Planting

Ideally most Sarracenia would be planted in taller pots so the base of the plant would be roughly 8 inches above any standing water. The roots on a sarracenia plant can grow to be roughly 8 inches long and don’t typically grow well in overly saturated soil. Tree pots are a great option for these plants.

If the plant is in a shorter pot, watering conditions simply have to be adjusted. The soil should be kept moist but not kept in water for extended periods of time.

Two exceptions to this would be for Sarracenia Purpurea and Psittacina which both do well in saturated soil.

Soil

Soil for Sarracenia should be fertilizer free. Most store-bought brands of Peat moss (the most common substrate used for Sarracenia) may have additives that will need to be rinsed out. For extra safety for the plant if repotting, triple rinse standard peat moss to eliminate most of the sediment build up and possible additives. Sarracenia also enjoy soil that drains well, so the peat should be mixed with perlite at a ratio of 1:1.  The mix will allow water to flow through the soil to eliminate over saturation.

Sunlight

Most trumpet Sarracenia grow in open areas, so they do very well in full sun. It shouldn’t be possible to get too much sun on them and often have a more striking appearance the more sun they get.

Temperature

Sarracenia require a dormancy period. They should be kept in a temperature range of zero to ten degrees Celsius for three months. Many of them will survive short periods of freezing temperatures, but that can set the plant back for the following year.

Water

All carnivorous plants have similar water-based requirements – most well water has too many minerals for the plants and will end up killing them. The three types of water safe for carnivorous plants are; distilled water, rain water and reverse osmosis water. Ideally a TDS reading of 20PPM or lower would suggest the water is safe for carnivorous plant use. Though some sources say as high as 50PPM is okay.