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Sarracenia 'Doodlebug'
photo by Plant Delights Nursery
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By Dennis Carey and Tony Avent
Plant Delights Nursery Inc.
9241 Sauls Road
Raleigh, NC 27603
919.772.4794
Introduction
Carnivorous plants are certainly some of the coolest and most unique plants
in the plant kingdom. Plant carnivory as opposed to carnivore herbivory
is extremely rare. The largest group of carnivorous plants are the pitcher
plants and one of the largest genera of pitcher plants is the genus
sarracenia. Sarracenias are very exotic, almost alien-looking plants that
have unusual leaf shapes and incredible colors. They make excellent garden
plants in moist places in the garden or as container or terrarium plants.
If you are a fan of growing colorful, unusual, meat-eating plants, then
sarracenias are for you. Whether it's their unique foliage, fabulous flowers,
or ability to rid the world of unwanted insect pests, sarracenias are
indeed a wonderful group of plants.
We at Plant Delights Nursery and Juniper Level Botanic Garden grow 47
accessions of pitcher plants in our gardens and we offer around one dozen
species for sale. We urge our readers to visit the garden during our
Open House days to see our collection and to also check out our
web site to view our offerings.
Sarracenia History and Background
Sarracenias have been known to science since the 1570s, when the first
New World plant collections found their way to European botanists. The
botanist Carolus Clusius (in 1601) was amazed by the pitchers but was not
sure of their purpose. In 1754, botanist Mark Catesby described several
new species of sarracenia and noted that the hollow leaves served as some
sort of retreat or asylum for insects. However, it was not until 1815
that James MacBride observed pitcher plants closely and saw that flies,
attracted by nectar, entered the pitcher, where they became trapped inside
and died. In the 1870s J.H. Mellichamp and W.M. Canby made careful
observations of sarracenia plants and directly observed that the fluid
excreted inside the pitcher hastened the decomposition of the trapped
insects. Charles Darwin wrote a book in 1875 titled
Insectivorous
Plants which focused on sundews but also theorized that sarracenias
were insect-eaters. Finally, in 1904, the scientist C.A. Fenner put all
of the information together, and proved the carnivorous nature of
sarracenias. Sarracenias were very popular in British gardens in the
nineteenth century and, as is so often the case with our native plants, were
not popular in the US until "introduced" back to America by the British.
Pitcher plants "eat" insects by luring them into a specialized, cylindrical
leaf (the pitcher) using a combination of nectar, sweet scent, and
conspicuous coloration. The pitcher is an amazing structure that is able
to catch insects with no moving parts. This method of luring insects with
nectar is normally restricted to flowers, but pitcher plants use their
leaves as lures. The insects are forced to walk on a slippery vertical
surface in order to get to the nectar. Invariably, they slip and fall
down to the bottom of the pitcher into a pool of water. The insects will
either drown or die of exhaustion while trying to escape the watery trap.
Since the inside surface of the pitcher is very slippery and contains
downward pointing hairs, it is very difficult for insects to climb out
of the pitcher. Flying insects are intentionally mis-lead by
semi-transparent "windows" (areoles) in the pitcher that confuse the
insects and lure them away from the real exit. Once the insects die,
specialized glands on the inside surface of the pitcher excrete a fluid
containing digestive enzymes which liquefies the errant insects. The
liquid, nutrient-rich, bug slurry is then absorbed into the leaf
providing the pitcher plant with nitrates and phosphates. The main prey
of sarracenias are ants, flies, wasps, bees, beetles, slugs and snails.
Carnivorous behavior evolved in plants that live in barren, nutrient
deficient environments. These are typically swampy environments with
very acidic soil and little or no nitrogen or phosphorus. Carnivorous
plants use insects solely to get access to the nitrogen and phosphorus
contained in their bodies. Pitcher "traps" are one of five major types
of insect-capturing mechanisms that plants have evolved. The other
common ones are: Sticky-Flypaper traps that adhere to and suffocate
insects (sundew), Bear traps that quickly twist or wrap around prey
(venus fly trap), Bladder traps that use an underwater vacuum to suck
prey into a bladder (bladderwort), and Cork-Screw traps that make an
underground structure that insects can enter but cannot exit (corkscrew
plants). All of these plants trap their prey and then rely on bacterial
decomposition or enzyme action to break down the insect into its mineral
components which are absorbed into the leaf. A recent paper by M.W.
Chase of Kew Gardens hypothesizes that there are many more carnivorous
plants than science currently recognizes. Many plants have structures
that kill insects but do not digest them or absorb the nutrients.
Instead, the dead bodies fall to the ground and decompose naturally,
releasing nutrients to the roots. This type of pseudo-carnivorous plant
group includes common garden plants such as silene (catch-fly), tomato,
potato and petunia.
Pitcher traps are quite effective, thus several distantly related plant
families have evolved them at separate times. Pitcher traps are physically
the largest of all the carnivorous plant trap mechanisms; some can hold
over a liter of water and catch small animals such as frogs or rats.
Some pitcher plants are not carnivorous, but are instead detritivores.
They eat the "ahem" excrement of birds or small animals that use the
pitchers as toilets (I need to get some of these for my two dogs).
Pitcher traps are widely considered to have the most beautiful trap
mechanisms due to their amazing colors and shapes.
Author and pitcher plant expert, Stewart McPherson, hypothesizes that
the pitcher plant family sarraciniaceae evolved sometime between the
separation of dicots and monocots around 150-200 million years ago and
the separation of the American land mass from Europe and Africa about
70 to 65 million years ago. Unfortunately there is no fossil record of
sarracenia plant parts or pollen to pinpoint their origin.
Sarracenia species and sub-species colonized the eastern half of America.
