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caitlin014

Sarracenia Pitcher Plant: Dormant or Dead?

Caitlin014
10 years ago

Hello. I have a hopeless brown thumb but somehow got the idea in my head that carnivorous plants were going to become my new hobby. I got a Sarracenia pitcher plant last week in perfect condition and I checked out every book from the library on carnivorous plants and have read up about them on the internet all week. But ever since I got it it has appeared to be slowly declining and at this point one week later appears completely dead. Any advice on whether there is anything I can do to salvage it? Is it possible it is just going dormant? Please help.

Comments (8)

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    10 years ago

    Post a photo. These are not house plants so if you're growing it inside forget it. What type of water are you using also.

  • Caitlin014
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I attached a photo of what the plant looks like right now. It is outside on my porch. Partial shade. I live in Florida. I have it in a tray of distilled water I bought from the store. I don't know what it was watered with at the place I bought it. I just took it to a local nursery and they told me it's not dead it just needs more water but I'm not sure.

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the photo. You can clip off the 3 dead pitchers. Distilled water is fine. Rainwater is fine as well. Keep it in a shallow tray of water always. Where you are you can leave it outside all year. Acclimate it to FULL Sun and leave it in full Sun. It's a Sarracenia purpurea.

  • Caitlin014
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you!

  • hunterkiller03
    10 years ago

    That looks like the picture of a plant that suffered sudden death. When all the pitchers wilt like that, plus the developing pitcher dies. I have the feeling that the rhizome is dead.

    I may be wrong but that looks like symptom I've seen before. The rhizome id dieing but the leaves are still green & look normal. But once the the rhizome is dead, the next thing that dies are the developing new immature pitchers, like the little developing pitcher. Then the rest of the developed leaves die and the pitchers kinda acquire this wilted drying, its a sudden collapse. Like I'm seeing on the photo you provided.

    You may have purchased a plant that was dying. Hope I'm wrong

  • Caitlin014
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you for your input. I am (obviously) bad with plants but my gut tells me it is dead too. Ironic since I chose the healthiest looking one at the nursery where I got it. It has not improved and there is no new growth so perhaps I will cut my losses on this one and try again with another. Thanks again.

  • hunterkiller03
    10 years ago

    It has happen to me. And it happen.

    I have lost plants that I have been growing for years. You just don't know that the plant is dead, until all the leaves all of the sudden flop like that.

    Sorry about that. But just don't give up.

  • Sundewd
    10 years ago

    I wouldn't give up just yet. Take it out of that packed lfs, gently clean the roots amd see if any of them have any white left showing. If so, put into a fluffy sifted peat mix with an equal part of perlite and half part sand. Hopefully its just dormant but yeah, my sarracenia don't do that when going dormant. It's a more gradual process.

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