Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 9/12/2010

Question
QUESTION: My pitcher plant has been attracting a lot of bees as of late. However, they don't seem to be interested in the pitchers themselves as they are in the mossy grass growing along with it. I'm just curious as to why this would be. If this is more of a bug question I apologize.

As for lighting, It's natural lighting, I'm using bottled water to water it, and I'm not sure of the soil as it was packaged with it.

Located in Belle Center, Ohio.

As for whether it's a Nepenthes or Sarraceniaceae I'm not quite sure.

ANSWER: Hi Kelly,

For not knowing what kind of plant this is, you seem to be doing fine in caring for it.  This is a Sarracenia purpurea ssp. venosa.  It's the Southern Purple Pitcher Plant.  For more information on it's overall care visit:  http://cobraplant.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=10

What the Honeybees are doing is getting water from the peat moss.  We see this quite a bit in the nursery.  S. purpurea is more of a crawling insect catcher.  To help it catch more insects, be sure and put a little water in the pitchers if it's been dry.  The pitchers normally catch rainwater to drown the insects that go in them.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your response, and I have a follow up.

When winter hits, will I be able to bring the plant inside, maybe put it in a window so it gets light? I'm not quite sure how to get it through the winter. I don't want Rambo (The plant) to die. Ohio gets ungodly cold and I'm pretty sure that'll kill it.

Answer
Hi Kelly,

Rambo will overwinter in a windowsill just fine.  Try to get it right up in a window that will get cold.  Also, be sure to keep any dead foliage clipped off and it's good to spray it with a sulfur based (low-tox) fungicide.  S. purpurea can be prone to fungus in low air circulation.  Next spring you can move it back outside.  Your plant can stay outside this fall until the temperatures are threatening to get below 20 degrees.  It will be good for it to experience a few frosts before you bring it in to a window.  In nature this plant grows as far north as Virginia and southern New Jersey.

In our volume #1 DVD we show how to overwinter Sarracenia outside along with complete care.  http://www.cobraplant.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=38&products_id=

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com