Question
I was watering my fly traps and sarracenia, that are supposed to be sleeping for the winter, and notices 3 flower stalks on one of the sarracenia hybrids.  These cold hardy plants are in a north facing window in a cold room.  We had a warm week getting up into the 50's but it is back into the 20's at night and 30's daytime.  Do I leave it as is, I could move it to a warm south facing room/window, I also have a small indoor rack running 12/12 lighting where I keep my tropical sundews and nepenthes.  Thanks for your time.

Answer
Hi Ed,

This often happens when the plants are in a warmer environment.  Coming out of dormancy is triggered by temperatures and photoperiod.  Our days are getting longer, and that is what the plants are responding to.

What I would do is leave them in the colder area for now.  Watch them as the flower stalks form.  When you see the first new pitchers trying to grow, move them to the sunny south window.  When you feel frost danger is minimal in the next couple of months, go ahead and move them outside.  Leaving them in the cold room will keep the growth slow.

Here in the nursery what we see if the first signs of flowers in late March, but it takes until May to see the first flowers actually open.  Our weather tends to be cool and rainy until June.

Good Growing!

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