Sarracenia purpurea, the Purple Pitcher Plant

or "Side-saddle flower" Return to Sarracenia Page
Sarracenia purpurea pitchers (above) and flowers (right). The color of both is quite variable. Usually, the pitchers get darker red during cold weather. We normally offer forms that are southern (subspecies venosa) as we have had trouble with the northern races (subspecies purpurea) surviving heat and diseases. The southern types seem to be much easier to grow in our area.