Question
Hi! I recently bought some Sarracenia rhizomes (I don't know what species yet) and a couple of them have small round growths forming at the base. I figure these are the flowers. Since these rhizomes were just divided, should I cut the flowers off?  And if so, how long should I let the stem get before cutting it off? And lastly, is it normal for them to start so early? The weather in Southern California has been a bit odd lately with warmer days and then rainy, cold days. Thanks!

Answer
Hello Jonathan,

It is not uncommon for Sarracenias to form a flower bud early and wait for the weather to warm up to bloom. Since these are recent cuttings, and since the rhizomes really should maintain dormancy for a while longer, (at least until full daylength sunlight is present in spring) you might want to clip the forming flower buds off when they are just an inch or two high. Clipping them too early might cause the plant to try to grow another, so allowing them to grow a few days before clipping them is best.

Christopher