Sarracenia, commonly referred to as pitcher plants or trumpet pitchers, is a genus of carnivorous plants with leaves that have evolved into a pitcher shape in order to trap insects. Bugs are attracted to the pitcher leaves due to a combination of secretions from extrafloral nectaries and leaf coloration.

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More Information About Sarracenia

Whether it's their unique foliage, fabulous flowers, or ability of the carnivorous pitcher plant to rid the world of unwanted insect pests, the sarracenia is indeed a wonderful marginal aquatic perennial. All the pitcher plants for sale at Plant Delights are nursery-propagated in an ethical manner, either from seed or tissue culture...no endangered native Sarracenia purpurea or Sarracenia flava populations were harmed in the production of our plants.

How To Grow and Care for Sarracenia (Pitcher Plants)

In the wild, sarracenia species are bog plants that are found in moist meadows, swamps, and along the edges of bodies of water. In the garden, pitcher plant species prefer moist soils but do not require a bog to grow well. As a rule, they like damp toes but dry ankles.

Sarracenia plants can also be grown in a container that rests in a tray of water. Pitcher plants grow best outdoors in full sun and do not fare well indoors...except when used for a short time as conversation pieces for wild carnivorous plant parties. DO NOT feed your carnivorous pitcher plant with bits of meat, mundane table scraps, or chemical fertilizers. Even small amounts of fertilizer will burn sarracenia and the food scraps will cause the pitchers to rot. Sarracenia's consumption of insects is an afterthought, not a requirement. In the wild, sarracenia plants grow in sandy/peat-based nutrient-poor soils with a pH between 3 and 4.

Many of our hybrid sarracenia for sale here at Plant Delights come from the breeding program of Dr. Larry Mellichamp (UNCC) and the late Rob Gardner (UNCBG). They crossed the short Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant) with taller species like Sarracenia flava and Sarracenia leucophylla to create novel hybrid pitcher plants that resist the urge to topple over like many of the tall wild species do. Their pitcher plant crosses come in a wide variety of colors and forms. When you are ready to buy pitcher plants, check out our selection of pitcher plants for sale.

Additional Sarracenia (Pitcher Plant) Resources

Sarracenia can be quite addictive so why not go ahead and create a bog garden? Read our step-by-step guide How to Build a Pitcher Plant Bog and create your own refuge for these amazing plants.

If you’re new to pitcher plants, read our in-depth article Sarracenia – The Pitcher Plant and learn all about the morphology, taxonomy, conservation, and habitat of sarracenia plants.

Watch Our Series of Pitcher Plant Videos

Pruning Sarracenia (Pitcher Plant)

Learn how to properly prune your sarracenia for the best results.

Gardening Unplugged - Pitcher Plants in the Garden w/ Tony Avent

Join Tony Avent as he shows guests some of the wonderful pitcher plants growing at Juniper Level Botanic Garden.