Phyllodia

[Baylorguy]

Ok, random question regarding Sarracenia and phyllodia. Does everyone here just keep them until they turn brown? At what point (if any) should I clip them?

All of my bogs are sending up their first flush of pitchers and also flowers, but look very crowded due to phyllodia everywhere. Just wondering if it would hurt anything to clip them off...
Phil

 

[Joseph Clemens]

If they're dead and dried up, I'd trim them off, otherwise I'd leave them alone. They provide important surface area for photosynthesis.

 

[Baylorguy]

Thanks Joseph - it's just that... well... it's a jungle in there! Some of them are a good 12 inches long. I'll cross my fingers that the phyllodia dry up quicky.

Phil

 

[RL7836]

If they're dead and dried up, I'd trim them off, otherwise I'd leave them alone. They provide important surface area for photosynthesis.

This has also been my approach - flower stalks and pitchers find their way above them w/o a problem.

 

[Fred P]

Phil – for what it’s worth, I usually cut most of mine way down by this time of year. I leave them all winter but when they start budding, I usually clean them up pretty good. Haven’t had a problem yet with stunted growth.

 

[eou812]

I'm with Joesph and everyone else just wait untill you see it starting to brown about half way down or up the Phylodia andthen cut that one off same with all of the others.

 

[Baylorguy]

Phil – for what it’s worth, I usually cut most of mine way down by this time of year. I leave them all winter but when they start budding, I usually clean them up pretty good. Haven’t had a problem yet with stunted growth.

Considering how your Sarracenia look in the pictures, I would say your method has definitely been working.

Thanks Fred, I may give some of my plants a haircut tomorrow