New pitchers are narrower, shorter, more leafy, and less pitchery

[fdfederation]

For Sarracenia, what does it mean when new pitchers are narrower, shorter, more leafy, and less pitchery than older pitchers?

 

[amphirion]

it's normal for certain species of sarrs. some throw out their best pitchers in the beginning of the season, others in the middle, and still others that do it near the end of the growing season.

could also be the plant adjusting to your conditions---sounds also as if your plants arent receiving enough sunlight.

 

[fdfederation]

I have them on the west side of the house where it receives direct sunlight from about noon to sunset (6:00 - 7:00 ish). I will try to take some pictures tomorrow.

 

[fdfederation]

Figure 1 The older pitchers are taller; the newer pitchers are shorter.

Figure 2 The forming pitcher has narrower pitcher and more leafy characteristics than the older pitchers.

Figure 3 The tallest pitcher is the oldest pitcher.

Figure 4 The left-most and right-most pitchers are oldest. The middle pitchers are new and have narrower throats and broader "ventral leaf".

Figure 5 Anorexic S. purpurea A?

Figure 6 Anorexic S. purpurea B?

 

[Wire Man]

S. flava makes its largest leaf right after blooming. The rest are smaller, so that's completely normal. S. leucophylla tends to do the same thing. Larger alas usually means they want more light, but also might be characteristic of the species or hybrid. The purps look like they need more light.

 

[fdfederation]

Oh. The location receives 6 hours of direct sunlight.

 

[fdfederation]

I don't know why this S. leucophylla pitcher is curved like that.

 

[lance]

Sometimes weird things just happen with Sarrs that are unexplainable. About 1/15 of all pitchers produced by my sarrs end up growing sideways from either falling over (and changing growth direction) or due to other things like wind...etc. I'd let it go and not worry about it. It doesn't appear to be infected or anything serious.