Date: Wed, 3 Dec 1997 09:11:00 -0500 From: "Mellard, David" <dam7@cdc.gov> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg4598$foo@default> Subject: RE: dormancy question
>What should I expect when the plants (Sarr) are dormant?
Hi Red,
That depends largely on the species and probably how cold it gets. I
live in Atltanta, which has slightly colder winters than the cp heaven
of coastal NC, SC, Florida, AL, MS, and LA. Here's some observations
from my outdoor bog.
Most of the traps of S. psitt stay green or red all year long. They do
not form winter leaves (phyllodia) and as far as I can see do not
visibly change during dormancy. At most a few of the bottom leaves (the
leaves closer to the ground) turn brown. The same is true for S.
purpurea.
The pitchers of S. minor also live through our winters, although they
are usually in pretty bad shape, having either fallen over or showing
brown spots, probably more so from age than weather. Some pitchers,
however, are completely brown -- and dead.
The tall pitchers of S. flava turn brown relatively early in fall and
well before the first killing frost. Usually by late summer, my S.
flava are putting up their winter leaves, which are sword shaped and not
open. The winter leaves stay green all winter and probably help the
rhizome out with the small amount of photosynthesis that is still taking
place or they give the plant a jump start in spring when things warm up
or both.
The pitchers of S. rubra are growing strong, still looking good, still
catching insects, at least in late fall. Few pitchers if any have
turned brown from the killing freeze we had a couple of weeks ago.
The pitchers of S. alata also seem to be doing ok, have put out a few
pitchers this fall, and most have survived the first killing frost,
The pitchers of S. leucophylla are truly amazing. Fall is when they
put out their largest pitchers and the freezing weather here so far
hasn't damage them. They are starting to look a bit aged, though.
It seems that last year most of the summer pitchers of the upright Sarr
eventually turned brown from the freezing weather but I'll have to
confirm that with more observations this winter.
To me, one of the amazing things is how S. flava is so different from
most of the other Sarr when it comes to how the species responds to the
changing seasons.
As long as a Sarr has green pitchers, either the regular open pitcher
that catches insects or the sword shaped winter leaves, I leave them
alone and assume that some photosynthesis is going on to help the
rhizome through winter, particularly during warm spells. I cut away
brown pitchers, mostly to keep the bog looking nice and secondly to cut
down on disease.
David
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