FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

My Sarracenia (Mitchelliana x S. leucophylia) is flowering for the first time and I was wondering:

1) will flowering weaken the plant, as with VFTs?
2) can seeds be gathered from the Sarr.? Will it self-pollinate?
3) if I manage to gather the seeds, how long will they be viable? Should I keep them in the fridge?
4) when is the best time to plant the seeds (dormancy is looming here)?
5) what soil mix should I use for the seeds and any special care instructions?

I'm actually quite excited about it!

snowball wrote:1) will flowering weaken the plant, as with VFTs?

Yes, but no where near as much.

snowball wrote:2) can seeds be gathered from the Sarr.? Will it self-pollinate?

Yes. See this:
http://rayandtrish.com/Pollinate%20a%20 ... acenia.htm

snowball wrote:3) if I manage to gather the seeds, how long will they be viable? Should I keep them in the fridge?

Sarracenia seeds need a cold, damp stratification period of 4 weeks. You should sow them immediately after stratification. You can stratify them right after you gather them. I use as damp paper towel and a ziplock bag placed in the fridge for stratification.

snowball wrote:4) when is the best time to plant the seeds (dormancy is looming here)?

If you don't have an indoor growing set up, I suppose spring would be the best time. You could stratify them all winter probably. Or just store them until 1 month before spring and then start stratification.

snowball wrote:5) what soil mix should I use for the seeds and any special care instructions?

Soil mix can be the same as for the parent plant. The seedlings are more sensitive to freezing and frost than full grown plants, but otherwise should receive the same care.

If it's autumn for you right now (I don't know where you live, perhaps posting a location would help know what seasons you're experiencing right now), cut the flower off. There is not enough time for your plant to set seed, and most autumn flowers are distorted. And yes, it will probably weaken the plant if it's not spring or summer right now, where you live.

Yes, it's Autumn here.

I really want to see the flower. The plant itself is very healthy and showing no signs of entering dormancy - I think I'll watch it carefully and if it shows any signs of distress, I'll cut the flower off.

It'll probably just weaken the plant more than anything (Like, 'prettifying' it.). Cut it off, can't you wait 'till spring?

limeslide wrote:Cut it off, can't you wait 'till spring?

I guess I'll cut it off and hope that it decides to flower in the Spring. It's a bit of an anti-climax.

I think it's flowering late because of the unseasonably warm weather we've been getting in Scotland these last couple of weeks. If that's the case, there's a good chance I'll never see the damn thing flower again!

Day length has a lot more to do with flowering than temperature, unless you have a frost. I wish you best luck it flowers again.

petmantis wrote:If it's autumn for you right now (I don't know where you live, perhaps posting a location would help know what seasons you're experiencing right now), cut the flower off. There is not enough time for your plant to set seed, and most autumn flowers are distorted. And yes, it will probably weaken the plant if it's not spring or summer right now, where you live.

Do you know if this is the same case for a VFT? I have one that shot up a flower stalk about 2 weeks ago. With hurricane hermione or w/e it hasn't gotten much sun in the past few days.

Advisable to cut it off?

Idontkno23 wrote:Do you know if this is the same case for a VFT? I have one that shot up a flower stalk about 2 weeks ago. With hurricane hermione or w/e it hasn't gotten much sun in the past few days.

No Profile info so how do we know where you are ?? as we are in spring and the top half is in autumn ! to give the correct advice we need to know where in the world you are assume in USA with mention hurricane's !! but let us know !

Idontkno23 wrote:

petmantis wrote:If it's autumn for you right now (I don't know where you live, perhaps posting a location would help know what seasons you're experiencing right now), cut the flower off. There is not enough time for your plant to set seed, and most autumn flowers are distorted. And yes, it will probably weaken the plant if it's not spring or summer right now, where you live.

Do you know if this is the same case for a VFT? I have one that shot up a flower stalk about 2 weeks ago. With hurricane hermione or w/e it hasn't gotten much sun in the past few days.

Advisable to cut it off?

Tropical Storm Hermine*
I assume you are in Texas? Me too! 8D
I'd cut it off, that would end up killing the VFT when dormancy comes at it wasted all its energy on flowering.

there you go got your answer, what would have said too !! should have read up the higher threads ,any how all ways good to put info on your profile even if its just where you are in the world helps us if you got questions