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Carnivorous Plants/purple pitcher plant

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Expert: - 6/10/2009


Question

Grass like spikes
I have these grass like spikes growing out of the middle of my (purpurea) purple   
pitcher plant. i notice it in April when i removed the mulch and it's still growing.
what is this. See photo. thank you Anthony.

Answer
Hello Anthony,

If it is actually part of your plant's rhizome I would have to say that I have never seen anything like that before growing from Sarracenia purpurea. I would think that some seeds from grass or some other plant got into the mulch and dropped in among the Sarracenias and started growing.

Christopher

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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