Question
Hello,

I am first time carnivorous plant grower, living in Brooklyn, NY. I have the following plants, all growing together in a sort of troth pot. They live outside and I use the soil I bought directly from you guys.

- D. filiformis ssp. filiformis - Northern Dewthread
- Scarlet Belle
- Clamshell Flytrap
- S. purpurea ssp. venosa - Purple Pitcher
- Red Dragon Flytrap

It's been a rough winter in NY, we've seen lots of snow. My plants have no been protected from the snow fall or below freezing temps.

This may be a silly question, but what can I expect when spring and warmer temperatures start to arrive, are my plants goners?
What can I do to verify and or check on the situation?

Thank you in advance for your help!
I absolutely love my plants! and if they haven't made it through
I will try again this year!

Michelle Brosh

Answer
Hi Michelle,

It's always best to ask about these kind of things before winter rather than after the fact. :)

All of your plants are hardy plants, but being container plants they need a little extra protection during severe temperatures.  If they were covered in lots of snow during very cold temperatures, they should be fine.  However, if they were in small pots up exposed with no covering during single digits or colder, some are probably dead.  Of your plants the S. purpurea is the most likely to survive, followed by the D. filiformis.  What happens is they dehydrate; literally freeze-dry when exposed to cold wind.  If they are mulched, or covered in snow, they can handle the cold since they don't loose water.

When temperatures begin to warm soon, unpot your plants and inspect them.  If roots and rhizomes look white, they've made it.  If they are brown and mushy, say some final words for them.  With the Drosera filiformis you'll need to look at the hibernacula crown.  It should look very dark red and be firm.  If it is totally black and soft, it's probably dead, but don't toss it.  Replant it and wait.  Sometimes part of it is alive and recovers.  For all the plants repot them if they look healthy.

Good Growing!

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