A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 does anyone else have a pitcher plant?

What happened to Amber J?? I think she got a pitcher plant too ,, Mine is growing a lot from the top but I don't know if it will develope new pitchers the original pitchers are dying off I found out thru research it's cycle of life is over now giving energy back to the plant,, I also understand a pitcher plant has to have perfect growing conditions to develope new pitchers Does any one have existing experience with one?

Bright indirect light and high humidity.

Go here!

http://www.sarracenia.com/faq.html

There is a ton of info on the web about Nepenthes. Just google it!

Tom

Hi Tom I have an excellent site I go to , And I have book marked yours as well,, sometimes for me anyways I prefer to hear of ones personal experience with it I have pretty much proven it can survive without a terrarium envoirment mine has really grown a lot ! I give it baby crickets and I water only with rain water or distilled water... I have it hanging in an east window and the temp remains 78 degrees and I mist every morning with distilled water. I'd like eto know if anyone else had one to see if they have grown new pitchers off of new leaves after the older pitchers have died off,,

Thanks for the site I'm off to read it now!

Here is the Pitcher plant Diane gave me . Diane\'s Pitcher Plant

That is an awesome looking plant!

What a cool looking plant!!!

Hi Angelblossom,

I purchased a pitcher plant several months ago at a Arts and Craft fair in Foley, Alabama. I hadn't seen this kind of plant until then. Thought it was so cool but wasn't too thrilled that it was a carnivouras plant.

If I could get Photobucket mastered, I would post a pic of mine. I don't think that is happening anytime soon. I am experiencing some trouble with mine as the tops of the large pitchers (hanging on the bottom) have dried out. I live in a humid area (New Orleans) and water it every three days. The plant is hanging facing east. I do have small pitcher shoots on top. Some have tried out, some seem okay. I have not fed the plant anything. Saw a wasp around it the other day but I don't think it was sucked in.

Suggestions? Anyone?

Hello floweringchild nice to meet you. Diane told me to feed baby crickets every once in awhile she gave me the one pitchered above. Said not to feed them flies don't know about wasp sure that would not be too good if flies damage them. She and I both get our Crickets at a pet store . I get mine at Petsmart as it is the one close to me. You might try that.

Here's one of my pitchers, I'm assuming wer're talking about Neps here and not Sarrs...

Hi Tom yes Jimmy and I have Neps we feed them crickets as house flies carry too much bacteria,, I put my crickets in the freezer long enough for them to stop moving so i can grab them and put into the pitchers,,,

Ahhh you might want to down size your picture!

I have another one I want to send to Jiffy but this weather is toooo hot to mail right now,, probably in the Fall I'll sent her one

I recently got a Saracenia purpurea Pitcher plant (got it on sale for $10 at the Lowes in South Florida)....I'm assuming this is the southern eastern coastal variety (venosa) but the plant tag doesn' say. I've had it less than a month so I'm watching it closely to see how it does.
I have it outside because our climate is very hot and humid this time of year with rain almost daily and intense heat (subtropical).
Pitchers have not yet formed on the plant, but I notice tentacles that are trying to form.
It's my first experience with this exotic plant so I'm learning as I go.
Here are photos:




These were shot this morning. We had just gotten a light rain shower.

Rite
zone 10b

http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq6010e.html

Yours look verry healthy A bargin for 10.00!
This site will give you load of info!! there is page after page of FAQ's Congrat on you first Pitcher plant..!! sounds like you have perfect outside conditions for it!

That is a Nepenthes, not a Sarr purple pitcher! Nice just the same though!

Tom

Hey Tom,
Thanks for the insight on this plant. You know the folks at Lowes must have misidentified. The tag attached to the hanging basket that it came in reads:
Pitcher plant
Planta De Jarra
Sarracenia purpurea
It has a photo on the card of a multiple pitchered plant with purple bases and purple veins running through some of the pitcher leaves.
I guess it wouldn't be the first time they mislabeled something.
Aren't Neps more rare than Sarracenias?
I guess I did get a bargain for $10.
I see new leaves forming on my plant so I think it is happy with its location and the amount of rain we've been getting.
I'll post a photo when I get my first pitcher.
As for misting with purified water that was suggested. The humidity at night mists all of the outdoor plants. Every morning they all have a dew-like mist. An just about every afternoon there is a thunderstorm rolling through.
Rite

Use only distilled or rain water on the Nep and maybe a light spray of 1/4 strength orchid food every 2 weeks. Bright indirect sunlight

Tom

Does anyone have any pitcher plant to share with me too?Since it gets cold here maybe trade next summer?Will pay for postage and handling?Thanks

Tom R would you think about giving me a start of your pitcher plant?It may be to late this season cause of the weather change?Not sure but anyway next spring?I will pay for the postage and handling if you will?Thank you Rita

My plant isn't big enough yet to take a start, sorry.

They are easily bought on the web though from several places:

You want the TROPICAL pitcher plants:

http://www.cobraplant.com/3-carnivorous-plant-store.html

http://www.flytraps.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=23886

Do a search for Nepenthes and Tropical pitcher plants

Tom

I just bought a pitcher plant just like Rite2U's, and have read all the current posts on it and most of the links. I also got mine at Lowe's here in south Florida, but I can't brag about the same bargain, although the price wasn't bad at all. So far she (I can't call the plant an "it" although I really don't know the sex of the plant if such a thing exists) is doing well and I'm keeping her humid and with plenty of this Florida sunshine. Gotta catch her a cricket though. I am hoping she lures in many mosquitos.
karen

Karen,
Can you post a picture of your's so we can see it?
Rite
Does yours have pitchers on it already? Also, I think I read that mosquitos aren't on the pitcher plant diet. Tom R and the others probably know better...

rite2 Crickets are best bought at the pet store Here is my pitcher plant I had since Feb and now have two of them Crickets seem to give it a growth spurt

Wow...your plants looks great. I still don't have any pitchers on mine, though.
Here is teh latest picture shot this evening.


I am spritzing it with rain or purified water daily...I'm curious...if there is not pitcher, how would I feed it a cricket?
Rite

Oh My... Good question!! The answer is your don't! it takes a while for it to develope pitchers, THEN you feed the pitchers. it conditions have to be almost perfect . go to this site.. the first page you get tells about pitchers but if you go back to home page and look up pitchers and your kind( nep'.) it wil give you so much wonderful information this site has been my guide line for my pitchers!! Glad you have one and keep posting updates on yours okay>>?
http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq5400.html

BTW your look Very healthy!!

Opps to save a lot of looking around that site here is a part of it that took me a hile to find I forgot to add above
http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq6010e.html

Have patients with tropical pitchers, mine took a few months before pitchers formed. Spray the foliage with a 1/4 strength 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 or miracle grow every 2 weeks. Moderate to bright indirect sunlight. Then wait! It'll happen!

Tom