Growing Sarracenia, or American Pitcher Plants, from seed may seem like nothing but a dream in a distant land and time to some, but it could be closer to becoming your reality than you may think! These seeds require a bit of prep before they can be planted in the soil to grow, but don't let that intimidate you! The following is a step-by-step guide on how to germinate your Sarracenia seeds with a high success rate.

Stratification

     In the wild, Sarracenia seeds enter a dormancy to prevent germination in the autumn or early winter. They also have a waxy coating that helps the seeds to disperse farther than otherwise in their wet, waterlogged environments that needs to be penetrated. This means the seeds need to "think" winter has already passed and that it is safe to germinate without risk to the seedlings. Cold/dry stratification will not convince the seeds that winter has passed, as they need to have the moisture penetrate the seed. To do this, it is best to simulate cool, wet winters. Some temperate climates can achieve this by simply sowing the seeds in the proper medium outside in fall, protecting them from heavy rains and leaf litter to prevent the seeds from washing away. Protection is easy with the addition of a humidity dome. In the Pittsburgh area on a typical year, our winters will get too cold for the seeds to survive for most species and hybrids with few exceptions. It is always better to play it safe, as the manual stratification will still be effective on the more cold tolerant varieties.

     There are a few different methods that can achieve cold/wet stratification well. All of them include a zip lock bag, carnivore safe water (i.e. reverse osmosis, rain, distilled, Zero branded filter, or water accumulated via the dehumidifier). The most simple way to achieve this is to dampen a paper towel with the distilled water, scatter the seeds on top of it, add an additional moistened paper towel on top, place them in a zip lock bag, label them, and place them in the refrigerator. Others prefer to use finely chopped live or dry sphagnum moss in their plastic bags, pictured at the beginning of this section. Others still prefer to fill 2 inch pots with a 50/50 mix of fertilizer free peat moss and vermiculite, sprinkle the seeds on top of the blend without covering the seeds, and putting the pots in the fridge. If mold forms on the substrate for any of these methods, don't sweat it. The mold should not affect the seeds, but it is still best practice to treat the seeds with a fungicide upon sowing. Leave the seeds in the fridge for 6-8 weeks for best results. Do not remove the seeds before the 4-5 week mark.

Sowing the Seeds

     After the period of stratification is over, it is time to sow the seeds! Assuming you didn't opt for the pot-in-a-bag method of stratification, this is the next step for you. Use a peat-based soil blend that is rated for carnivorous plants to be sure their sensitive roots will be safe. To conserve space, use a larger pot. A standard, 4 inch pot can fit about 20 seedlings for up to two years before they will need to be separated. Fill the pot with about 1/4 inch space between the top of the pot and the soil level. This will ensure the seeds will not wash away and out of the pot! Space the seeds at least 1 cm apart to make sure they will not be immediately competing with one another. Do not cover the seeds with soil. If you are worried about fungus or mold, use a sulfur-based fungicide at this time.

Germination and Continuing Care

     After sowing your seeds, treat the pots as if they are adult plants. Keep them in a tray of carnivore safe water under strong grow lights. After germination, there is no care difference between the seedlings and the adult pitcher plants. Because the seedlings are so small, they can dry out extremely quickly, so be sure to keep an eye on those trays and keep them filled with water at all times! After the seedlings reach 3+ inches tall, it is best to separate them to make sure they are not competing with one another and to minimize risk if a fungal infection were to get into the pot. Gently tease the plants apart and either pot one plant into its own 2 inch pot, or put a group of 3-4 plants in a 4 inch pot. Sarracenia do not need additional ambient humidity and thus do not require humidity domes. These domes can be much more problematic than helpful once the seeds begin to grow, as they can build the perfect environment for mold and other pathogens to kill your seedlings.

     Many growers will continue to grow their seedlings under lights for the first year or two of life. If you choose to go this route, be sure to allow your plants to go dormant for the winter months. Dormancy is incredibly important for young plants. Other growers, especially those in areas with more mild winters, will introduce their seedlings to the outdoors almost immediately, or allow them to germinate entirely outdoors. For more information on how to care for your Sarracenia after germination, click here and for more information on dormancy, click here.

     Armed with all of the necessary information to successfully germinate American pitcher plant seeds, you can now have an entire army of genetically diverse pitcher plants! As always, if you have any questions, don't be afraid to reach out! Send a photo of the plant (or seed set up!) that you are worried about and a brief summary of how you have been taking care of it to cedarbridgebotanicals@gmail.com and I will be able to help.

Happy growing! <3 Gina