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Carnivorous Plants/Cutting off Sarracenia flower
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Question
Hi Jeff and Jacob,
I recently added three mature rhizomes to my collection and I am not sure how long ago they were divided. All three have started to flower and I am wondering what to do. Now I normally cut the flowers off of new rhizomes I get, but these three I would like to try and cross with my other sarracenia. Since I am not sure when they were divided, would it seriously affect their growth to let them flower?
Hi Jon,
Here's the situation. It varies a bit by species. For instance, S. rubra varieties don't take as long to recover since they tend to be a bit weedy anyway. If you have one of those, leaving a flower should be fine. Species with big rhizomes such as S. flava and S. oreophila really have their energy sapped when they bloom after division. Usually they won't die, but growth will be very stunted for the season. If you don't care how the plant looks, and just want the flower for breeding, it's probably ok to leave the flower. I've found it typical for a single crown Sarracenia flava that was just divided to only produce one or two pitchers the entire season. So, the bottom line is that it's a judgement call.
Good Growing!
Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com
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Sarracenia Northwest
Expertise
If your plant is showing poor growth, discoloration, abnormal leaves or possible infestation, the growers at Sarracenia Northwest can help! Carnivorous plant experts Jeff Dallas and Jacob Farin will help you diagnose the problem and get your plants on the right track. Their no nonsense approach has helped thousands of growers all over the world. They can help you too!
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With over 40 years of combined experience, Jeff and Jacob has definitely taken a straight forward approach to growing carnivorous plants. They have encountered many types of diseases, abnormal growth and infestations related to carnivorous plants, and they know what it takes to get plants looking beautiful and healthy again.
Education/Credentials
Authors of Secrets to Growing Beautiful Carnivorous Plants for Your Home and Garden and producers of the Grow Carnivorous Plants! DVD Series. They also produce a monthly video podcast to illustrate how plants cycle through the seasons.
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