At the peak of the last Ice Age during the Pleistocene Epoch (18,000
years ago), the current distributions of the various species of
sarracenia were fixed with the exception of
Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea.
It followed the retreating glaciers from North Carolina to Canada.
Sarracenia Morphology
Sarracenias are clump forming herbaceous perennials that grow as rosettes.
The size of the individual wild species varies from 6" tall
(Sarracenia minor) to over 36" tall
(some subspecies of Sarracenia flava and
Sarracenia leucophylla). The plants multiply
into clumps form a slowly spreading rhizome and a single clump can
eventually grow to be several feet or more in diameter. The pitchers
arise from the branching rhizome which contains fibrous roots 8-12"
(20-30cm) long along its length.
The pitcher is the main ornamental feature of the sarracenia plant.
It is a specialized carnivorous leaf that has morphed into a narrow,
hollow cone known botanically as an ascidium. The pitcher performs all
of the functions of a normal leaf including photosynthesis and water
regulation. In addition, it has several adaptations that allow it to
passively trap and digest prey. The opening to the pitcher is partly
covered by an outgrowth on the apex of the pitcher, called the lid or
hood (operculum) which prevents rain water from filling it up. The
lid also shades the opening of the pitcher which camouflages it and
makes it hard for the insects inside the trap to find the exit. The
point of attachment of the lid to the pitcher is referred to as a throat,
column, or neck. The inside face of the neck has a section called
the nectar bait which may or may not be conspicuously colored.
The neck exudes nectar primarily at this location. When insects climb
into the pitcher to consume the nectar at the nectar bait they slip
and fall into the pitcher.
The pitcher is the main ornamental feature of the sarracenia plant.
It is a specialized carnivorous leaf that has morphed into a narrow,
hollow cone known botanically as an ascidium. The pitcher performs all
of the functions of a normal leaf including photosynthesis and water
regulation. In addition, it has several adaptations that allow it to
passively trap and digest prey. The opening to the pitcher is partly
covered by an outgrowth on the apex of the pitcher, called the lid or
hood (operculum) which prevents rain water from filling it up. The
lid also shades the opening of the pitcher which camouflages it and
makes it hard for the insects inside the trap to find the exit. The
point of attachment of the lid to the pitcher is referred to as a throat,
column, or neck. The inside face of the neck has a section called
the nectar bait which may or may not be conspicuously colored.
The neck exudes nectar primarily at this location. When insects climb
into the pitcher to consume the nectar at the nectar bait they slip
and fall into the pitcher.
The color of the pitcher varies widely amongst the subspecies and may
be red, purple, white, green, yellow, copper or multi-colored. The lid
may be held parallel, perpendicular, at an angle or may curve over the
opening like a dome. In addition to nectar, Sarracenia flava produces a
paralyzing toxin called Coniine to help trap insects which is the poison
found in poison hemlock that killed Socrates. The pitcher itself may be
straight as in most species or curved
(Sarracenia purpurea). The pitcher is usually
held vertically, but may lie horizontally on the ground
(Sarracenia psittacina).
Sarracenia pitchers grow over a seasonal cycle. In the spring (April or
May) there is a flush of growth following the bloom that lasts through
the summer. The plant then enters a dormant state in the fall. Some
pitcher plants have a flush of growth in the spring and again in the
fall (Sarracenia leucophylla) but are
quiescent in the summer and dormant in the winter. When the plants go
dormant in the fall, many of the pitchers lie down, turn brown and die
back. Sarracenia psittacina and
Sarracenia purpurea are exceptions since
their leaves stay evergreen for 12 to 18 months. Some pitcher plants
produce different sized pitchers throughout the year and may have their
largest showiest pitchers in the fall (some less-commonly in spring).
The pitchers are often used in cut flower arrangements.
Some species of sarracenia have non-carnivorous leaves (called phyllodia)
in addition to the pitchers. Sarracenia alata,
Sarracenia flava,
Sarracenia leucophylla and
Sarracenia oreophila all produce
non-carnivorous sword-shaped (ensiform) foliage adapted specifically
for photosynthesis. Which allows the plant to successfully over-winter.
In addition, juvenile plants produce short (1"), red, tubular,
non-carnivorous leaves for up to 3 years before they mature and produce
their first true pitchers.
The flowers of sarracenia are just as unusual and fascinating as the
pitchers. The flowers are formed during a 2-3 week period during the
spring April to May (the exact dates differ for each species). The
flowers resemble upside down umbrellas atop 6"-24" tall stalks. The
flower color may be red, purple, pink, yellow, white, or copper and
the stigma may have a color that contrasts with the petals. Occasionally
the petals or other flower parts may be multi-colored. Within 1-2 days
of the flower opening, the stigmas become receptive and the anthers shed
their pollen, which falls into the umbrella-like tray where it is
available for insects to traverse on their way to the stigmas. Some
pitcher plant species have self-fertile flowers and some do not.
Similarly, some species have nicely scented flowers and some have no
scent. Bees and other winged insects are the primary pollinators.
The sarracenia seed pod that forms at the top of the upside-down umbrella
is a dry capsule that splits open along 5 seams at maturity exposing
from 20-300 small, papery, pear-shaped seeds. The seeds fall near the
parent plant but are buoyant and may float away. The seeds will germinate
after a cold stratification period.
Sarracenia Taxonomy
The largest family of pitcher-trap plants are the tropical pitcher plants
in the family Nepenthaceae (order Caryophyllales) with at least 90 species.
The Sarraciniaceae (order Ericales) are the second largest family with at
least 24 species. The Cephalotaceae (order Oxalidales) is a monotypic
family. All of these orders are dicots. There is also a monocot family,
the Bromeliaceae (order Poales) that contains 3 species of plants with
pitcher traps (Wow ... carnivorous bromeliads!). This wide variation of
families having the same convergent evolutionary trait is a testament
to the efficiency of the pitcher trap mechanism.
