Repotting, cleaning,
and dividing Sarracenia
Everything you need to know about dormancy and pitcher plant care
A hardy carnivorous plant will go into dormancy outdoors in the Netherlands or Belgium during winter. The old pitchers will then die off and turn brown, with some species only retaining winter leaves. This is completely normal, and in this blog, I will explain how to repot and clean the plant. In spring, Sarracenia will start to grow again. Often, they will first flower, and after flowering, the beautiful pitchers of these special carnivorous plants will emerge.
Cleaning Sarracenia
When and how to keep your plant tidy
When and how to clean?
Sarracenia is usually repotted every 2-3 years or when the pot becomes too small. If the pot is not too small, you can simply clean the plant during autumn or winter. Completely brown pitchers that are brown all the way down can be removed by pulling them from the plant, but make sure the pitcher is indeed completely brown and comes off easily so you don't pull the whole plant apart. Leaves that still have a large green portion can be trimmed back to the green part.
In the photo below, you can see a Sarracenia flava that has both old, brown pitchers and green winter leaves (= phyllodia). I have completely removed the fully brown pitchers, and there are also transitional leaves that are between a pitcher and a winter leaf, where I only cut off the brown part. This plant still has enough space in its pot, so I only cleaned it.
Repotting Sarracenia
Timing, supplies, and step-by-step instructions
When to repot?
Every grower has their own preference, but generally, plants are repotted from late autumn to late winter/early spring. The advantage of repotting in autumn is that the plants can recover somewhat before winter, which is especially useful for spring growers like Sarracenia flava. The idea behind repotting in winter, on the other hand, is that the plant is completely dormant, disturbing it less. However, keep in mind not to repot and divide the plant during periods of severe frost.
For outdoor plants, I personally prefer to repot at the end of winter when the worst of the frost is over. I start repotting the plants in a cold greenhouse myself every year at the end of autumn and usually continue throughout the winter and sometimes even early spring because I have quite a few plants to repot.
What do you need?
First of all, you obviously need a plant to repot. In addition, you need a substrate, which can consist of peat mixed with perlite as shown in the photo below, but pure peat is also fine. It is especially important that it is unfertilized peat, without nutrients. Peat is easily available almost everywhere. Since peat is often compressed and very dry, it is best to mix the peat with a little water first so that the peat absorbs water more easily. You will also need a plastic pot and possibly scissors or pruning shears.
Step-by-step repotting
In the following photos, you'll see a Sarracenia that clearly needs repotting. The plant has almost no more space both in width and height, and the pot is clearly completely root-bound.
-
1Remove pot & cleanRemove the pot. Also remove the top layer of substrate as weeds and moss grow on it. Do not remove the rest of the substrate; leave it as is. Do not rinse the substrate with water or shake the plant to avoid damaging the roots. The only reason to do this is if the substrate is truly rotten or if you are dealing with soil diseases or pests. Also, cut off all brown parts so that only green leaves remain. If the pitcher is completely brown all the way down, it is often better to pull off the pitcher instead of cutting it.
-
2Choose a larger pot & fill halfwayChoose a larger pot. In this case, the plant was in a 7×7 cm pot and will be repotted into a 13×13 cm pot. These sturdy plastic pots are also available for purchase in our webshop. First, fill the pot halfway with substrate and press it down, then place the plant in it.
-
3Fill sides & press downFill the pot along the sides with substrate. Gently press this down as well.
-
4WateringThe plant is now ready to grow back in the spring! Place the pot back in a saucer with water so that the new peat gets well saturated with water again. In winter, you can keep the plants slightly drier to prevent fungi.
Dividing Sarracenia
Propagation and rejuvenation in one go
When to divide?
If a Sarracenia clearly has multiple growth points and is several years old, you can choose to divide the plant. This is also a good method to rejuvenate the plant, as the rhizome (rootstock) will grow larger and grow less well as the plant ages. In the photo below, you can see a plant that clearly has multiple growth points. The goal is to divide this plant into two pieces, each with nice roots.
Step-by-step division
By rotating the plant a few times, you can immediately see that there are mainly two large growth points that are slightly separated. The left part is connected to the right part by a rhizome: a woody underground stem. We want to break this rhizome so that we turn one plant into two.
-
1Pull the plant apartBy pulling the plant apart and gently moving the root balls left and right, the two plants will come apart quite easily.
-
2Remove dead roots & brown partsThis gives us two separate plants, each with beautiful roots. You could choose to divide the plants further so that each plant has only one growth point, but I do not recommend this because the plants will then never become beautifully full, and you will also end up with growth points with few roots.
-
3Clean the plantRemove dead roots, recognizable by their brown color; they come off very easily. Also, cut off all brown parts of the leaves. Brown "sticks" or scales (remnants of old leaves) should be pulled away from the plant so you remove all the brown parts at once. This will release scales that were on the rhizome. It is best to remove these to prevent rhizome rot. The plant can rot especially through old flower stalks.
-
4Assess rhizome & cut if necessaryOnce all that is done, your plant will look like the following photo. The rhizome grows horizontally. Not all Sarracenia will have a clear rhizome. This mainly depends on age and species.
-
5Cut rhizome to rejuvenate (optional)To rejuvenate the plant, the rhizome can be cut. This is certainly not necessary but can be done preventively to keep the plant young. Eventually, the oldest part of the rhizome will die anyway (recognizable by its brown color). Breaking it is also possible, but cutting is preferred because the wound is then smaller and more even. Make sure the plant still has enough roots to grow. The rhizome must be completely white, and a brown rhizome indicates rhizome rot. Sulfur powder is sometimes used on the wound to prevent fungal infection.
-
6Pot rhizome cuttingThe cut rhizome can also be potted again as a rhizome cutting. Make sure the top brown part still protrudes above the substrate. This cutting will sprout again after a few weeks or months, allowing you to propagate the plant. The condition is that the rhizome is still white and healthy – if it's brown, discard it.
💡 Handy tips
- Pull off completely brown pitchers, don't cut them If the pitcher is completely brown all the way down, pull it off so you remove all brown parts at once.
- Never repot during severe frost Keep in mind not to repot and divide the plant during periods of severe frost.
- Do not completely replace the substrate Only remove the top layer; leave the rest to avoid damaging the roots.
- White rhizome = healthy rhizome A brown rhizome indicates rhizome rot. Cut back until the rhizome is completely white.
Still have questions?
Doubts about repotting, dividing, or cleaning your Sarracenia? Feel free to contact us. We are happy to help!
Contact us
0 comments