Fire Light Hydrangea vs Purple Pitcher Plant - TreeTime.ca

Fire Light Hydrangea vs Purple Pitcher Plant

Sarracenia purpurea

Hydrangea paniculata Fire Light

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Purple Pitcher Plant
Fire Light Hydrangea

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.

Fire Light Hydrangea is a flowering shrub that is known for its striking colours. As they mature, the flower colour changes from a creamy white to a vivid deep pink. Hydrangea flowers persist longer compared to other flowering shrubs, blooming from late July into fall. They are a popular choice for flower arrangements.

The Fire Light Hydrangea can be grown as a stand alone shrub, as a hedge, or incorporated into a flower garden. Blooms occur on new wood, so regular pruning is encouraged in late winter. This is from the Proven Winners® collection.

Purple Pitcher Plant Quick Facts

Fire Light Hydrangea Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: wet
Moisture: any
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: decumbent to upright, colony-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium
Suckering: none


Toxicity: toxic to dogs, cats, and horses
Foliage: red to purple, tubular pitchers with hooded tops
Flowers: large nodding red flowers
Flowers: white changing to deep pink
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
Other Names: fire light panicle hydrangea