The genus sarracenia contains 8 species, 20 subspecific variants
(subspecies or varieties), 17 naturally occurring hybrid variants and
dozens of artificially created hybrids. Members of the genus sarracenia
have the common name "trumpet pitcher plant". The other members of the
family Sarraciniaceae are very similar in form including "marsh pitcher
plants" in the tropical genus Heliamphora and the monotypic genus
Darlingtonia which grows in Oregon and California and is commonly known
as "cobra lily" (no relation to Arisaema). The name sarracenia was given
to the genus by the botanist/taxonomist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort to
honor Dr. Michael Sarrazin, an eighteenth century Canadian physician who
was the first to gather a large collection of them.
Native Distribution and Habitat
The genus sarracenia is native to North America. Sarracenia has a
horseshoe-shaped natural range that starts in eastern Texas eastward
through the panhandle of Florida, moves north along the Atlantic coast
states to Newfoundland, Canada, and then west through southern Canada
all the way to British Columbia. The plants inhabit any permanently
moist site including swamps, lake edges, river banks, boggy pine forests,
marl fens, water springs or any other low-lying areas. Although they
cannot live in permanently flooded areas, sarracenias can survive
well in areas that experience temporary floods and submersion. It is
not surprising that they cannot tolerate long-term drought.
The greatest species diversity occurs between 30° and 40° north
latitude. Sarracenia habitats may be coastal, piedmont or montane
(mountainous). The individual species typically have small natural
ranges, except for
Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea which
extends from North Carolina and Tennessee north to Newfoundland and west
to British Columbia. Where the natural ranges of the species overlap
they readily hybridize. Sarracenias are generally tolerant of heat,
but there is some variation in cold tolerance within the genus. The
southern-most species (Sarracenia minor,
Sarracenia alata,
Sarracenia leucophylla,
Sarracenia psittacina, and
Sarracenia rubra) are winter hardy to
Zone 6 (with many into Zone 5), while the northern
Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea can be grown into Zone 3.
Sarracenia Conservation
All carnivorous plants in the US tend to be over-collected from their
native habitats for sale, and sarracenia is no exception. One of our
missions at Plant Delights Nursery and Juniper Level Botanic Garden is
to preserve endangered and threatened plants through ex-situ conservation.
Please refer to our published mission statement for details. We practice
conservation by propagation ... in other words we hope to preserve
endangered species by providing nursery-propagated plants to the public.
We grow ethically propagated native plants in our garden and provide them
to our customers in order to preserve species that are under pressure in
the wild. Please read
Tony Avent's interesting essay on native plants for greater insight
into our philosophy.
Unfortunately, many species of sarracenia are threatened or endangered in
the wild due to the fact that their native habitats are being altered or
inhabited by mankind. Sarracenia exists in the places that we like to build
homes or farms ... adjacent to bodies of water. Humans have filled in
lowland areas and have artificially lowered the water table in the majority
of the sarracenia's natural range. It is estimated that over 97.5% of
the original native habitat of the genus sarracenia has disappeared since
Europeans arrived in North America. Half of this habitat loss has occurred
in the last 30 years according to sarracenia experts. In the 1750s there
were wetlands that extended for hundreds of miles all over the US today,
most of these are gone causing many subspecies of sarracenia to become
locally extinct in large swathes of their historic ranges. Humans interfere
with fire ecology to protect their property and agriculture but this has
had the unintended affect of displacing sarracenias since they benefit
from periodic fires in their native habitats. Fires clear out the
undergrowth and prevent the forest canopy from closing over. The
Encyclopedia of Life (www.eol.org)
has distribution maps of several
Sarracenia species that show how few natural habitats remain.
The entire genus sarracenia is listed in the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Despite best intentions, CITES is
a classic example of bureaucratic bungling, where the cure is almost
worse than the problem it seeked to solve. The majority of sarracenia
species belong to Appendix II of the CITES agreement which means that
the species are not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in
which bureaucrats feel that trade must be controlled in order to avoid
utilization incompatible with their survival. CITES fails miserably to
take into account horticultural practices such as tissue culture, which
have no detrimental affect on wild populations. Currently, three
subspecies of sarracenia belong to Appendix I of the CITES agreement
which means that they are threatened with extinction and international
trade is permitted only in exceptional circumstances. The Appendix I
species are Sarracenia oreophila,
Sarracenia alabamensis, and
Sarracenia rubra ssp. jonesii.
The same three sarracenias are also listed as endangered on the United
States List of Endangered and Threatened Plants. Four other taxa of
sarracenia are also on the endangered species list as threatened:
Sarracenia leucophylla,
Sarracenia psittacina,
Sarracenia rubra ssp. rubra,
and Sarracenia rubra ssp. wherryi. In addition,
Sarracenia oreophila and Sarracenia
rubra ssp. jonesii are listed as endangered by the Center for Plant
Conservation at the Missouri Botanical Garden.
Because of their threatened and endangered status, gardeners who grow
sarracenia should only purchase plants from reputable nurseries that
propagate from cultivated stock plants. Look for labels that say
"nursery propagated" or "from cultivated stock". Nurseries may sometimes
use the ambiguous term "nursery grown" but that may simply mean the plant
was harvested from the wild and put into a pot. Feel free to question the
nursery about the origin of their plants. If you have any doubts, do
not buy the plant. It is best to buy named cultivars, as these are all
propagated from cultivated stock so there is no danger of them being
wild-collected.
