Re: Sarracenia mulch etc.

Oliver T Massey CFS (massey@hal.fmhi.usf.edu)
Wed, 30 Mar 1994 10:42:22 -0500

>Well, I did an inventory of my plants this weekend, and it doesn't look
>like ANY of my Sarr./Dar. survived. Still to early to tell with the
>VFT's. Oh well :-(. I suspect that that I did not cover with an adequate
>layer of mulch (about 2.5 cm).

Sorry to hear it! Don't know about anybody else, but I believe Sarracenia are
tough to grow successfully for long periods.
I lost a few that were planted in the backyard - thanks to the neighbor's
Chemlawn and that I couldn't control the water level during the winter, :(
(altho the occasional quicksand did keep the neighborhood child population
down).

As to the mulch, interesting, I was concerned that mine wouldn't get enough
cool weather. I am (mostly) convinced that the Sarracenias need a good cold
snap. The plants I mention below were mostly with me in Missouri a few years
back, and once or twice they froze solid (including the water in the tray) and
the next spring came back better than the previous year with no losses.

Most of my Sarracenia pulled through and the early bloomers have dropped their
petals. All but a few are producing their first set of traps. The cutthroat
flava are about 19" while the other varieties and alata run about 16". I am
pleased to say that the first trap on one lueco. is about 2+' without
etiolation. Last year the traps on this plant were a uniform 14-16". S.
minor is running about 14" under lights. One day I will get these suckers to
the 40+" I have seen in the wild!

Tom in Fla.