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Discuss Sarracenia, Heliamphora, Darlingtonia, Cephalotus plant care here

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By SundewWolf
Posts:  2219
Joined:  Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:38 pm
#189817
@carnivnep I have only had this Dana's delight since April this year, do I can't say much about its growth cycles. It was growing in full sun outside in summer and it was fine, until I moved to college and kept it inside for a while this september. The light seems to have been the problem , but its still having some pitcher malformations so I didn't know if that's because it's too late for it to grow strong leaves, or is it some different issue like watering or pot size?
By SundewWolf
Posts:  2219
Joined:  Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:38 pm
#189838
Also...how cold hardy is the Dana's delight? I tried looking it up but I couldn't find anything. I have a purpurea ssp venosa which I plan on keeping outside, but I was unsure about the Dana's. I'm in southern Illinois and It's now getting frosty in the mornings. Purpurea grows wild down here, but I can't remember if its the northern or southern subspecies of the purpurea...
By carnivnep910
Posts:  9
Joined:  Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:14 pm
#189942
You may be seeing curvy leaves or deformed pitcher openings due to the low light levels.

I live in South-Eastern Wisconsin and I am currently insulating my Sarracenia in a styrofoam cooler... not sure if it will do the job when temperatures stay below freezing here. I have been opening it during the day and letting my plants get some sun while it remains above freezing and closing it during the chilly and windy nights.

I would suggest that if you keep any of your cold-hardy plants outside right now, bundle them up in a mulch (or somehow insulate them) to keep them sheltered from wind chill at night. If the leaves begin to turn all brown and die back down to the rhizome, it's probably a sign that the plant itself is dying. I've had plants that lost all their leaves over the long winter and their rhizomes also shortly turned brown as well. If you think it will be too cold, definitely do not wait for the leaves to die to bring them back in (they will need them for photosynthesis, anyway)! Normally these plants are able to keep their leaves green and colorful throughout most of dormancy. Any brown leaves will be easy for mold/fungus to grow on, anyway.

If your plants will experience nighttime temperatures below freezing right now but above freezing during the day, I would recommend not letting them sit in water or be too wet. When the weather goes above freezing for brief daytimes, I would let the plants receive sunlight so they can photosynthesize but do not water them. When this happens, the ice will begin to melt from the top of the pot first... and if it's too waterlogged to begin with, all the accumulated and unmelted ice from the bottom of the pot will prevent the soil from draining and this will cause all the melted water to be pooled/concentrated at the rhizome level and will cause rhizome rot. If previously frozen solid and it melts for a brief period of time, I would pour out the excess water as it thaws (since ice expands, this will only worsen the situation the next time it re-freezes if it did not completely thaw out and drain). The soil should only be damp if it thaws out only during the day and re-freezes during the night. This is all based on how I lost all of my larger-rhizome Sarracenias from last season. If the water and the plant tissue is frozen, it can't photosynthesize/make energy anyway, so being a little bit on the drier side in sub-freezing temperatures will not negatively affect the plant.
By carnivnep910
Posts:  9
Joined:  Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:14 pm
#190033
It depends on the environment. Here in Wisconsin, I've had Sarracenias retain most of their leaves (browning around the edges) until spring while being in a cold frame (boxed up in an unheated shed) all winter. In super cold conditions, you should expect them to lose their leaves if they are outdoors/experience wind chills. Just make sure that the rhizome remains green and colorful. Sarracenia are not true hibernators -- they will still photosynthesize during dormancy when given the chance because their natural winters for the South/Southeastern species are not as harsh as here in Wisconsin or Illinois.

I've never considered refrigerating plants for dormancy. Since they would then be kept above freezing temperatures, wouldn't they also need some light? If they are tucked away in a dark refrigerator, is it normal then for them to lose their leaves?
By carnivnep910
Posts:  9
Joined:  Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:14 pm
#190512
I've been told by other Wisconsin growers that they let their plants go dormant indoors and just reduce the lighting to keep them dormant. For me, I really don't have the space for either option of trying to refrigerate any of my plants or keep them indoors with some sort of light fixture.
By SundewWolf
Posts:  2219
Joined:  Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:38 pm
#190869
They seem to be doing good now. Really nice color and the pitchers seem to be developing OK.

These pitchers are shorter than the old thin ones (compared in the pics) but the pitcher itself is wider.
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