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Carnivorous Plants/Sarracenia alata pitchers

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Expert: - 4/2/2009


Question
Hi there, I have a question about my Sarracenia alata. The
pitcher are about 30cm high but the stems are very thin at
the bottom. They tend to fall over to the sides after they  
reach full length. It's got a lot of pitchers so it's very
difficult putting in supports to keep every pitcher
upright. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!


Answer
Hello Johan,

Fisrt off, make sure your plant has plenty of light. Direct full sunlight will help the plant produce fully formed pitchers that will be stouter. In outside weather, even if the plant gets enough light, it might be subject to high wind or heavy rain which could knock over or bend the pitchers. If the plant has been capturing a lot of insects, the weight of all that prey could also cause bending and falling over in the leaves. One way to help reduce the problem would be to simply create a wide spaced support out of wire fence or chicken wire by creating a roll of wire fencing around the potted plant just wide enough to contain the leaves and allow growth, but close enough to support the leaves on all sides. Just cut a square section big enough to create a cylindrical structure, roll it over, twist the wire ends together at the edges where they meet, and place it over and around the plant and pot. Such a structure will allow sun and insects and water in while also supporting the plant some.

Christopher

Carnivorous Plants

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Christopher Littrell

Expertise

I am capable of answering questions about the most common carnivorous plants found in cultivation. I have no personal experience with Byblis, Drosophyllum, Aldrovanda, and Heliamphora. I have not cultivated gemmae forming pygmy sundews nor tuberous sundews. For information regarding those aforementioned species, I would suggest contacting other experts. I can answer questions regarding most species of Nepenthes, tropical and temperate Drosera, Mexican Pinguicula, Sarracenias, and Dionaea. I have some limited experience with growing Utricularia, Cephalotus, and Darlingtonia.

Experience

I have grown carnivorous plants off and on for about 27 years. I have made the same mistakes and suffered the same mishaps that many growers make as they attempt to separate the myths from the realities of growing these plants. Currently, I am successfully growing a variety of tropical sundews, a Nepenthes, several Venus Flytraps of varying ages, and Sarracenias. I have been successful in stratifying Sarracenia seeds and providing artificial dormancy requirements for my temperate plants when needed.

Education/Credentials
I hold a Master's degree in Educational Psychology. Over my lifetime, I have constantly read books involving the growing conditions of carnivorous plants. I hope to incorporate the educational aspects involved in psychology with teaching other people how to cultivate carnivorous plants.

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