Purple Trumpet Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia sp.)

The Purple Trumpet Pitcher is a temperate carnivorous plant native to the boggy landscapes of North America. A striking and functional addition to naturalistic setups, it captures and digests flying insects on its own — no feeding required. This is a medium-sized specimen, supplied as a live plant ready to establish in the right conditions.

Light and Seasonal Requirements

Trumpet Pitchers need strong, direct sunlight throughout the warmer months. A south-facing windowsill or an outdoor position in summer will keep this plant thriving. As temperatures drop and frosts arrive, move it to an unheated greenhouse or cold frame — a genuine cold winter is not optional, it is essential. The plant will die back into dormancy and re-emerge naturally in spring.

Watering

Like all carnivorous plants, this species cannot tolerate the minerals found in standard tap water. Use rainwater or reverse osmosis water exclusively, unless your tap water tests below 50ppm total dissolved solids. Trumpet Pitchers are bog plants by nature and must be kept standing in a tray of water during the growing season. Through winter dormancy, reduce this to kept damp rather than waterlogged.

Soil and Potting

Nutrient-rich composts are harmful to carnivorous plants. Use a nutrient-poor medium — an equal mix of peat moss and perlite is well suited to this species and supports healthy root development without the mineral load that would damage the plant over time.

Feeding

Trumpet Pitchers are highly effective hunters and will catch a considerable number of flying insects when kept in a suitable environment. Manual feeding is not necessary and is generally best avoided — these plants are self-sufficient when positioned and cared for correctly.

A rewarding plant for keepers who want living interest in a naturalistic vivarium or paludarium setup, the ProRep Purple Trumpet Pitcher delivers genuine carnivorous behaviour alongside bold, structural foliage.