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Sarracenia Carnivorous Plant

ClaringtonClarington Posts: 4,949
in Plants

Last summer, on a random depression / sugar filled whim, I came home from a small generic garden centre with a miscellaneous Sarracenia carnivorous plant. It got put in a pot and left in the kitchen with the hope it might encourage a few of those summer flies away. I don't actually remember seeing a fly go anywhere near it and TLC has been distinctly lacking.

Over winter I let it dry out and left it behind the blinds so it experienced the sunset and rise of winter without much interference from the light bulbs (read: it was plonked on the windowsill and mainly forgotten about). I've just moved it to trim off some of the dead bits (it wasn't looking terribly happy) and pot it into a slightly bigger pot (its roots were showing through and I brought some "cactus compost" last summer) watered with rain water.

Spotted this toward the centre:

image

 Is that a flower? Do Sarracenia plants even flower?

If anyone could give me some hints and tips on how to look after these I'd be very grateful. Does it need feeding? Presumably live flies although could I use live mealworms instead? (Easier to catch and less likely to fly away!)

Thanks!

Posts

  • SFordSFord Posts: 224

    I have a very similar plant.  I have never seen it 'catch' flies but it seems to be doing well with no assistance (I have also repotted it a number of times in past 3-4 years - in the specialist compost).  My plant has flowered a couple of times - a very intruiging lantern type shape shape but unfortunately I had to cut the flower off as it smelled so bad (mouldy cat pee was the closest thing I could describe it as).

    I imagine the smell is to help to attract its prey but I'm afraid I couldnt bear to keep the flower on.

  • ClaringtonClarington Posts: 4,949
    Thanks SFord! Especially thanks for the heads up on the stink factor :/
  • SFordSFord Posts: 224

    Let me know how you find yours

  • Lynn DLynn D Posts: 32

    Should you re-pot Sarracenia in the Spring?

  • Robyn hewsonRobyn hewson Posts: 93
    A friend who has a local nursery for these plants said only re pot when they fill the pot and re pot into a peat and pearlite compost as they need to be kept moist in the summer.
  • Lynn DLynn D Posts: 32

    Well, it has filled the pot and it looks as though every part is sticky and blackened. I will try repotting it as there is probably nothing to lose. I was under the impression that insects would go inside the tubes but they all stuck on the outside.  Does anyone think this plant has a chance, should I cut off all the stems and re-pot in a much larger pot or should I get rid of it?

     

  • Robyn hewsonRobyn hewson Posts: 93
    Id just repot and if the stems have died off just snip back and leave it in a warm place, they do die back but re grow
  • ClaringtonClarington Posts: 4,949

    Lynn - I read somewhere not to give them a big pot: just move up a size at a time. I'm sure there was a reason behind it but I don't remember that bit.

    Good luck! 

  • SFordSFord Posts: 224

    I have moved up a size at a time and cut off the dying leaves as an when. 

  • Jerry3Jerry3 Posts: 1

    Your plant is sarracena purpea var. purpea. Its the hardiest sarracena and can handle frost. In spring / summer stand it continuously in rain water and during winter keep it damp. It will catch all it needs. Soil mix for all sarracenas is one part sphagnum moss peat to one part lime free sand to one part perlite.

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