Pitchers With No Dormancy (Non Nep) Indoors?

[Acro]

Of course, we have our Neps, but this thread is about other pitchers who don't need dormancy and who can handle the indoor life.

I've read that S. rosea and S. purpurea subsp. venosa are two Sarracenia that can go with out dormancy and can do well indoors in a sunny window or under lights. Have you found t his to be true, or know any more about this?

Heliamphora do not need a dormancy, but are there any that do well in our normal household temperature/humidity range?

As for Cephalotus, are there any that don't need cooler temps during part of the year? Or have any become used to a less dramatic temp drop, from years of being in cultivation?

 

[nimbulan]

Heliamphora are generally fine as long as you keep the temperature below 80F, but they do need a lot of light. You can grow the easier species at lower humidity, though the plants will look better with it higher.

I personally believe that Cephlotus' reputation for being difficult and prone to things like crown rot is specifically due to most people ignoring dormancy for the plant. The area of Australia it grows in does have pretty significant seasonal temperature variation.

 

[hcarlton]

There are no Sarracenia that can go without dormancy indefinitely; at best you might be able escape with a couple years lacking dormancy with the most southerly of species (S. minor, psittacina, rosea) but you will likely end up with a dead plant eventually; they are not subtropical.
Heliamphora if they have constantly cool temperatures may do okay (this referencing easy hybrids and species that are now very common, not the genus as a whole) but it's been shown on other threads that if you want a plant that looks really healthy, it needs a nighttime temp drop, high humidity, and strong light (Maiden has a good thread about what they should look like).
Cephalotus are Mediterranean-climate plants; they may tolerate conditions at a year round constant if on the cooler side, but otherwise do experience a seasonal range with cool wet winters (sometimes even frost) and hot summers. The best growth on any species is going to be found if you emulate what they expect in nature; they can be grown in suboptimal conditions like those constants we like to keep our houses in, but won't always look prime with such a life.

 

[Acro]

Thanks for the info you two.

There are no Sarracenia that can go without dormancy indefinitely; they are not subtropical.

To that statement, I have conflicting information from a couple of sources. Check it:

"Sarracenia rosea is very tolerant of moderate to no seasons. It is marginal in USDA climate zone 8 but grows very well in zones 9 and warmer. You should be able to keep Sarracenia rosea indoors in a terrarium under lights indefinitely."​

Source (2nd paragraph): International Carnivorous Plant Society

"Sarracenia rosea and S. purpurea subsp. venosa do well in terraria year-round without a winter treatment."
Source (2nd paragraph under "Winter treatment"): The Carnivorous Plant FAQ: Sarracenia cultivation

 

[hcarlton]

And yet, I have not yet heard once anyone claim they've managed to grow Sarracenia without some form of dormancy for more than 2-3 years....

 

[Steve Booth]

I have seen on some forum, some time ago that someone had a windowsill purpurea that had survived indoors for ten years, in London UK, but no conditions were given, it could be it got cold during winter, sufficiently to give it dormancy. For some balance see also para 2 of this also from the carnivorous plant FAQ
The Carnivorous Plant FAQ: About dormancy requirements

I am with H C Carlton, i think that Sarracenia plants will deteriorate if not given a dormant period, but you may not consider that a problem and replace it periodically.


Cheers
Steve

 

[FLTropical]

Do any of you live in zone 9b through 11? I'm down in south Florida, 10b, and I have sarrs that went dormant outside this winter, even though it was about 80 during the day. There are also at least two commercial nurseries down here that have grown them for many years without the cold you are talking about (we haven't had a frost in five years, and usually only have about 10 nights that get at or below 50 each winter). Now, dormancy still happens - mine have been waking up since Feb. and the last few stragglers started this last week or so - but it's not caused by temperature.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[woodbridge]

I have a S.p.p. that I kept in a 1 gallon glass terrarium under a T12 shop light for 4-6 years with no intend form of dormancy and very little care. The only form of dormancy it received was from annual temp change in the walk out basement....probably never below 50 in the winter and above 80 in the summer. Photo period never changed because it was on a light timer...I think 9 hours. However, I cannot say for certain how long a light may have been out for bulb replacement. It grew in a 75/25 mix of spagnum and spagnum peat moss with an occasional cricket for food. I only took it out and started giving it proper care when I opened the lid one year to put a cricket in and found a dried flower smashed against the lid. It now lives outdoors in my Virginia 7b backyard. S.p.p. are tuff. I will put one on a window sill this year, and try to let you know how its doing in 2020.

 

[Acro]

And yet, I have not yet heard once anyone claim they've managed to grow Sarracenia without some form of dormancy for more than 2-3 years....

There is one more account, from an old thread I started, it's #19 by Adelea. Check it:
An Indoor Pitcher Plant?
Unfortunately, I don't think that member visits the forum anymore . . .

FLTropical, nice stuff to point out, and interesting facts.

Thanks for your account woodbridge!

 

[hcarlton]

See, if either temperatures or photoperiod drop significantly and stay that way (even only to 60 F might do it if temps last that way for at least a week or two compared to an 80 or 90 F norm, or a drop from 14 to 11 hours of light during winter in a subtropical region) then that can be enough to trigger obligate dormancy; in a climate where a full dormancy might not occur it would look like the plant just stalls out for a period, but it is technically dormant.
If the plants truly are growing constantly, then it looks only like the purpurea complex manages it for truly extended periods of time, which would not be the most surprising thing considering that complex also has the widest range and therefore likely the widest adaptability.