Please support societies that are working to conserve sarracenia
habitats. There are several organizations in the US whose aim it is to
preserve and protect wild sarracenias. In addition to their conservation
efforts, the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Atlanta, Georgia has a program
to restore sarracenia habitats in Georgia pioneered by ABG Conservation
Director Ron Determan. ABG also maintains a large sarracenia collection
focused on genetic diversity. The Meadowview Biological Research Station
is doing the same in Maryland and Virginia. The Center for Plant
Conservation at the Missouri Botanical Garden has a living collection
of sarracenias that is used in re-population efforts. Dedicated to
conservation and cultivation, the North American Sarracenia Conservancy
works to preserve habitats all over North America.
Sarracenia Genetics and Breeding
Sarracenias are very easy to hybridize. There are no genetic barriers
between the species, just geographic barriers (all sarracenias have a
chromosome number of 2n=26). As a result, natural and artificial hybrids
are easy to produce and are common.
Many popular sarracenia hybrids were developed by the team of Larry
Mellichamp, of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and the
late Rob Gardner, curator of the carnivorous plant collection at the
North Carolina Botanical Gardens. Their goal was to create vigorous,
compact plants with an upright habit, whose leaves were not affected
by rain or wind, retained color throughout the winter, provided two
flushes of growth during the year and had novel attractive colors and
venation. The evaluations of their crosses were done in the 1980s and
1990s at the North Carolina Botanical Gardens in Chapel Hill, NC. Their
collaboration produced many cultivars including the Little Bugs™
series. Larry Mellichamp is, interestingly enough, related to
J.H. Mellichamp, the nineteenth century sarracenia expert mentioned in
the history section of this article.
Two other significant breeders of sarracenia are author Adrian Slack and
nurseryman / author Peter D'Amato who, between them, have released more
than twenty cultivars.
Sarracenia Culture
Sarracenias are generally easy to grow in a moist garden. In the wild
they are bog plants, but in the garden, a bog is not a necessity as long
as you do not let the plants dry out. The single biggest mistake in
growing pitcher plants in the ground is too keep them too wet. In the
wild, pitcher plants grow in areas that are seasonally flooded, but
these areas can become extraordinarily dry on the surface during the
spring and summer months. The best way to remember proper conditions is:
"if dry ankles, moist feet". We have had good luck growing pitcher
plants in our garden as long as the soil stays moist at a depth of 4".
The pitchers and other leaves will die throughout the year and the dead
foliage may be removed to keep the rosette looking tidy. However, dead
leaves should be left on the plant during winter for insulation and not
removed until spring. Other than that, no special pruning is needed.
In the wild, pitcher plants grow in sandy soils often containing high
levels of organic matter and have an acidic pH between 3.0 and 5.0.
In the garden, a 50:50 mixture of sand and peat moss is recommended.
If you want to construct your own specialized bog garden for your bog
plant collection, visit the Plant Delights Nursery and Juniper Level
Botanic Garden website for a great article from the Atlanta Botanic
Garden with specific instructions for building a bog.
Pitcher plants can be planted any time the ground is not frozen, providing
you can supply enough moisture. If your plants have been grown in a
container, plant them at the same depth that they are in the container.
If your plants are bare-rooted, position the plant so that the rhizome
is just below the surface of the soil. It is okay if a small portion of
the rhizome is exposed to light as this may stimulate leaf production.
All sarracenias prefer full sun and open habitats to thrive. If the shade
is 40% or greater, the plants lose their bright coloration and generally
decline in vigor.
Growing Sarracenias in Containers
Sarracenias can be grown in a container as long as you take steps to
keep the soil moist. Without question, the best soil to use in a
container is pure peat moss. After planting, it's often best to sit
the pot in a saucer of water to keep the peat evenly moist.
Pitcher plants do not fare well indoors and should remain outdoors
(where hardy) ... except when used as conversation pieces for wild parties.
We have repotted sarracenias in all seasons with good success.
Sarracenias are very sensitive to dissolved salts so stay away from
highly chlorinated water and water with a high nutrient content. Never
use chemically softened water. Do not feed pitcher plants with mundane
table scraps, chemical fertilizers, or bits of meat (although a fly
couldn't hurt). Pitcher plants should be able to get enough nutrients on
their own without any artificial help. Since animal meat has a lot more
fat in it than insect flesh, and pitchers cannot digest fat, raw meat
will cause the pitcher to rot. Fertilizer will burn the plants. Many
pitcher plants have died by the hands of over-zealous owners who
stuff "food" into the pitcher and douse it with Miracle-Gro.
Sarracenia Propagation
Pitcher plants can be propagated at home by division or by seed. If your
pitcher plant is happy, the rhizome will grow and new rosettes will
emerge close to the parent plant. These clones can be divided carefully
from the main clump, but your parent plant may take a year or two to
recover from the cutting before it resumes active growth. The best time
to make divisions is in the early fall while the roots are in active
growth. Modified leaf cuttings may also work if you take the entire leaf
with a small amount of rhizome attached to the base. Also, you can
stimulate new shoot formation along the rhizome by "notching" which is
the process of cutting a "v" a few millimeters deep into the top of the
rhizome at an old leaf node. Also, the rhizome may be divided during
dormancy into sections containing 4 or more leaves and 5 or more roots.
The seed pods ripen from early summer through fall depending on the
species and your location. Sarracenias are easy to hybridize by
swabbing pollen from one plant into the flower of another, but if the
flowering dates of the two parent species do not overlap, you may collect
pollen and refrigerate it in the interim. When the pods naturally start
to turn brown and split open, collect the seed. The seeds have a
hydrophobic coating on them which requires at least 4 weeks of cold
stratification to break down and they can be stored dry in a refrigerator
for several years. The seed should be surface sown and the seedling pots
placed under florescent lights in a tray of water or inside a zip-loc bag
during the germination process. They will germinate best at temperatures
from 60°F (15°C) to 90°F (32°C). Sarracenia plants have
a long juvenility period and will not form pitchers or flowers for 3 to
6 years after sowing. The seedlings should be hardened off outside in the
spring of their second or third year, but be careful not to bring the
plants out before the last frost date. Also do not wait too long to
introduce them to the outdoors or the summer heat will burn them.
