Purple Pitcher Plant vs Wood Lily - TreeTime.ca

Purple Pitcher Plant vs Wood Lily

Sarracenia purpurea

Lilium philadelphicum

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Purple Pitcher Plant
Wood Lily

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.

Wood Lily is a native perennial wildflower known for its vibrant, trumpet-shaped blooms in shades of orange to red. Its showy flowers appear mid-summer and are highly visible in meadows and prairies. The upward-facing flowers are an important nectar source for many pollinators, including native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Unlike most lilies, the Wood Lily’s flowers face upward rather than nodding. It is slow to establish and may take years before flowering, but once mature, it requires little maintenance. It is well-suited for pollinator gardens, naturalisation projects, prairie restoration, and open woodland plantings.
Wood Lily is the provincial flower of Saskatchewan and North America’s most widespread lily. Despite its wide natural range, populations have been declining. Habitat loss, overgrazing by deer, and unsustainable picking have reduced both its abundance and density across many regions. These pressures highlight the importance of protecting and restoring this once-common wildflower.

Purple Pitcher Plant Quick Facts

Wood Lily Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 2b
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: decumbent to upright, colony-forming
Growth form: upright
Spreading: rhizomes - medium
Spreading: seeds - low


Toxicity: toxic to cats
Foliage: red to purple, tubular pitchers with hooded tops
Flowers: large nodding red flowers
Flowers: bright orange to red with dark spots
Bloom time: summer
Bloom time: early to mid 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, QC
Other Names: huntsmans cup, northern pitcher plant
Other Names: prairie wood lily, red lily, red wood lily