For a little change of pace, I thought I’d share a few photos of one of my pitcher plants (Sarracenia). This variety is also referred to as the North American pitcher plant. There are roughly 11 species of these plants, and I’m lucky enough to live in an area where they grow in the wild.
There is a section of a national forest just south of my home, referred to as Tate’s Hell, where one can find a few small fields of pitcher plants. Because of their special status, they are protected plants. Meaning, I can’t just go out into the forest and dig them up. They can only be purchased from reputable plant sellers.
The way they function is that they secrete a sort of nectar along the lip of the pitcher. It’s slick, so an unwitting insect will land, slip, and fall inside. The interior of the pitcher is lined with small hairs pointing downward, which helps prevent the insect from escaping. Over time, it dies and is digested by fluid at the base of the pitcher.
Like most carnivorous plants, they don’t like soil or tap water. They grow in a mixture of peat and sphagnum moss, pine bark, pine needles, and perlite. I also keep rain barrels for watering. They grow to around three feet tall, die back in the winter, then come back to life in late spring.
Let me know what you think of these monstrosities and if you have any carnivorous plants where you live.
RB
Funny you should write about this, Richard!
I was taking care of a friend’s plants last week and wondering whether I should add a little water to the pitchers of his pitcher plant. It’s an indoor plant so it doesn’t receive any rain water that might land in the pitchers.
My guess is that they are giving the pitcher distilled water. City water may work in a pinch, but more than likely the chlorine and other chemicals in the water may cause harm.
Thanks for stopping by!
You mention a severe lack of rain and heat. That described last summer for me.
This year we have just as much heat but, thankfully regular rainfall. At least once a week we get a good soaking. My hot peppers are thriving and my hopi blue corn stands 10 feet tall with multiple cobs per stalk.
I’m glad you’re getting the rain, Jasper. We get some, but we’re in a terrible shortfall. I hope your garden continues to thrive throughout the season.
I only know about them because of high school botany class, coffee table books, and posts like yours.
I imagine there may be some growing in the forests near you. Some of them, like bladderworts, so very small and easy to miss. You may want to explore and see what you can find. 🙂
I’ll keep my eyes open for them after doing some homework about what to look for.
They grow to 3 feet? That’s amazing. I visualized them as about 6 inches tall. Nothing like that in my part of the world. And they’re certainly beautiful, with that pattern and the colours.
LOL…yes, these particular ones get quite big. And actually, there are several types of pitchers and other carnivorous plants that grow in the northern U.S. and Canada. They are very hardy in weather extremes.
Wow. Thank you for sharing. They are amazing. I have never grown one or seen one in real life. In the photo they look quite pretty. It almost reminds me of mosaics.
There are so many variations of pitcher plants, and they all have unique designs and patterns. I’m glad you enjoyed these, Morag. 🙂
Gorgeous!
Thank you, Sheree. 🙂
I have only read about carnivorous plants in story books. These look deceptively beautiful and attractive.
How do you take care of them ?
They are quite lovely in person. For the most part, they do a good job of keeping themselves fed. To help, I have them stationed near my chicken coop, so there’s an endless supply of flies.
As for water, they have the rain and I have a few rain barrels to capture water for them.
Beautiful photos.
Thank you, Pat.
Beautiful,amazing plants.I have taught students about this
carnivorous pitcher plant,but the images in textbooks aren’t the real photographs.
Saw it for the first time with its beautiful colours and amazing patterns.
I don’t think they are grown in this part of the world.
I’m glad you enjoyed seeing these pitcher plants, Nusrat. And surprisingly, there are a few carnivorous plants that grow in your part of the world. Bladderworts and butterworts….both are small ones that grow in boggy areas and in high altitudes.
I hope you get to see them first-hand! 🙂
I find them fascinating, but have never grown or cared for them. Not sure they’d survive even indoors through a WI winter.
Actually, there are certain types of carnivorous plants that grow in northern climates. Purple pitcher plants, sundews, and bladderworts can be found in the norther U.S. and Canada. You never know…there may be some lurking in your neighborhood! 🙂
Hmmmm, that could be fun….or another creepy Halloween story!
This is so cool!
I have heard of meat eating plants but never seen one, I think.
Especially the blurry one in the one in the first picture reminds me of Pacman 😄
The colours and patterns are absolutely amazing!
I am becoming more and more envious of your garden 🤭
Thank you, Andrea! Sadly, my garden has had a rough summer with the extensive heat and lack of rain. I’m hoping it’ll rebound in the fall.
But the pitchers are hardier than you’d expect, and they always come back year after year. 🙂
Beautiful. You have quite the green fingers Richard. I can’t even keep a cactus alive. I’m learning now but if they need anything fancy to keep them alive, forget it 🙈
Sadly, I’m the same!
But you definitely have a good eye for spotting photographic ones, Sheree!
You just haven’t found the right plants, Wayne. I’m sure there’s one out there that will thrive under your care. 🙂
I do have one succulent that has survived when others haven’t thankfully.