Worth knowing:
All pitcher traps work in the same simple and ingenious way. The prey is attracted by sweet nectar and alluring colouring, slides down on the slippery side of the tube and, because of the downwards pointing hairs inside, can’t get out anymore. In evolutionary terms, the Purple Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia purpurea) is said to be the most original of its kind. It catches the as fertilizer used insects in its tube filled with rainwater since – other than the Yellow Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia flava) – it doesn’t have a lid covering the tube. For decomposing the insects, the plant uses not only self-produced digestive enzymes, but also bacteria from the rainwater. Due to the long cold period in its natural habitat, the Purple Pitcher Plant develops the first flower stems only in July. The Yellow Pitcher Plant is considered the tallest species with 40 to 70 cm. Its tubes are upright and funnel-shaped at the upper end and are covered from the rain by a circular lid since it decomposes its prey exclusively through self-produced digestive enzymes. Around the middle of March, after flowering with up to 12 cm big blossoms, the plant keeps developing new tubes throughout the summer.
Natural Location:
The main distribution area of the Purple Pitcher Plant stretches from southern New Jersey to the Northeast of Florida. The Yellow Pitcher Plant can be found in the swamp areas of the coastal plains of the southeastern USA, reaching from Southeast Virginia until the Southeast of Alabama.
Cultivation:
Seed propagation indoors is possible throughout the year. To increase the germinability, you should keep the seeds sealed in a plastic bag in the regular refrigerator for about two weeks. After that, spread the seeds on moist potting compost and cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out. Don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature between 20°C and 25° Celsius and keep the earth moist, but not wet. Within three to seven weeks the first seedlings will come up.
Place:
Keep your Pitcher Plant in an airy spot at a window to the south, or ideally even outdoors. In the summertime the plant can cope easily with hot days as long as the soil is sufficiently moist.
Care:
Pitcher Plants love to have wet feet during the summer. They prefer a place in a bog patch outdoors or near the edge of a garden pond. It is also possible to keep the plant in a pot with a saucer that is constantly filled with water.
During the winter:
Indoor plants should be kept at a temperature of 0° to 5° Celsius since the Pitcher Plants are accustomed to hibernate at a cool climate. The plant is to be kept only slightly moist to avoid mold formation. Outdoor plants can easily resist frosts up to -20° Celsius, but should be earthed up with some turf as a precaution.
Picture credits:
- © © 1. Chilepine 2. Jean-Pol GRANDMONT - CC-BY-2.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © PitcherPlanter765567 - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © Podzemnik - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © Nicholas J. Gotelli - CC-BY-2.5 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5
- © Podzemnik - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © Nicholas J. Gotelli - CC-BY-2.5 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5
- © Podzemnik - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
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