Sarracenia Maroon or Sarracenia purpurea x Sarracenia rubra is a member of the sarraceniaceae family. It is a cultivar, but Sarracenias are native to North America).
Sarracenia purpurea x Sarracenia rubra is referred to as the Sarracenia Maroon because of its Maroon pitchers on this Sarracenia.
Sarracenia Maroon is a carnivorous plant, and eats insects. The maroon colour actually attracts certain insects. When it catches an insect, it closes the lid of the its pitcher.
It’s important to not try to feed your Sarracenia with household bugs or dead bugs.
There are around 10 species within the Sarracenia genus.
Sarracenia Maroon at a glance.
Appearance of Sarracenia Maroon
The Sarracenia Maroon is a type of pitcher plant. Its foliage is shaped into green and maroon pitchers.
What Light Does Sarracenia Maroon Need?
Sarracenia Maroon thrives in bright, direct (only for a couple hrs a day) and indirect light (for the majority of the day).
I keep my Sarracenia Maroon in a north-west facing window.
What Temperature and Humidity do Sarracenia Maroon Like?
Sarracenia Maroon prefers a temperature between 18-26 degrees celsius (65-80 degrees Farenheight).
Sarracenia prefer higher humidity (60-80%) so I keep it close to my Levoit humidifier.
I use my humidifier to ensure the humidity levels in my apartment stays between 40% and 60%. Since I live in Canada and the winters can be very dry, and the humidity can drop below 30% humidity, so its helpful to set the humidity at about 45% or 50% in this season to keep all of my plants helpful.
How Does the Sarracenia Maroon Grow?
On average, Sarracenia Maroon can grow up to 6-8″ indoors.
New foliage appears from a branching rhizome. This plant grows in a clustering format.
Does the Sarracenia Maroon Bloom?
The Maroon Pitcher Plant can flower. It’s typical flowering period is after it’s April growth period, throughout the summer.
How to Propagate Sarracenia Maroon?
The easiest way to start a new Sarracenia Maroon is by division.
Offsets/Division
If you want a quick recovery for the mother plant, its best to start the division of your Sarracenia at the start of the growing season in Spring. Otherwise it can take up to a year to recover.
Pull the plant out of its pot and look for natural division points along the base. Offshoots form around the base. This is a good area to detangle and remove from the mother plant.
It’s best to wait until your plant has multiple growth points for your division. With only one growth point, it can take up to two years to recuperate.
If the division is a challenge, use pruning shears to cut the offshoot from the rhizome.
Bury the cut end slightly in soil. Water the soil lightly and place in a bright location with indirect light. Eventually, roots will form and you will have a stable plant!
Patience is key with propagation. Give your new Sarracenia time to settle into its environment. Once you see new growth, you know your Sarracenia is well established.
How Much Water Does the Sarracenia Maroon Need?
The Sarracenia Maroon likes to keep evenly moist. I water mine once a week as you don’t want to overwater your Sarracenia.
To determine if your plant needs water, you can stick your finger in the soil (1 to 2 inches) and if it is feeling drier, its ready for water! If you don’t want to get your hands dirty, you can use a moisture meter.
The best way to prevent over watering is to bottom water your Sarracenia Maroon through the drainage hole of the pot on a tray. Your plant will absorb the amount of water that it needs. If there is any water remaining in the tray after 30 minutes, pour out the excess. If your plant sits in water, it can lead to root rot and fungus gnats.
You can top water, but it’s best to do so in a pot with drainage until water is flowing out of the hole. If your pot doesn’t have drainage, you might accidentally drown your plant as the excess water gets trapped.
However, you should top water from time to time to make sure any built up minerals can wash through the plant. The water should drip out of the bottom of your drainage hole.
Pests & Problems
Sarracenia Maroon can face the following pests and problems.
Pests
Mealy Bugs
These look like little white cotton balls on the Sarracenia. You can remove these with your fingers if you catch them early enough, but I would use a cotton swab with a drop of Isopropyl alcohol and try to scrape them off the stem.
Scale
Scale are small, brownish, round or oval insects that attach themselves to the leaves of the Sarracenia Maroon. They are hard to notice as they appear like a growth or bump on the plant. Scale can cause yellowing, wilting, and weakened growth. Removing scale from a plant is tedious (like with mealybugs). You can remove scale by manually removing them with a cotton swab with isopropyl alcohol, using insecticidal soap or neem oil.
