Sarracenia leucophylla (White-Topped Pitcher Plant)

Sarracenia leucophylla (White-Topped Pitcher Plant) is a carnivorous perennial prized for its upright, slender green pitchers becoming wonderfully pigmented white towards their top third. Both the white throat and frilly lid are innervated with attractive green or red veins, creating a very nice effect. In spring, before the pitchers fully develop, bright red flowers rise singly atop leafless stalks where they bend over to some degree. They are moderately fragrant. Sarracenia leucophylla has the nice habit of producing two crops of pitchers, the first in spring and the second in late summer when other pitcher plants dwindle. White-Topped Pitcher Plant is very effective at trapping and killing insects. Lured by the attractive leaf color, insects that land on the lids get paralyzed by the nectar. They fall down into a digestive fluid at the bottom of the pitcher where they will decompose and nutrients get absorbed. This plant is best grown in the consistently moist soils of a bog garden or in containers. It is a great addition to the neutral to acid water garden.

• Grows up to 20-36 in. tall and wide (50-90 cm). Sarracenia leucophylla can grow in dense colonies where happy.
• Thrives in full sun in consistently moist to wet, acid soil. Irrigate with lime-free water and do not fertilize plantings. Soils must never dry out, but plant crowns should not sit for prolonged periods in water. Mulch with pine needles in winter to protect plants from cold temperatures.
• Generally disease free. Keep an eye out for scale insects, mealybugs, aphids, and tortrix moths.
• Propagate by seed, but the plant will not flower for the first 4-5 years. Easiest propagation is by rhizome division.
• Native to the southeastern United States.