Question

Odd growth   QUESTION: Hi! I was just clipping off and the dead leaves of my sarracenia rubra and decided to leave on all the good looking leaves. In doing so I saw this tiny nub growing from the crown of the plant that l looks like a flower bud? Do you know what this is? Are flower buds always this tiny?

ANSWER: Hi Victor,

Nothing odd about that.  You have a nice flower bud coming up.  They do look very tiny on S. rubra varieties.  The are much more pronounced on bigger plants such as S. flava.

Good Growing!

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

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

QUESTION: Thanks for the quick response! However, I've seen on your website and photo gallery that the flowers when opened are quite large, like an inch or two across. Will this flower get bigger as it develops or will it stay this small?

Answer
Hi Victor,

You're seeing the flower as it is just starting to develop.  It still has to grow about a foot, turn upside down, then fully grow the actual flower.  It will be  few weeks before it gets there.  Actual flower size will depend on the species of Sarracenia you have.  Sarracenia rubra ssp. rubra has the smallest flowers with S. flava having the biggest.  Everything else is in-between.  Some hybrids can have unusual shades in their flower petals, and then you have mutants such as S. leucophylla "Tarnok".

Good Growing!

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