Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 5/5/2011

Question
Hi, my Purple pitcher plant was overwintered in my mini bog in Dallas, TX and has not come back with any new pitchers yet. I read in your ebook that they are pretty slow about comming back and I have not clipped the brown dried pitchers off it that are left. Is it done? or will it still possibly come back?

Answer
In your climate, you should see some new growth by now.  Even on our purple pitchers in our collection, we have seen some new growth already.  We don't have any new pitchers, however.  We only have new developing growth right now.

I recommend cutting back off of the brown dried pitchers and examine the rhizome.  If you see tiny red spikes coming out from the center of the plant, that would be your new growth.  Clipping off the dead pitchers will allow sunlight to reach this new growth.  

If you don't see any new growth, you may need to remove your plant to examine the rhizome more closely.  Ideally it should be firm and brightly red.  The part that was under the soil should be white.  If this is the case, then you may need to give the plant a bit more time.  It's unusual for this species to come out of dormancy this late in your region, but it just might be the nature of that particular plant.  Wait another 4 weeks for new growth.  

If the rhizome is brown and soft, you may have lost the plant completely.  There are a variety of reasons why a plant doesn't make it through winter dormancy.  Fungus and pests are the most common reasons.

For examples of how new growth should look like, watch our monthly podcast:
http://www.cobraplant.com/videos

Good growing!
Jacob Farin