| Description | Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia) is a passive, pitfall trap carnivorous plant growing in swamps and boggy sites. They attract their prey through color, nectar, and scent. The prey falls into the trap and is digested for use by the plant. |
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| Pronunciation | (sar-uh-SEN-ee-uh) |
| Plant Type | Perennials Hardy, Carnivorous plants |
| Hardiness Zone | 4-8(10) depending on the species |
| Sunlight | full |
| Moisture | constantly moist |
| Soil & Site | inhabit bogs, swamps, wet or sandy meadows, and savannas, soils are water-saturated, acidic, and deficient in nitrogen or phosphorous. |
| Growing Media | equal parts peat moss, soil, and perlite |
| Flowers | nodding, borne on tall stalks (scapes), insect-pollinated, agreeable scent, colors: white, yellow, bronze, etc., five sepals and five petals |
| Leaves | Hollow tubular leaves can take the form of a trumpet, a pitcher, or an urn. The base of the leaves is filled with water that has protein digestive enzymes and bacteria to break down the insect into usable nutrients. These leaves passively capture prey that is lured to the leaf’s mouth by its glistening surfaces or unusual coloration and transparent patches. If an insect or other organism falls into the pitcher, stiff downward-pointing hairs and slippery walls prevent it from crawling back out. Some leaves have hoods over the opening. |
| Stems | short rhizomes |
| Roots | off of the rhizome |
| Dimensions | less than 12 to over 30 inches depending on the cultivar or species |
| Propagation | seeds, division |
| Misc Facts | AKA: Trumpet Pitcher Plant, carnivorous plants |
| Author's Notes | These plants live in areas where the soil is lacking enough nitrogen to grow properly. They supplement this by consuming insects to get the needed nitrogen. |
| Notes & Reference | #271-Carnivorous Plants (Adrain Slack) |
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