In the commercial plant industry, pitcher plants are propagated using
tissue culture techniques starting from meristems or seed. Thanks to
tissue culture, sarracenia are now produced by the millions, relieving
much of the collecting pressure on wild populations.
Pests and Diseases
Occasionally, a pitcher will accumulate so many dead insects that it will
start to rot before they are digested. This is called "pitcher rot" and
can be identified by pitchers that turn brown and become mushy. Simply
cut off the pitcher and discard it. The rot will not affect the rhizome.
Some insects (namely wasps) have jaws that are powerful enough to chew a
hole in the pitcher which will cause it to collapse. Although this is not
attractive, it does not harm the plant.
Container grown pitcher plants may occasionally become infested with scale
insects, usually during dormancy. Common insecticidal soaps or dormant oils
will kill the scale. In addition, the larvae of the Exyra moth can burrow
into the leaves and eat them from the inside out causing them to collapse.
This can be controlled with Bt. A black fungus called "sooty mold" can also
occasionally occur on the pitchers which feeds off of the nectar. The
fungus is unattractive but does not harm the plant and can be prevented by
increasing ventilation around the plant. All of these pests are negligible
on healthy specimens.
Pitcher plants will go dormant in the fall and remain dormant until the
temperatures and light levels increase in the spring. The pitchers and
non-carnivorous leaves will stay on the rosette but may turn brown during
the winter. It is best to leave the old foliage on the plant until March
or April. Remove the old foliage in the early spring before the flowers
start to emerge so you can enjoy a better floral show.
Sarracenia Species
The various species of sarracenia are identified by pitcher morphology
and coloration, and to a lesser extent flower or lid morphology. The
species may be hard to tell apart, but you can use a key in the Flora of
North America to make species and subspecies determinations.
Sarracenia alabamensis ssp. alabamensis (Canebrake Pitcher Plant)
This rare, federally endangered pitcher plant, native to 3 counties in
Alabama, was named by trillium guru Fred Case of Michigan, who discovered
the plant on his honeymoon in the 1940s (I'm there for you ... Fred).
Sarracenia alabamensis (related to
Sarracenia rubra) produces a good, bushy,
spring crop of bronzy-red, 18" tall pitchers. As the season progresses,
plants will often produce an even showier set of golden pitchers. Topping
the clump in early May are stunning red fragrant flowers on a very
floriferous clump. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia alata (Pale Pitcher Plant)
The pale pitcher plant is found in moist bogs from Alabama west to Texas.
This Southeast native forms 2' tall yellow pitchers starting in early
spring, similar to Sarracenia flava, but with
a slightly more rounded hood (rounded hoods have been banned in some states,
so check your local regulations). The plants are adorned with bizarrely
beautiful, creamy-yellow flowers on 18" pencil-sized stalks in early spring.
Moist soil, but not sloppy wet conditions, works best. The specific
epithet alata refers to the Latin term for "winged". (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia flava (Yellow Trumpet Pitcher Plant)
Sarracenia flava sports very tall,
yellow-green pitchers with red veins, with the pitchers often reaching
a height of 30". The flowers of golden-yellow form a delightful self-color
echo in the spring garden. Sarracenia flava forms most of its nicest
2" wide pitchers during the spring season. The specific epithet "flava"
is derived from the Latin term for the color yellow and refers to the
hue of the leaves and flower. There are a number of clones with copper
tops and/or red tubes, which have been given an array of names and in
some cases subspecies status. These names really are worthless, since
virtually each population contains both solid color pitchers as well as
these more unusual forms. These are particularly stunning. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia leucophylla (White Top Pitcher Plant)
This Georgia and Florida native is one of the most spectacular pitchers.
The 2' tall pitchers on Sarracenia leucophyllaare green and/or reddish with a unique 2" wide white top with red veining
... SPECTACULAR! Sarracenia leucophyllaproduces some pitchers in the spring, but the big flush of new pitchers
occurs in late summer and early fall ... spectacular red flowers in spring
... guaranteed to stop traffic! Don't worry, we're talking flying insect
traffic. The specific epithet "leucophylla" is derived from the Greek for
"white" and "leaf" and refers to the fact that the tops of the pitchers a
re white in color with dark red veins. This is a remarkable color
combination and this species is used often in hybridization programs.
This species habitat is limited to southern Georgia, Alabama and the
panhandle of Florida. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia leucophylla 'Tarnok' (Tarnock's Double White Top Pitcher Plant)
This amazing and very vigorous selection of the white top pitcher plant
was discovered by Coleman Tarnok in Baldwin County, Alabama, and later
propagated by the Atlanta Botanical Garden. While the red-veined,
white-topped pitchers look normal (as much as any pitcher plant looks
normal), it is the alien-like flowers that boast an extraordinary double
set of sepals. In flower,
Sarracenia leucophylla 'Tarnok' is truly
something worth inviting the garden club over to see. Royalties from
each plant sold go to the endangered plant conservation program at the
Atlanta Botanical Garden. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia minor (Hooded Pitcher Plant)
One of my all time favorites is the East Coast native hooded pitcher,
whose natural range is from North Carolina to Florida. The tops of the
1' tall pitchers are covered by a unique curved green hood with small
white "windows" (areoles) in the neck of the pitcher. The accompanying
yellow flowers arrive in spring before the new pitchers emerge. Most
new pitcher growth on the hooded pitcher is during the summer and fall.
(Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia minor Okefenokee Giant Strain
(Okefenokee Giant Pitcher Plant)
This is the highly sought after form of
Sarracenia minor that grows in and around
the Okefenokee Swamp region of Florida. Under good growing conditions,
this vigorous pitcher plant can reach 2-3' in height. The green-hooded
pitchers with "white windows" (areoles) in the back of the hood are
identical to the species except for the size. The yellow flying-saucer-like
flowers are much larger than the typical species and they are produced
in midsummer rather than early spring. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia oreophila (Green Pitcher Plant)
This very rare federally endangered North Carolina is native to high
elevations in the Cumberland plateau (Tennessee south to Alabama). Similar
in appearance to a dwarf form of
Sarracenia flava,
Sarracenia oreophila occurs in sandy clay
soils in mountain woodlands instead of coastal savannahs.
Sarracenia oreophila grows in areas that
are wet in winter with running water, that dry completely in the summer
months. The 1' tall green pitchers emerge and open in the early spring,
followed close behind by the small yellow flowers.
Sarracenia oreophila is a summer dormant
species, so don't be alarmed when the leaves start disappearing. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia psittacina (Parrot Pitcher Plant)
This East Coast native is the really fascinating member of the pitcher
plant family. The leaves, shaped like parrot heads (not to be confused
with Jimmy Buffet fans), are green with red veins and lie flat on the
ground in a perfect circle. While the parrot pitcher is one of the smaller
pitcher plants to 12" diameter, this is the one that draws everyone's
attention ... even before they see the flowers that resemble red umbrellas,
held above the foliage in early spring. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia purpurea (Purple Pitcher Plant)
This is the most cold-tolerant, easiest-to-grow, and one of the most
spectacular of the pitcher plants. The red-veined green pitchers usually
turn a lovely blood red in fall. As with
Sarracenia psittacina, the pitchers lie flat
on the ground forming a 1' wide clump with the pitchers facing upwards.
Sarracenia purpurea produces new pitchers throughout the growing season,
and is topped with red flowers in spring. As with
Sarracenia flava, there have been many
subspecies named which are merely clonal forms that should be given
cultivar names and do not deserve subspecies status. (Zone 5-9, at least)
Sarracenia purpurea 'Blood Vessel' (Blood Vessel Purple Pitcher Plant)
This dramatic selection of our native purple pitcher plant comes from
Itsaul Plants of Georgia. The large light green pitchers, which are held
horizontally, are streaked with bright red lines, like your eyes after
too much late night activity. Each 1' wide clump is topped in spring
with the typical (Dare I use that word around pitcher plants) red
flying saucer-shaped flowers. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia purpurea ssp. venosa var. Montana
(Mountain Purple Pitcher Plant)
The varietal name 'Montana' is derived from the Latin for 'mountain' and
refers to its Appalachian mountain habitat. The lid of this variety is
more upright than normal too. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia rubra (Sweet Pitcher Plant)
The East coast native Sarracenia rubraisn't as flashy as others, but it's still a great plant. The small,
upright, green pitchers (1/2" wide x 12" tall) are topped with a light
red hood and are produced en masse throughout the entire growing season.
The clumps are topped with spectacular flying-saucer-shaped red flowers
in spring on 1' stems. The specific epithet 'rubra', is derived from
the Latin for the color red and refers to the color of the leaves and
foliage. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia rubra ssp. gulfensis (Gulf Coast Sweet Pitcher Plant)
The subspecific epithet 'gulfensis' is derived from the word 'gulf' and
refers to the native habitat of this subspecies along Florida's Gulf Coast.
(Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia rubra ssp. jonesii (Jones's Sweet Pitcher Plant)
Named for the botanist and sarracenia expert F.M. Jones, these pitchers
are generally long and narrow with a slight bulge beneath the lip. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia Cultivars and Hybrid Groups
The genus sarracenia hybridizes very easily and the hybrids are always
fertile. As a result many naturally occurring hybrid swarms have arisen
in areas where habitats overlap. Breeders have also created many complex
artificial hybrids of sarracenia. Special hybrid epithet names have been
assigned to the offspring of certain natural crosses and certain artificial
crosses.
Sarracenia x areolata (Areolata Pitcher Plants)
These naturally occurring Sarracenia alata× Sarracenia leucophylla hybrids have
tall thin pitchers, lightly mottled with frilly lids. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia × catesbaei (Catesbey's Pitcher Plant)
This naturally-occurring hybrid pitcher plant is found in the coastal
plains region from Virginia to South Carolina.
Sarracenia × catesbaei(Sarracenia purpurea ×
Sarracenia flava) has features that are
intermediate between the parents. The 15" tall brick-red pitchers are
held upright ... until they fill with water. In late spring before the
new pitchers form, the clumps are topped with 15" tall flower stalks ending
in bizarre flying saucer-like brick-red flowers. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia × chelsoni (Chelson's Pitcher Plant)
This rare, naturally occurring hybrid of
Sarracenia purpurea ×
Sarracenia rubra can be found in coastal
North Carolina. The 8" tall red upright hooded pitchers resemble a giant
red Sarracenia rubra. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia 'Daina's Delight' (Daina's Delight Pitcher Plant)
From Kim Magnuson of Hawaii comes this mid-'90s
Sarracenia leucophylla hybrid
(Sarracenia leucophylla ×
Sarracenia × willisii) created by Mark Edwards of New Zealand, who named
the plant after his daughter.
Sarracenia 'Daina's Delight' (not Dana or Diana)
brings even more coloration to the wonderful, white-top pitcher plant.
