venus Flytraps · Nepenthes Tropical Pitcher Plants · Sundews · Live Plants