Aphids
Aphids are small, insects that cluster under leaves and stems. They can appear white, brown, black, gray, light green or yellow. If you see distortion, wilting or yellowing leaves, this can be a sign of aphids. You should be able to spray them off with a strong stream of water or using insecticidal soap.
Spider Mites
If spider mites have taken to your Sarracenia Maroon, spray them with a mixture of neem oil, dish soap and water (or you can buy an insecticidal soap). I repeat this about once or twice a week (depending on the severity of infestation) for about a month. It’s also good to do this preventatively once a month or so. You will know you have spider mites if you see webbing and leaf damage. Complete guide to get rid of spider mites.
Thrips
These are little, dark bugs that look like dirt. They suck the life out of the leaves, and lay eggs within the tissue of the leaf. As they age, they can grow wings and infect other plants. I spray the plant with a mixture of neem oil, dish soap and water. I repeat this every few days to try and get both the pest and the eggs. Sometimes I just chop the affected leaf since they are hard to eradicate. Complete guide on how to get rid of thrips.
Fungus Gnats
Spray the Sarracenia Maroon with a mixture of neem oil, dish soap and water. I also let the soil dry out and add dryer sheets on top of the soil so the gnats can’t sense the moisture on the soil.
Other Common Problems
- Pitcher Rot: This can happen if the Sarracenia Maroon accumulates more dead insects than it can digest. The insects start to rot within the pitcher. You will know if your Sarracenia has pitcher rot because the pitcher is brown and mushy. You just need to remove the the affected pitcher, as the rot does not impact the rhizome.
- Brown Leaves: If the carnivorous leaves are turning brown during the winter, your Sarracenia is likely fine. You can remove the dead leaves in March-April.
- Crispy or Shrivelled Leaves: This is a sign of underwatering. Give your Sarracenia more water.
- Faded Leaves: This is a sign of lighting issues. Move your Sarracenia to a place where it is receiving bright, indirect light.
- Yellowing Leaves: If the soil is really wet then the plant is likely overwatered. If the soil is too dry then it is likely underwatered.
- Overwatering: Root rot happens from overwatering your plant with insufficient drainage. You can improve the drainage of your plant by ensuring your plant is potted in a planter with a drainage hole and using a well draining soil (something with a decent amount of perlite). You can also end up with fungus gnats or fungal disease from overwatering.
- Underwatering: Even though plants prefer to be underwatered over overwatered, you still have to remember to water it on a consistent schedule. Signs of underwatering an include leaves becoming shrivelled, discoloured or dry.
Are Sarracenia Maroon Toxic?
Sarracenia Maroon are typically not toxic to touch or consume, however some people may experience allergic reactions.
Sarracenia Maroon Quick Care Guide
| Scientific Name | Sarracenia purpurea x Sarracenia rubra |
| Nickname | Maroon Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia Maroon |
| Origins | Cultivar (sarracenias native to North America) |
| Light | Bright, direct (only for a couple hrs a day)] and indirect light (for the majority of the day) |
| Temperature | 18-26 degrees celsius preferred, 65-80 degrees farenheight |
| Humidity | High (60-80%) |
| Height | Up to 6-8″ |
| Blooms | Yes |
| Propagate | Offshoots/Division |
| Water Frequency | Once a week, but potentially more as they like to remain evenly moist |
| Pests | Mealy Bugs, Aphids, Scale, Spider Mites, Thrips, Fungus Gnats |
| Common Problems | Pitcher Rot, overwatering (root rot), underwatering (crispy leaves), faded leaves, yellowing leaves, brown leaves |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic |
References
Below is a list of external sources I consulted while writing this post. This post is a mixture of my own experiences, and the external sources listed below:
Jomo Studio – Sarracenia Maroon
Wikipedia – Sarracenia & Sarraceniaceae
Britannica – Sarraceniaceae
Greg App – Maroon Pitcher Plant Temperature, Bugs, Problems
Carnivorous Plant Nursery – Sarracenia x Maroon
Plant Delights – Carnivorous Pitcher Plant
Carnivorous Plants Org – Sarracenia Divisions
