Sarracenia psittacina Play pronunciation

The parrot pitcher plant is a carnivorous herbaceous perennial that can be found in boggy low-lying areas of pine forests of the coastal states from South Carolina to Mississippi. It is a member of the pitcher plant family (Sarraceniaceae). The species epithet is Latin for “parrot” and refers to the colorful, unusually shaped pitchers.

Parrot pitcher plants prefer full sun during the growing season and require moist to wet, acidic soils of sand or sand and peat. Rainwater or distilled water must be used in place of tap water, as the plants are sensitive to minerals and chemicals in household water. The plants should not be fertilized, nor should it be “fed” insects or food. Allow the plant to trap its own food. This species can be grown in a container, but it must never be allowed to dry out.

The parrot pitcher plant is one of several species that has procumbent leaves that recline on the surface of the ground with the trap opening upward. The pitcher opening is covered by a balloon-like hood with white window spots. The hood is usually suffused with red pigment. The parrot pitcher plant grows in rosettes in moist, swampy soil that is usually high in sphagnum moss and acid and low in nutrients such as nitrogen. It can survive seasonal flooding. A typical site is where wildfire has cleared the surrounding vegetation, thereby providing full sun. Because the pitchers lie on the ground, the plant is often hidden by grasses and other vegetation and is hard to see, except when flowering. The flowers are solitary, nodding and deep red. The fruit is a capsule with many small seeds. Seeds will germinate after a period of cold stratification. Like all pitcher plants, this species is protected in the wild. Never collect plants from the wild. They should be purchased from a reputable carnivorous plant nursery.

Parrot pitcher plants are excellent accents or talking points for a carnivorous plant garden, rain or bog garden, or a pollinator garden. Like all carnivorous plants, they are great additions to a children’s garden.

Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Pitcher plants are generally not bothered by pests, but monitor for aphids, scale, mealybugs, moth larvae, leaf spots, and root rot.

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.

More information on Sarracenia.