Sarracenia × catesbaei (Melanorhoda Group) 'Birmingham Midnight'

RHS Plant Profile

pitcher plant 'Birmingham Midnight'

Bogs Conservatory Greenhouse Houseplants

A carnivorous perennial to 35cm tall, forming a rosette of curved, heavily red-flushed pitchers with ruffled hoods. In spring, solitary, cup-shaped, green and red flowers are held on slender stems above the foliage

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Poorly–drained
pH: Acid

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H3

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Sarraceniaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming, Columnar upright, Matforming
Genus: Sarracenia can be evergreen or herbaceous, rhizomatous perennials with rosettes of phyllodes mostly modified into insect-catching tubular pitchers with hooded lids, and solitary, nodding cup-shaped flowers in spring
Name Status: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow under glass, keep moist in full light with shelter from hot sun. Use an acidic potting medium with moss. In winter, keep slightly drier, cool and well ventilated. Irrigate with lime-free water. They will generally lose some of their leaves over winter during a period of dormancy. Most Sarracenias can be grown outside in milder parts of the country, but care should be taken in colder conditions. Choose a position in full sun, sheltered from cold winds. See carnivorous plant cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

No pruning required. Remove dead leaves as necessary

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, snails and aphids

Diseases

Generally disease-free