Q: About some Sarracenia cultivars


Sarracenia 'Dixie Lace' A: As I discuss elsewhere, a "cultivar name" is a name that someone has gone through the trouble to establish according to the cultivar code. It is a way for horticulturists to assign fancy names to their most desirable plants. Usually cultivar names are given to plants that are in wide circulation, or that are about to enter circulation through a nursery. Cultivars are selected because the originator of the cultivar name thinks the plant has noteworthy characteristics.

Cultivar names are fairly easy to establish (some argue it is too easy, others argue it is not easy enough!). Unfortunately, I think we are seeing it is just too easy...either that or people are establishing cultivars as an erroneous display of affection for their plants. The symptom is that we are seeing plant after plant being registered, even though it's not all that impressive... People! Show some restraint!

Some nice Sarracenia cultivars are described below. This list is not complete--not at all--but it does have some plants I am particularly fond of, or that are quite noteworthy.

Pure species cultivars

These cultivars are all pure species. Some are unique clones, such as S. purpurea 'Belly of Blood', other cultivar names are used to describe any plant that has a certain character, such as S. leucophylla 'Hurricane Creek White'.

• S. purpurea
  'Belly of Blood'
• S. leucophylla
  'Schnell's Ghost'

Sarracenia leucophylla 'Hurricane Creek White'--A very vigorous plant with a large amount of white pigmentation in the leaves. It is not anthocyanin-free. A great plant named by John Hummer. Named for a set of plants Hummer selected, so this is not a clonally-unique cultivar.

Sarracenia leucophylla 'Tarnok'--A strange mutant of a plant, named by Ron Determann and Madeleine Groves (strange mutants themselves, heh heh). This plant has normal enough pitchers, but its flowers are modified so the petals, anthers, and pistil are transformed into strange, sepal-like bracts. The flower looks like a pine cone, and persists long through the season.

Sarracenia psittacina 'Green Rosette'--An anthocyanin-free plant that, much like other anthocyanin-free plants, seems to be a slightly sluggish grower. This was named by John Hummer.

Sarracenia purpurea 'Belly of Blood'--A pretty plant that has red pitcher bellies and green hoods with red venation. I named this in my book.

Hybrid cultivars
All the cultivars below are of hybrid ancestry; some are F1 crosses, others are more complex, and for some the ancestry is even unknown!

By the way...ANY of the cultivars that are developed by Phil Faulisi should get its own entry, below!

• S. 'Frogman'
• S. 'Adrian Slack'
• S. 'Hummer's
  Hammerhead'
• S. 'Golden-Red
  Jubilee'

Sarracenia 'Adrian Slack'--Perhaps one of the finest of all the Sarracenia cultivars. Plants of this Sarracenia ×moorei cross growing in full sun and good conditions are so intensely coloured they are difficult to believe. Photographs of them look like they have been digitally manipulated! I am proud to be a coauthor of this cultivar name, but Bob Hanrahan deserves the bulk of the credit for the plant.

Sarracenia "Daina's Delight"--Notice that I have double quotes, and not single quotes here? That is because this plant has not been properly registered. A pity since this raspberry colored hybrid is really nice! Mark Edwards (New Zealand) apparently created this hybrid, but never registered it. He really should. If not him, anyone can!

Sarracenia 'Dixie Lace'--Shown at the top of this page, a fine plant established by Rob Gardner and Larry Mellichamp, who really raised Sarracenia hybridization to new levels. The ancestry of this is uncertain, but it is probably some mix involving Sarracenia leucophylla, S. psittacina, S. alabamensi subsp. wherryi, and possibly S. purpurea.

Sarracenia 'Frogman'--A neat plant created by John Hummer, who let me name it in my book. This hybrid is a strangely froglike beast, and its parentage is S. alabamensis subsp. alabamensis × minor var. okefenokeensis.

Sarracenia 'Hummer's Hammerhead'--A very strange plant with a curiously flattened lid. Created by John Hummer by back-crossing S. (psittacina × alabamensis subsp. alabamensis) with S. alabamensis subsp. alabamensis, this plant has a very bright yellow-green cast.

Sarracenia 'Imhotep'--I am not particularly fond of this Sarracenia minor × alata cross. Its only asset is that it survives well in our hot and dry, central Californian summers. I admit that is a somewhat cruel assessment of the plant, but I established the cultivar name so I know I won't offend its originator!

• S. "Daina's Delight"
• S. 'Ladies in Waiting'
• S. 'Judith Hindle'
• S. 'Imhotep'

Sarracenia 'Judith Hindle'--In my opinion, this plant battles with S. 'Adrian Slack' as being the finest Sarracenia cultivar. Excellent vigor, marvelously formed leaves, and foliage that ranges from green in spring to dark red in late summer, makes this plant truly exceptional. It was created by Alan Hindle by crossing S. (leucophylla × flava ) × purpurea .

Sarracenia 'Ladies in Waiting'--Another beauty from Larry Mellichamp and Rob Gardner, this is a fabulously coloured S. (leucophylla × rubra ) × psittacina.

Page citations: Rice, B.A. 2006a; personal observations.