Pitcher Plant

The pitcher plant that most of us think of is probably a member of either the Nepenthaceae or Sarraceniaceae families.

This plant found growing in the wild in the United States will usually be found in bogs and other at least seasonally wet environments. The soil is normally nitrogen poor and the ph is acidic.

The foliage or leaves of this interesting plant are actually hollow tubes that are covered or shielded at the top by a flap which prevents excess rain water from entering.

This carnivorous plant produces within the hollow tubular leaves extremely strong odors along with nectar on the hoods that attract insects.

An insect crawling under the hood will find the inside of the tube quite slippery and tumbles down inside to be greeted by a pool of water.

Once in the water the insect can not escape due to filaments that are directed downward and thus travel in an upward fashion is impossible.

Sooner or later the trapped insect drowns and decomposes which is encouraged by various enzymes and acids. The resulting product is a nitrogen rich liquid fertilizer that benefits the plant.

These plants can be very attractive with both colorful hoods and flowers.

Floral colors range from:

• yellow
• purple
• red
• intense red
• rose

Experiment with a few pitchers by planting them in containers and introducing them to your bog or water garden.

Remember to provide them with a sunny location and acidic soil.