Expert: Christopher Littrell - 5/25/2009

Question
Hello again Chris!  About a month ago I had asked you about moving my
pitcher plants outdoors and seed germination.  Your advice was excellent!  
The pitcher plants have taken off and I think one has already started to divide.  
My seeds started to germinate last week, and thats what this question is
about.  When should I expect pitchers?  Also, it seems that only 3-4 of the
seeds germinated last week and thats about it.  What is the longest I should
wait before throwing in the towel with the others?  How long do I wait before
transplanting?  I appreciate your insight.  Mike

Answer
Hello Michael,

Sarracenia seedlings follow the same cycle of growth as any other plant. The first leaves to be produced will be the cotyledons. On Sarracenias they will be tiny grass blade like leaves that push the seed coat up out of the ground. Sometimes the seed coat will get stuck on these leaves, but that is usually nothing to worry about. Within a week or two you will notice tiny sprouts between the cotyledons that will form the first tiny pitchers. You will need patience and a magnifying lens for a long time. Those first pitchers will be minute, barely a fraction of an inch tall. Each new pitcher will grow slightly larger then the last as the tiny plants strengthen. They probably will not grow over an inch in the first year. Second year growth will see the plants still pushing to reach two inches or so with a few stronger ones reaching 4-5 inches by the end of the second year if they are lucky.

Seed germination will occur continuously for the next several months. Each day you may see a new sprout or two. This will occur over the next 6-12 months. Each seed coat will be a different thickness and will take a different amount of time for each seedling to break through. The longer and more intense the stratification period (basically 8-10 weeks is good) the more likely the seed coats were weakened enough for more of them to germinate more quickly. You will be doing well if you attain 50-70 percent germination and you might see a decline and death in some of the sprouts. Be cautious of mold and use Neem oil or sulfur based fungicides as directed by the maker if you notice any white, grey, or yellow fibers or growths in or on the moss and perlite. Such mold can spread to the tiny plants and seeds and kill them.

Sarracenia seedlings are tiny and fragile, so you might want to wait a few weeks or months before transplanting them. When you have plants with at least a couple well established pitchers, you can carefully dig them up with a toothpick and place them into small communal pots with several plantlets per pot a couple inches apart. If the plantlets are in a deep enough container now, at least 4 inches deep, and are growing at least 2 inches apart already, you can leave them there for quite a while. Crowding is the main reason repotting seedlings occurs. If crowding is not an issue, you can just wait until they get large enough to need repotting.

Christopher