Pennsylvania Cinquefoil vs Purple Pitcher Plant - TreeTime.ca

Pennsylvania Cinquefoil vs Purple Pitcher Plant

Sarracenia purpurea

Potentilla pensylvanica

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Purple Pitcher Plant
Pennsylvania Cinquefoil

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.

Pennsylvania Cinquefoil is well suited for naturalisation projects as it is a wildflower native to North America. It is widespread and can be found growing in rocky soils at higher elevations in the mountains and foothills, as well as the dry prairies. The Pennsylvania Cinquefoil is capable of growing in cold, harsh conditions. The bright yellow flowers are found at the top of long stalks in small dense clusters and are ideal for attracting pollinators.

Purple Pitcher Plant Quick Facts

Pennsylvania Cinquefoil Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 1a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.0 m (0.1 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: decumbent to upright, colony-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium
Suckering: medium


Foliage: red to purple, tubular pitchers with hooded tops
Flowers: large nodding red flowers
Flowers: yellow
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
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, YT, NT
Other Names: huntsmans cup, northern pitcher plant
Other Names: prairie cinquefoil