It is not all that uncommon for Sarracenia to bloom during the fall. It happens. Why exactly they do this now, I am not too sure. Some speculate it’s the similar lighting/environmental conditions as spring. The buds are shorter now in the fall, and I also believe that the flowers are not fertile (?) but, I have yet to try and pollinate in the fall. Who knows. I typically just cut off the flower during this time to allow the plant to conserve it’s energy for dormancy. At times I just let it do its thing. Whatever.
[Out of season flower bud. Photo taken October 31, 2010]
What I did find very awesome and very recently — one of my older 2 year old hybrids DID bloom recently. This is significant because it’s the first flower of a hybrid that I created. Blooming within 2 growing seasons! A bit weird that it did bloom for me now. And not a short bloom, but rather, a tall spring like bloom. Woah dude. I did a cross of Sarracenia ‘White Sparkler’ x (‘Ladies in Waiting’ x ‘Judith Hindle’) in 2008. The latter pollen parent is a very rich colored plant, and I hope that the coloration carries over to the progeny. The photo below is of a young pitcher later in the season. I’m getting a lot of color variation in this batch of seedlings. Some are deeper red, some like the below resemble the pod parent moreso. I want to see what this seedling batch does next season in terms of color and vigor.
[A hybrid I crossed in spring of 2008: Sarracenia ‘White Sparkler’ x (‘Ladies in Waiting’ x ‘Judith Hindle’). Photo taken November 6, 2010.]
[The flower. Sarracenia ‘White Sparkler’ x (‘Ladies in Waiting’ x ‘Judith Hindle’). Photo taken November 6, 2010]
[Sarracenia catesbaei “Flying Nun” x “Red Blush”]
[Sarracenia leucophylla, Franklin County “A”, x leucophylla, Franklin County “B”]
[Sarracenia mitchelliana x excellens]
[Hummingbird stuck in the greenhouse. I wonder if the hanging Drosera’s thought it was a meal?…]
[I let go outdoors right after this photo. I actually felt a hummingbirds heartbeat today… ]
