Purple Pitcher Plant vs Silky Lupine - TreeTime.ca

Purple Pitcher Plant vs Silky Lupine

Sarracenia purpurea

Lupinus sericeus

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Purple Pitcher Plant
Silky Lupine

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.

Silky Lupine is a native perennial wildflower known for its upright spikes of blue to violet flowers. Blooming from late spring into summer, the nectar-rich, showy blossoms attract a variety of pollinators, especially bees and butterflies. The plant’s fine, silky foliage provides soft texture and visual interest, enhancing landscapes throughout the growing season.

Silky Lupine is a nitrogen-fixing plant that enriches soils and supports surrounding vegetation. Its deep roots stabilize soil, and it spreads naturally by ejecting seeds from drying pods. If spread isn’t desired, new seedlings are easy to remove. While it is foraged by some wild animals, it contains alkaloids that are toxic to livestock. Silky Lupine is well-suited to pollinator gardens, naturalization plantings, erosion control, and ecological restoration projects.

Purple Pitcher Plant Quick Facts

Silky Lupine Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 4a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: decumbent to upright, colony-forming
Growth form: clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium
Spreading: seeds - high
Maintenance: high
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: toxic to sheep and other livestock
Foliage: red to purple, tubular pitchers with hooded tops
Foliage: Silky-haired, palmately compound leaves
Flowers: large nodding red flowers
Flowers: Blue to violet pea-like flowers
Bloom time: summer
Bloom time: mid to late 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
Other Names: huntsmans cup, northern pitcher plant