Question
QUESTION: Hi! I have a mature, large sarracenia leucophylla. Last year it grue amazingly and put up two flowers. This year it did not put up any flowers. Does this mean anything about my plant? Is something going wrong.

I put it through winter dormancy, it is in full sun,and i live in southern new england.

ANSWER: Hi Frank,

I doubt anything serious is going on.  I find plants do this all the time.  It might just be in need of repotting.  I frequently find that plants that are getting crowded, or their soil is breaking down don't bloom as much.  I've also found that Sarracenia seem to bloom more if all of their leaves are clipped in the winter.  As I look out at the nursery now I see lots of flowers on sections of plants that were clipped and few flowers on those that were not.  In fact, those that didn't get clipped were mostly S. leucophylla and S. alata, and they don't have many flowers.

The bottom line, repot your plant if it's croweded, or been more than two seasons, and clip off all the dead material in the winter.

Is your plant growing leaves?

Good Growing!

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

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

QUESTION: Yes my plant does have many leaves right now. At the moment there are 3 open spring pitchers and 4 more that are still developing. I repotted it back in february. I did not clip off all the leaves in the winter since the gorgeous fall pitchers retained very well. I only recently clipped those off a month and a half ago. Maybe my plant is just being lazy by not flowering this season.

Answer
Hi Frank,

Since you recently re-potted, that isn't too unusual to not see as many flowers.  Next year when the plant is well established, you should see many more blooms.  I had a couple pots of S.x "Medusa" do exactly that.  Last year after late winter transplanting, almost no flowers.  This year, an explosion of flowers.

Good Growing!

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