Does it need fertilizer?

No, it gets nutrients from insects and will be harmed by standard fertilizers.

What water should I use?

Use only distilled, rain, or reverse osmosis water.

Guide botanique

Purple pitcher plant.

Sarracenia purpurea

Prononciation sah-rah-SEE-nee-ah pur-PUR-ee-ah

Aussi appelée Hollow-leaved Lavender, Pitcher Plant, Pitcherplant, Purple Pitcher-plant, Side-saddle flower, Turtle socks, common pitcherplant, frog's-britches

The purple pitcher plant is a fascinating carnivorous species that traps insects in its water filled leaves. It is native to boggy areas across North America and thrives in nutrient poor, acidic soil. You will love watching how it catches its own snacks.

En un coup d'œil

Niveau d'entretien: Difficile
Type de plante: Carnivorous perennial
Lumière: Full sun
Lumière en intérieur: Soleil direct
Arrosage: Tous les 1 à 3 jours
Taille adulte: 12 to 18 inches
Croissance: Lente
Rusticité: USDA 3 à 8
Floraison: Mid to late spring

Entretien

Keep the soil consistently moist using only distilled or rainwater to avoid mineral buildup. Ensure the plant sits in a tray of water to mimic its natural bog habitat. Watch for browning leaf tips, which often signal mineral burn from tap water.

Arrosage: Always keep the soil saturated with distilled water.
Engrais: Do not fertilize this plant as it gets nutrients from insects.
Taille: Trim away dead or dried pitchers in late winter.
Rempotage: Repot only when the plant outgrows its container.
Sol: Peat moss and perlite mix
pH du sol: Acidic
Température: -20 à 35°C
Humidité: 60 à 90%
Résistance à la sécheresse: Faible
Durée de vie: Perennial, can live for many decades.
Parfum: Léger
Résistance aux chevreuils et lapins: Élevée

Signes qu'il faut rempoter

Rhizome crowding the pot edge
Soil medium breaking down
Reduced growth rate

Sécurité

Humains: The plant is not considered toxic, but it is not meant for human consumption.
Enfants: Keep away from small children to prevent them from pulling apart the pitchers or spilling the digestive fluid.
Allergènes de contact: The leaves can be slightly abrasive, but there is no known chemical irritant.
Allergènes aéroportés: The pollen may cause mild reactions in sensitive individuals.
Comestibilité: This plant is not edible and should never be consumed.

Comment l'identifier

Tubular leaves forming a rosette
Veined purple and green coloration
Hooded opening to trap insects
Large nodding reddish purple flowers

Hauteur: 0,15 à 0,3m
Envergure: 0,2 à 0,4m
Feuilles: green, red, purple, semi-evergreen
Fleurs: maroon, red, 5 à 8cm
Fruits: brown, Late summer

Problèmes courants

Aphids — Small insects that cluster on new growth and flower stalks.
Root rot — Occurs if the soil medium is allowed to dry out or becomes stagnant.

La cultiver

Multiplication: seed, division
Quand planter: spring
Hivernage: The plant requires a cold dormant period to survive. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged during the winter months.
En pot: It grows well in plastic pots placed in a tray of water, minimum 15 cm diameter.

Division

1. Gently unpot the plant in early spring.
2. Separate the rhizome into sections with roots attached.
3. Pot each section into fresh peat and perlite mix.

Seed

1. Sow seeds on the surface of moist peat moss.
2. Provide a cold stratification period for 4 to 6 weeks.
3. Keep under bright light until germination.

Group plants that all require consistent moisture and acidic, peat based soil.

Bonnes associations

Round leaved sundew — They share the same boggy, nutrient poor habitat requirements.
Vaccinium oxycoccos — This low growing plant acts as a living mulch for the bog surface.

Espèces similaires

Sarracenia flava — It is a taller, more upright relative with yellow flowers.

Science

Famille: Sarraceniaceae
Genre: Sarracenia
Ordre: Ericales
Classe: Magnoliopsida
Région d'origine: Eastern North America from the Gulf Coast to Canada.
Préservation: It is protected in parts of its range and should never be collected from the wild.

It thrives in nutrient poor, acidic bogs where it captures insects to supplement its nitrogen intake.

Intérêt pour la faune: nectar source, prey capture
Pollinisateurs: abeilles, coléoptères
Utilisations: bog gardens, ornamental display

Au fil des saisons

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Floraison

Fructification

Feuillage

Repères écologiques

Salinité: 1/9
Réaction du sol: 2/9
Lumière: 8/9
Température: 4/9
Humidité: 9/9
Nutriments: 1/9

Taxonomie vérifiée avec le GBIF.

Ce qu'on demande souvent

Does it need fertilizer?: No, it gets nutrients from insects and will be harmed by standard fertilizers.
What water should I use?: Use only distilled, rain, or reverse osmosis water.

D'où vient le nom

Sarracenia honors Dr. Michel Sarrasin, while purpurea refers to the purple color of the leaves.

Bon à savoir

It is the most cold hardy of all pitcher plants.
The pitchers fill with rainwater to drown prey.
It does not produce digestive enzymes but relies on bacteria to break down insects.

Aussi dans

Plantes que les cerfs ne mangent pas

Ta plante a mauvaise mine ?

Cette page est un guide général. Pocket Botanist diagnostique les problèmes directement à partir d'une photo de ta plante, adapte l'arrosage à sa luminosité et te prévient quand il faut t'en occuper.

Télécharger l'appli

Ce guide a été généré par IA et vérifié avec la taxonomie du GBIF. Il s'agit d'informations générales, et non de conseils horticoles ou vétérinaires. Découvre comment nous concevons ces guides.