Blue Beech vs Purple Pitcher Plant - TreeTime.ca

Blue Beech vs Purple Pitcher Plant

Sarracenia purpurea

Carpinus caroliniana

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Purple Pitcher Plant
Blue Beech

Purple Pitcher Plant is a native carnivorous plant, easily recognized by its purple-tinged, tubular pitchers that capture and digest insects. The nectar along the rim attracts insects to the pitcher, where slippery surfaces and downward-pointing hairs cause them to fall into the fluid below. Once inside, they are broken down, providing nutrients that allow the plant to thrive in nutrient-poor soils.
The plant produces nodding, purple-red flowers held high above the leaves. Interestingly, these blooms are pollinated by the Pitcher Plant Fly (Fletcherimyia fletcheri), whose larvae live in the fluid of the pitchers and feed on some of the trapped insects. It can be found in bogs, fens, and other wetlands. It is well-suited for wetland gardens, restoration, and naturalisation projects.
The Purple Pitcher Plant can be challenging to grow because of its specific requirements. It thrives in consistently moist (but not waterlogged), acidic soil, with a peat-and-sand mix typically recommended. The plant is sensitive to fertilizers, dissolved salts, and chlorinated water. When given the right conditions, full sun will bring out its brightest colors.
The Purple Pitcher Plant is the provincial flower of Newfoundland & Labrador.

Blue Beech is a beautiful, ornamental tree with enticing features. The foliage transforms throughout the season, offering a kaleidoscope of color. New leaves emerge reddish-purple, transforming to dark green, and then turn striking shades of yellow, orange, and red in fall. Once all the foliage has dropped, grooved, blue-grey bark becomes striking on a winter landscape.

Blue Beech has an attractive globular shape and has been successfully grown in both full shade and full sun locations. Make sure you provide ample moisture to ensure this tree thrives.

Purple Pitcher Plant Quick Facts

Blue Beech Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 3b
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 6 m (20 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: decumbent to upright, colony-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium
Suckering: none


Foliage: red to purple, tubular pitchers with hooded tops
Flowers: large nodding red flowers
Bloom time: summer
Nuts: Small nuts with earthy, sweet taste
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: yes


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, NT, NU, PE
Native to: ON, QC
Other Names: huntsmans cup, northern pitcher plant