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Sarracenia rubra is often confused with:
Sarracenia jonesii Sarracenia jonesii
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Sarracenia Sarracenia  ssp. in summer in Moore County
Sarracenia jonesii Sarracenia jonesii
Sarracenia minor Sarracenia minor

Purple Pitcherplant Sarracenia rubra

Phonetic Spelling
sair-ah-SEEN-ee-ah ROO-bruh
Description

Sweet Pitcher Plant is a carnivorous, deciduous, herbaceous perennial, carnivorous plant native to the Southeastern United States. These plants grow in swampy areas with infertile, acidic mucky soils and have adapted by becoming able to digest small bugs. It grows quickly and forms clumps of 12 to 24 inch tall pitcher shaped leaves that form into a narrow hollow cone to serve as a trap for insects. The insects are attracted to the nectar of the plant and then crawl into the pitcher. Downward facing hairs prevent their escape. They become trapped and die. The decayed insect's nutrients are then absorbed by the plant as food. The plants are generally green to copper colored with red veining and a hood over the top to help prevent rain from getting inside. The pitchers produced in spring tend to be smaller and floppier than the ones produced in summer. The flowers have long strap-like red petals and are produced from April through June. The plants spread mostly by rhizomes.

Pitcher plants are endangered in some areas due to loss of habitat. An estimated 97.5% of Pitcher Plant habitats have been destroyed in the southeastern United States. They have been threatened in the wild by ongoing development; however, cultivated varieties are available. Never harvest these plants from the wild. They are best purchased from a reputable carnivorous plant nursery. The genus's name, Sarracenia, honors Dr. Michael Sarrazan of Quebec. In the 1700s, he sent the first pitcher plant to Europe. The species epithet means "red."

All of the plants of this species in North Carolina are Sarracenia rubra ssp. rubra; other subspecies exist outside of NC. 

These plants require specific growing conditions but can be grown at home in a carefully prepared bog garden composed of an acidic, humus-rich muck that is constantly damp to wet in full sun. The plant's crown should not be below the waterline. They could also be grown in a container, but do not use potting soil or fertilizer.  Canadian peat or 50/50 mixes of peat/sand or peat/perlite are good choices. The old leaves will die down in winter. If grown in part shade, leaf coloring does not develop as it should and pitchers droop. Soils must never dry out. Potting soil and fertilizers can kill the plant and it is sensitive to dissolved salts in chlorinated water. Rainwater or distilled water may be used in place of tap water for container plants. The plants should not be manually fed or given food scraps. The plant cannot digest fats, and fertilizers can burn the plant. The pitcher plant goes dormant in the fall and dormancy continues until spring. The leaves will turn brown, but it is best to wait and remove the foliage in the spring just before the flowers emerge. Most reproduction comes from budding along the rhizome and the easiest propagation is by rhizome division. Plants can be grown from seed, but will not flower for the first 4 or 5 years.

Sweet Pitcher Plant is a host plant for larvae of the pitcher plant mining moth (Exyra semicrocea)

Seasons of Interest:

Bloom:  Spring      Foliage:  Spring and Summer

Quick ID Hints:

  • clump-forming, growing in rosettes, found in swamps or bogs
  • specialized carnivorous leaf in the form of a hollow cone with a lid or hood
  • flowers are upside-down umbrellas on tall stalks
  • seed pod that turns brown at maturity and releases seeds

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The plants will do poorly if their specific growing conditions are not met. The biggest mistake is to keep the plant too wet. They must be protected from freezing winds. 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.

Profile Video:
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Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#deciduous#fragrant flowers#specimen#carnivorous#colorful#pond margins#moist soil#NC native#herbaceous perennial#native garden#exotic looking#container plant#full sun#boggy sites
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#deciduous#fragrant flowers#specimen#carnivorous#colorful#pond margins#moist soil#NC native#herbaceous perennial#native garden#exotic looking#container plant#full sun#boggy sites
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Sarracenia
    Species:
    rubra
    Family:
    Sarraceniaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Root Cutting
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Southeastern United States
    Distribution:
    Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida Panhandle
    Wildlife Value:
    Sweet Pitcher Plant is a host plant for larvae of the pitcher plant mining moth (Exyra semicrocea)
    Play Value:
    Attracts Pollinators
    Dimensions:
    Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Carnivorous
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Native Plant
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Clumping
    Erect
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    High
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Frequent Standing Water
    Moist
    Occasional Flooding
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Description:
    Five parted seed capsule.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Red/Burgundy
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Solitary
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Shape:
    Trumpet
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Description:
    Red-maroon flowers have five long strap-like petals that dangle over the umbrella-like style. Single flowers rise on a leafless stalks to about the same height as a mature pitcher. Flower stalks are crooked at the top, with the flower hanging downward. Flowers bloom from April to June.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Green
    Red/Burgundy
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    > 6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Narrow, green, heavily veined, upright pitchers. Top of the pitcher is marbled reddish brown. Summer-produced pitchers are more robust than those produced in spring. Modified leaves form distinctive, upright, slender-fluted pitchers 12 to 18 inches tall. Each pitcher has a horizontal lid that arches over the tube opening to prevent rain from entering the tube. Tube opening (mouth) is about 1 inch wide. This species infrequently produces slender, linear, winter leaves in warm winter locations.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Pond
    Riparian
    Landscape Theme:
    Native Garden
    Water Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Specimen
    Attracts:
    Bees
    Pollinators