Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 1/26/2011

Question
Hello,
As you know, we haven't had a hard winter yet that would normally cause the leaves of my outdoor plants to die off and force them into hibernation.

Will this cause problems in the spring?  And should I cut off the old leaves anyway or just wait?

Answer
Hi John,

Many Sarracenia, especially hybrids, only partially loose their leaves during the winter.  Plants like Sarracenia purpurea, S. psittacina and often S. leucophylla loose very few leaves as do hybrids of those plants.  I say all that to demonstrate that loosing leaves isn't what indicates dormancy.  Total lack of new growth is the sign that they are dormant.  This is triggered by photoperiod, cooler temperatures and something of an internal clock they seem to have.  This is something that growers in tropical areas can attest to, and we see it in plants we try force under lights in the greenhouse.

For now all you need to do is just cut off anything that is dead or brown for good hygiene.  Usually we see the first new growth in mid to late March.

Good Growing!

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