Question

S. leucophylla wilting   QUESTION: This passed winter I purchased 20 S. leucophylla rhizomes from you. I potted them up in 50/50ish sand, peat. I have them in full sun all day, and halfway through the day the pitchers fold over so that the top of the pitcher would touch the soil, making an upside down U, and they are very limp and thin. They get rain water anywhere from 1/4-1/2 way up the 4 inch pots they are in. By the end of the day, the pitchers work their way to being straight again. I have been giving them more shade during the day and I am curious as to why this is happening. Is it just the adjustment period to my weather conditions? I am in Staten Island, New York. Thank You

ANSWER: Hi Zachary,

Your plants are showing all the classic symptoms of low light.  This is what Sarracenia look like when they are grown in the shade.  I'm not sure what was happening when they were in full sun originally, but moving them to the shade only added insult to injury.  :(

What you need to do is bite the bullet and put them back out in full sun.  Our plants in our nursery get around 10 hours on a sunny day. I always use the rule that wherever you place a Sarracenia you should be able to grow a tomato plant in that spot.  If you couldn't it isn't bright enough.  We have some rhizomes from the same batch you bought and they are just now starting to open some pitchers.  S. leucophylla is often slow to get started after division, and have the highest light demands of all Sarracenia.  They also all occur in the warmest areas of the Sarracenia range.

Now, having said that, here's what's going to happen when they go back in full sun.  You will see some leaf burn.  If that happens, just cut them off.  Given time they will grow new ones that will be normal.  Also, when watering try to do some top-watering and drain your water tray once in awhile before refilling it.  Too much retail grade peat moss these days is high in mineral salts, so leaching the soil more is a good idea for root development.

Mostly you are just going to have to give them some time.  You will probably see the best growth in them late in the summer.  We've had a very warm spring, and ours are still slow.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.growcarnivorousplants.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Okay, I moved them to full blazing sun again, I feel like they perked up when I put them in the half shade half sun. This same problem also occurred in a S. rubra gulfensis I got this year from Georgia, and a S. minor from South Carolina. I took them out of the full sun and within an hour they perked up, any speculation why? I will let these pitchers do whatever and if they die hopefully the new leaves will be just as resilient as the rest of the collection. Thanks for your help!


Sarracenia leucophylla  
This is how much sun o   ANSWER: Hi Zachary,

I looked at your weather conditions in New Jersey, and it looks like you weather has been on the cool side, and how now warmed up?  If that's the case this is where some general gardening knowledge really helps.  Think about things like annual flowers or vegetable plants recently put into a garden.  If it's been cool for awhile, then it warms suddenly, you often get some partial wilt until the temperature becomes more stable, and the plants grow tougher leaves.  Plants show some wilt in the hot sun, but perk up when the sun goes down or behind some trees.  If you move your cucumbers to the shade, however, they never are able to adapt to the conditions, and you get no cucumbers.

Pitcher plants would be no different.  Almost never is too much sun a problem for Sarracenia unless they are in an odd location such as right next to a white house where the reflected light is baking them with thermal reflection.

I've attached some photos of some of our plants including the ones you have, and some leucos from the same batch your rhizomes came from.  Our temperatures have been in the 90's with on day over 100 already.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.growcarnivorousplants.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ahh I understand now, btw I am in NYC not jersey (geographically close but very different weather). We had a few weeks in the 90s followed by a few weeks in the 70s so we have had some strange temps. Thank you for your help, they are in full sun and I won't even look at them because I have learned that some plants die from not enough care and some die from too much attention and care! Thanks again.

Answer
Hi Zachary,

Sorry about the incorrect geography.  The header on the Allexperts question said New Jersey but I realized in your first post you did say you're on Staten Island.

You're right on target!  I've seen lots of new growers baby their plants to death.  One common way is what I call the "Move it here, move it there" syndrome.  This usually happens more with houseplants, but I've seen folks do it with outside plants too.  They are trying to get their plants the most sun, or avoid some condition, yet plants don't move around in nature.  They never get a chance to adapt to the microclimate of a particular location.  In houseplants Nepenthes are very sensitive to this, and will never pitcher if someone is constantly moving it around.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.growcarnivorousplants.com