Daina must have really liked rednecks, 'cause the formerly white head
and neck on each 2' tall pitcher is sunburn-blister red. As with most
rednecks, this one's sure to stand out in your garden. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia 'Dixie Lace' (Dixie Lace Pitcher Plant)
One of the first pitcher plant hybrids from Larry Mellichamp and Rob
Gardner of NC, this vigorous introduction
(Sarracenia leucophylla × wherryi) ×
(Sarracenia psittacina ×
Sarracenia purpurea) produces a continuous
array of new 1' long pitchers through the season. Each butterscotch
pitcher with dramatic red veining is held at a 45 degree angle, producing
an 18" wide clump. In April and May, the clumps are topped with 18" tall
stalks with rich maroon-red flying saucer-like flowers. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia 'Doodlebug' (Doodlebug Pitcher Plant)
This vigorous member of the Little Bug Series is a cross of
Sarracenia alabamensis ×
Sarracenia psittacina. The 8" tall, green,
upright pitchers are topped with dramatic, tattoo-like, red veining
around the white "window" in the neck of the cobra-shaped top. You can
tell from all the coloration around the neck that they should have used
a higher SPF. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia × excellens (Excellens Pitcher Plant)
This naturally occurring hybrid
(Sarracenia leucophylla ×
Sarracenia minor). The pitchers are mostly
green (like Sarracenia minor) turning
purple near the top. The lid is white with purple venation (like
Sarracenia leucophylla). (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia × exornata (Exornata Pitcher Plant)
This naturally occurring hybrid between
Sarracenia alata and
Sarracenia purpurea is only found in small
areas of Alabama and Mississippi. In appearance, they are very similar
to Sarracenia × catesbaei (Sarracenia flava× Sarracenia purpurea), with 1' tall
upright Sarracenia purpurea-like pitchers of
yellow and red with brighter red netting. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia × formosa (Formosa Pitcher Plant)
This hybrid of Sarracenia minor ×
Sarracenia psittacina is one of the best
of the interspecific hybrids. The hybrids are intermediate between both
parents with the back "window" of white from
Sarracenia minor, combined with the hoods of
Sarracenia psittacina. The pitchers are
neither flat or upright as they are held at a 45 degree angle. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia 'Flies Demise' (Flies Demise Pitcher Plant)
This vigorously growing introduction from North Carolina's Larry Mellichamp
and the late Rob Gardner is one of their new series of interspecific
hybrids involving Sarracenia rubra ssp. wherryi,
Sarracenia purpurea, and
Sarracenia rubra. The 10" upright pitchers
appear a dusty orange with dramatic red veining toward the top of the
pitcher and the outside of the cobra-like hood. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia 'Judith Hindle' (Judith Hindle Pitcher Plant)
Sarracenia 'Judith Hindle' combines the
best of both the white-top pitcher,
Sarracenia leucophylla, with a bright red
form of Sarracenia purpurea. The result is a
stunning 15" tall pitcher plant that has white-top pitchers with a dark
raspberry overlay. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia 'Ladies in Waiting' (Ladies in Waiting Pitcher Plant)
From North Carolina's Larry Mellichamp and the late Rob Gardner comes
this vigorous hybrid pitcher plant
(Sarracenia leucophylla) ×
(Sarracenia rubra ×
Sarracenia psittacina) that continuously
produces new pitchers all summer long. The rigidly upright pitchers,
to 2' tall, are green at the base but change to bright red with white
speckling near the hoods. In April and May, the 18" flowers stems are
topped with maroon-red flying-saucer-shaped flowers... exquisite! (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia 'Ladybug' (Ladybug Pitcher Plant)
This Sarracenia psittacina ×
Sarracenia purpurea ×
Sarracenia minor hybrid makes a great, small,
1' wide clump composed of dozens of fat, little, 8-10" tall, apple-red
pitchers, each highlighted with nice white spotting on the back of each
"neck". This is the latest Little Bugs Series pitcher plant hybrid from
the Dynamic Duo of Sarracenias, Larry Mellichamp and the late Rob Gardner.
(Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia 'Lovebug' (Lovebug Pitcher Plant)
Sarracenia 'Lovebug' is the latest in the
Little Bug Series of pitcher plant hybrids from Larry Mellichamp and the
late Rob Gardner. Sarracenia 'Lovebug'(Sarracenia psittacina ×
Sarracenia purpurea × minor ×
[Sarracenia purpurea ×
Sarracenia leucophylla × jonesii]
... whew!) forms a dense, 8-10" wide cluster of narrow, deep-red 8"
tall pitchers. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia 'Mardi Gras' (Mardi Gras Pitcher Plant)
Sarracenia 'Mardi Gras' is another stunning
hybrid from the Dynamic Duo (the late Rob Gardner and Larry Mellichamp)
of NC. This complex pitcher plant hybrid is a cross of
(Sarracenia leucophylla ×
Sarracenia purpurea) ×
(Sarracenia leucophylla ×
Sarracenia psittacina).
Sarracenia 'Mardi Gras' makes a vigorous
clump of 1' tall upright pitchers that appear like giant cobra heads ...
with bloodshot eyes. The bright red pitcher ends with a giant "cobra-like"
hood of white with tremendous red netting ... beautiful! (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia × mitchelliana (Mitchell's Pitcher Plant)
Sarracenia × mitchelliana is a hybrid of
Sarracenia flava ×
Sarracenia leucophylla. The pitchers are
initially light green netted with red, becoming suffused with red and
marbled in a lighter hue. They are about 12" tall. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia × moorei (Moore's Pitcher Plant)
Sarracenia × moorei is a natural hybrid of
Sarracenia flava ×
Sarracenia leucophylla. It has a pale green
pitcher with light red veins. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia 'Redbug' PP 13,412 (Redbug Pitcher Plant)
Sarracenia 'Redbug' is amazing both for
its vigor and the ridiculously large number of pitchers that it produces.
