Sarracenia oreophila (Green Pitcher Plant)

Sarracenia oreophila (Green Pitcher Plant) is a carnivorous perennial prized for its upright, slender green pitchers with horizontal lids, and dangling yellow flowers. In spring, before the pitchers fully develop, bright yellow flowers, 2 in. across (5 cm), rise singly atop leafless stalks where they bend over to some degree. The flowers have a moderate musty fragrance. New pitcher leaves appear in spring and early summer replacing old leaves that die and fall off. Both pitchers and lids display variable degrees of red veining. The pitchers often die off long before summer is even half over. Green 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 18-30 in. tall and wide (45-70 cm). Sarracenia oreophila 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. The easiest propagation is by rhizome division.
• Native to Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
• Sarracenia oreophila was last assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2000 and is classified as Critically Endangered. Rare flowers: beauty beyond ordinary gardens