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Sarraceniaceae
Sarracenia

not marked as a favorite taxon Sarracenia flava Linnaeus. Common name: Yellow Pitcherplant, Trumpets, Trumpet-leaf, Trumpet-flower, Side Saddle Flower, Biscuits, Watches. Phenology: (Late Feb-) Mar-early May; May-Jun. Habitat: Pine savannas, seepage bogs, pocosins. In the remote centers of peat domes and large peat-filled Carolina bays in NC, Sarracenia flava is sometimes very abundant, occasionally the dominant plant over areas exceeding several square kilometers. Distribution: Se. Virginia south to n. Florida and west to s. Alabama and se. Mississippi.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: The many named varieties are best considered forms.

Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, Fl5, FNA8, G, GW2, K1, K4, NS, POWO, RAB, Va, W, WH3, Bell (1949), McDaniel (1971), Wood (1960); = n/a — Tat; < Sarracenia flava L. — S; > Sarracenia flava L. var. atropurpurea (Bull) C.R.Bell — McPherson & Schnell (2011), Schnell (2002b); > Sarracenia flava L. var. cuprea D.E.Schnell — McPherson & Schnell (2011), Schnell (2002b); > Sarracenia flava L. var. flava — McPherson & Schnell (2011), Schnell (2002b); > Sarracenia flava L. var. maxima Bull ex Mast. — McPherson & Schnell (2011), Schnell (2002b); > Sarracenia flava L. var. ornata Bull ex Mast. — McPherson & Schnell (2011), Schnell (2002b); > Sarracenia flava L. var. rubricorpora D.E.Schnell — McPherson & Schnell (2011), Schnell (2002b); > Sarracenia flava L. var. rugelii (Shuttlew. ex DC.) Mast. — McPherson & Schnell (2011), Schnell (2002b). Basionym: Sarracenia flava L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Sarracenia flava - FNA8

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL
  • Northcentral & Northeast: OBL

Heliophily ⓘ: 9

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image #1 of Sarracenia flava© Will Stuart | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Sarracenia flava© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #3 of Sarracenia flava© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image #4 of Sarracenia flava© Floyd A. Griffith | Original Image ⭷
image #5 of Sarracenia flava© Kyle Filicky | Original Image ⭷
image #6 of Sarracenia flava© Alan Cressler: Sarracenia flava var. ornata, Emanuel County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #7 of Sarracenia flava© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image #8 of Sarracenia flava© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #9 of Sarracenia flava© Kyle Filicky | Original Image ⭷
image #10 of Sarracenia flava© Alan Cressler: Sarracenia flava, Pitcher Plant Savanna, Apalachicola National Forest, Liberty County, Florida 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #11 of Sarracenia flava© Alan Cressler: Sarracenia flava var. ornata, and Sarracenia flava var. rugelii, Seepage Savanna, Panhandle, Florida 4 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #12 of Sarracenia flava© Alan Cressler: Sarracenia flava, Francis Marion National Forest, Berkeley County, South Carolina 2 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #13 of Sarracenia flava© Alan Cressler: Sarracenia flava var. rugelii, Apalachicola National Forest, Franklin County, Florida 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #14 of Sarracenia flava© Alan Cressler: Sarracenia flava var. atropurpurea, and Sarracenia flava var. rugelii, Seepage Savanna, Panhandle, Florida 3 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #15 of Sarracenia flava© Alan Cressler: Sarracenia flava var. ornata, Seepage Savanna, Panhandle, Florida 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #16 of Sarracenia flava© Alan Cressler: Sarracenia flava var. cuprea, Red Bluff Bay, Francis Marion National Forest, Berkeley County, South Carolina 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #17 of Sarracenia flava© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #18 of Sarracenia flava© Alan Cressler: Sarracenia flava var. ornata, Apalachicola National Forest, Franklin County, Florida 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #19 of Sarracenia flava© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #20 of Sarracenia flava© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #21 of Sarracenia flava© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #22 of Sarracenia flava© Alan Cressler: Sarracenia flava var. maxima, and Sarracenia flava var. rugelii, Seepage Savanna, Panhandle, Florida 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #23 of Sarracenia flava© Alan Cressler: Sarracenia flava, Pitcher Plant Savanna, Apalachicola National Forest, Liberty County, Florida 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #24 of Sarracenia flava© Alan Cressler: Sarracenia flava var. rugelii, and Sarracenia flava var. atropurpurea, Seepage Savanna, Panhandle, Florida 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #25 of Sarracenia flava© Johnny Randall | Original Image ⭷
image #26 of Sarracenia flava© Johnny Randall | Original Image ⭷
image #27 of Sarracenia flava© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
image #28 of Sarracenia flava© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #29 of Sarracenia flava© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image #30 of Sarracenia flava© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #31 of Sarracenia flava© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
image #32 of Sarracenia flava© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Carnivorous perennial of wet pine savannas, seepage bogs and pocosins.

Stems: Stems underground, sending up several leaves and a single flower stalk per plant.

Leaves: Leaves erect, yellowish-green pitchers (tubes that trap insects) with a hood partially covering the opening, often streaked with red and with a red band around base of hood. A narrow wing runs along length of pitcher. Long, flat, erect leaves (phyllodia) are produced in late summer.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flower solitary, nodding from top of an erect stalk about equal in height to pitchers, yellow, with 5 drooping petals (2-3 in. long), 5 strongly curved (also yellow) triangular sepals, and an umbrella-shaped structure in the center.

Fruits:

Comments: Endemic to the southeastern U.S. In the centers of peat domes and large peat-filled Carolina bays, S. flava is sometimes very abundant, occasionally the dominant plant over a large area.

Height: 2-3 ft.

plant sale text: Yellow pitcher-plant matures to be one of the tallest of all the southeastern pitcher-plants. This native carnivorous plant attracts bees, wasps, beetles and other insects to its leaf traps by producing nectar. This is one of the first pitcher-plants to bloom in the spring, usually around early April in our area. A brochure on growing native carnivorous plants is available upon request.

bloom table text:

description: Carnivorous perennial of wet pine savannas, seepage bogs and pocosins.

stems: Stems underground, sending up several leaves and a single flower stalk per plant.

leaves: Leaves erect, yellowish-green pitchers (tubes that trap insects) with a hood partially covering the opening, often streaked with red and with a red band around base of hood. A narrow wing runs along length of pitcher. Long, flat, erect leaves (phyllodia) are produced in late summer.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flower solitary, nodding from top of an erect stalk about equal in height to pitchers, yellow, with 5 drooping petals (2-3 in. long), 5 strongly curved (also yellow) triangular sepals, and an umbrella-shaped structure in the center.

fruits:

comments: Endemic to the southeastern U.S. In the centers of peat domes and large peat-filled Carolina bays, S. flava is sometimes very abundant, occasionally the dominant plant over a large area.

cultural notes:

germination code: 2

native range: southeastern U.S.