Expert: Christopher Littrell - 5/30/2011

Question
Hello, I recently purchased and planted a sarracenia oreophila (legally of course)in my outdoor bog garden.  There has been a lot of heavy rain in the area recently, and I am somewhat concerned about the plant's pitchers.  When it was planted, the pitcher was at a bit of an angle, but now it has been almost completely knocked flat and damaged severely by the heavy rain.  It's practically growing sideways.  What would be the best course of action for helping it? Will it die?  Also, there is only one other new pitcher starting to grow, and for being a spring pitcher producer, should I be seeing more pitchers than there currently are?

Answer
Hello Fred,

Several species of Sarracenia tend to have pitchers that, as environment or age dictate, fall over sideways. The plant will be fine. Falling over does no lasting damage to the plant. You could set up a wire cage or doweling near the plant to hold it upright in high wind and heavy rain. Sarracenias tend to grow slower than most carnivorous species like Sundews and Flytraps. I have several indoors Sarracenias (under very strong multiple florescent lights) and one has pitchers that fall over with age even with no wind. The others Sarracenias remain upright. All of them are growing, but produce only one pitcher at a time and relatively at the pace you describe. As the plant gets on in years, it will produce a cluster of rhizomes that will each sprout new pitchers. Eventually you will have what looks like one plant that produces a host of pitchers as photographs and scenery suggest. Never fear, a single Sarracenia might look a bit sparse, but later, it will look more majestic with age. The Sarracenia I have that falls over only has three pitchers as of now, one sideways and on the way out, one upright and the most beautiful of all my plants actually, and one growing in.

Christopher