Question
Hi! I recently ordered a Purpurea from a CP grower online. I get the plant, and it had "healthy" traps. but within a week the traps turned black at the base, so I picked them off. What remained was just the bulb and purple/brown triangular leafy things on top of the bulb that I'm sure are dead. The problem is; for the past month its looked the same! nothing grows, the bulb isn't rotten. I just don't know what to think of it. It has roots,and the bulb is firm as can be. I don't know if its dead or maybe dormant for some reason. Conditions are good, btw.

Answer
Hi Jordan,

Just give it a couple more weeks.  Sarracenia purpurea needs sustained warm temperatures to begin good growth.  It's often a little slower than its upright cousins.  We don't usually see good new growth in ours here in Oregon until June.

By conditions being good I'm assuming you have it outside, sitting in a tray of water, in a full sun location.  If that's not the case, your conditions may not be that good.  Be sure to check out our caresheet pages and our DVD, "Grow Carnivorous Plants" Volume #1.

Good Growing!

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