Re: Sarracenias & Water

Liane Cochran-Stafira (lcochran@midway.uchicago.edu)
Mon, 5 Jun 1995 09:48:36 -0500

>Actually, I DO add water to my Sarracenia purpurea traps. Thought perhaps
>that I may be a little strange for doing so, but I thought perhaps that the
>insects would climb/fall into the traps and drown or tire of swimming. I
>assumed that the plant needed water in the traps because they were filled up
>quite a bit when I bought the plant...
>
>Anyway,, we just had a torrential rain here in GA where I live as a storm
>system passed over.. S. purpurea was outside, and the traps filled and over
>filled with rain water. I noticed at this time (well, took a closer look
>actually) that the way that the traps are positioned and the size of the
>opening, it appears that the plant is actually designed to catch rain
>water... Look at yours if you have one...
>
>Just a thought... Anyone care to comment..?
>
>Tracie

Tracie,

Yes, S. purpurea pitchers are normally filled with water although water
levels will vary with the amount of rainfall. Empty pitchers are pretty
uncommon in the plant's usual habitats except for new pitchers that open
between rains and haven't had a chance to fill yet. Usually the pitchers
stand more or less upright or at least have the opening positioned so that
rain water falls straight in. I have observed pitchers during drought
periods and they do seem to be able to survive without being filled so long
as their roots are good and wet and the humidity level at the level of the
pitchers is high so that they remain moist inside. Other Sarrs like alata
and leukophylla don't seem to fill with water partly due to the design of
the pitcher top.

Liane Cochran-Stafira