Phantom Hydrangea vs Purple Pitcher Plant - TreeTime.ca

Phantom Hydrangea vs Purple Pitcher Plant

Hydrangea paniculata Phantom

Sarracenia purpurea

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Phantom Hydrangea
Purple Pitcher Plant

Phantom Hydrangea is a striking deciduous shrub with impressive blooms. It is multi-stemmed and produces pale green flowers that fade to white and soft pink as they mature. These flower clusters can reach up to 15” (40cm) long and while other shrubs will droop from the flowers' weight, Phantom Hydrangea has sturdy stems that support them.

This adaptable shrub will make a beautiful addition to your yard as a flowering hedge or as an ornamental plant on its own. Try pruning the flowers after they are spent to get even larger flower heads.

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.

Phantom Hydrangea Quick Facts

Purple Pitcher Plant Quick Facts

Zone: 3b
Zone: 2b
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: decumbent to upright, colony-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium
Suckering: medium


Foliage: red to purple, tubular pitchers with hooded tops
Flowers: large white flower clusters
Flowers: large nodding red flowers
Bloom time: summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


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