This wonderful Little Bug Series hybrid of
Sarracenia rubra × Sarracenia wherryi
hybrid arose at the NC Botanical Garden under the care of the former
curator, the late Rob Gardner. Each 8-10" wide clump of dwarf, narrow,
8" tall red pitchers stands ready to catch entire hoards of flies. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia × rehderi (Rehder's Pitcher Plant)
This naturally occurring hybrid from NC combines the best attributes of
both parents (Sarracenia rubra ×
Sarracenia minor). Each extremely vigorous,
but compact, clump boasts 14" upright apricot pitchers that are produced
throughout the growing season. In May and often into June, the very
floriferous clumps produce 14" tall alien-like flowers in the sunset
color range ... and they are very fragrant. (Zone 5-9)
Sarracenia × wrigleyana 'Scarlet Belle' (Scarlet Belle Pitcher Plant)
This naturally-occurring cross of the white-top
Sarracenia leucophylla and the parrot-pitcher
Sarracenia psittacina has rapidly become one
of our favorite pitcher plants. This fast-growing selection makes a
15" wide clump of horizontal white with red-veined, parrot-head, 10" long
pitchers. Bugs beware, as each clump can form up to 100 pitchers! This is
a selected superior clone, propagated through the magic of tissue culture.
(Zone 5-9)
Conclusion
Sarracenias are worthy plants for any Southern garden. Although they are
native to North America, they bring a rare, exotic beauty to moist garden
sites with their showy flowers and colorful carnivorous leaves. You can
help protect the native habitat of this threatened and endangered species
by buying only nursery propagated plants for your garden. Plant them in
your garden, sit back, and enjoy the carnage as insects check in, but
don't check out.
You may be asking yourself, "What is the best pitcher plant for me?"
If you like red and white variegation, then you can't beat cultivars
with Sarracenia leucophylla parentage such as
Sarracenia 'Daina's Delight' or
Sarracenia leucophylla 'Tarnok'. If pure red
is your color, then look for cultivars with
Sarracenia purpurea or
Sarracenia rubra parentage such as
Sarracenia 'Redbug'. If you like yellow or
light green pitcher plants, then try
Sarracenia flava. If you like unusual colors,
the copper and red hybrid Sarracenia × catesbaei
may be the plant for you. Whichever you choose, you will get a winner.
References
- Ainsworth, J. and Ainsworth, J., (1996),
Sarracenia: The National Plant Collection, National Council
for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens.
- American Public Gardens Association -- Atlanta Botanical Garden
Sarracenia (Pitcher Plants) Collection -
http://www.publicgardens.org
- Atlanta Botanical Garden -
www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org
- Carnivorous Plant Society -- Sarracenia -
www.thecps.org.uk
- Center for Plant Conservation at Missouri Botanical Garden
-
Sarracenia oreophila
-
Sarracenia rubra ssp. jonesii
- Chase, M.W., Maarten et. al. (2009), Murderous plants: Victorian Gothic,
Darwin and modern insights into vegetable carnivory.
Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 161 (4): 329
- The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES),
http://www.cites.org,
appendices
- CultureSheet.org -
www.culturesheet.org/sarraceniaceae:sarracenia
- Darwin, C. (1875), Insectivorous Plants,
darwin-online.org.uk
- Encyclopedia of Life -- Sarracenia -
www.eol.org
- Flora of North America -- Sarracenia -
www.efloras.org
- Gardener, R. (1998), Pitcher Plants -- Beguiling New Sarracenia Hybrids,
Plants & Gardens News, Volume 13, Number 4 -
www.bbg.org
- International Carnivorous Plant Society -- The Carnivorous Plant FAQ v. 11.5 -
www.sarracenia.com/faq.html
- International Carnivorous Plant Society -- Growing Sarracenia from Seed. -
www.carnivorousplants.org/seedbank/species/Sarracenia.htm
- International Carnivorous Plant Society (1987) -- Cultivar Registrations, 16
(2) Pp. 39-42
-
www.carnivorousplants.org/cpn/Species/
- Meadowview Biological Research Station -
www.pitcherplant.org
- McPherson, S. (2007), Pitcher Plants of the Americas, The McDonald &
Woodward
Publishing Company, Blacksburg VA.
- Mellichamp, L. (1992), Hybrid Pitcher Plants, Bulletin of the American Rock Garden
Society 50(1), Pp. 3-10.
- Mellichamp, L. (2007), Bog Gardening with Carnivorous Plants, Lawn
& Garden Retailer, 6(6) -
www.lgrmag.com/Bog-Gardening-With-Carnivorous-Plants-article8204
- North American Sarracenia Conservancy -
www.nasarracenia.org
- Plant Delights Nursery
- About the Nursery
- Our Mission
- Essay on Native Plants
- Redfern Natural History Productions -
www.redfernnaturalhistory.com/sarraceniaconservation.htm
- Sheridan, P (1997), Genetics of Sarracenia leaf and flower color,
Carnivorous Plant Newsletter, Vol 26 Pp 51- 64
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered species program -
www.fws.gov/endangered/recovery/index.html
-
Sarracenia leucophylla
-
Sarracenia oreophila
|
also here
|
and here
-
Sarracenia psittacina
-
Sarracenia rubra ssp. alabamensis
-
Sarracenia rubra ssp. jonesii
-
-
Sarracenia rubra ssp. rubra
-
Sarracenia rubra ssp. wherryi
