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Sarracenia purpurea L.

Purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant

Purple pitcher plants, so named for their pitcher-like structures, are among very few plants that are carnivorous (technically “insectivorous,” but “carnivorous” sounds way more dramatic). The “pitchers,” which contain rainwater scented to attract insects, are ringed with slippery, downward-pointing hairs. Unwary insects fall into the watery fluid, and are digested by enzymes and bacteria. This clever trick allows pitcher plants to thrive in bogs which are severely deficient in nutrients. (Ironically, midge and mosquito larvae are mysteriously immune to the digestive enzymes, using the fluid as a safe haven for development.) Pitcher plants are North American natives. For information on this and other insectivorous bog-dwelling species, see Field Trip Through a Maine Raised Bog.

Plants: These plants are unmistakable. They are only found in bogs. Pitcher plant leaves form a rosette that remains near the ground. The “pitchers” arise vertically, open on the top, partially covered by a hoodlike structure.

Leaves: Leaves may be yellow-green (with deep red veins), red, or dark purple.

Flowers: On tall leafless stems up to 2′ (60 cm) in height, nodding over and hanging downward. They are glossy and rose pink to dark red. The flowers inside are white, with yellow stamens, but are difficult to see from above.

Fruits: A round, five-celled seed capsule ¾″ (1.9 cm) in diameter. It changes from green to yellow to red to brown, then splitting open to expose numerous brown seeds.

Habitats: Bogs.

Online References:

Wildadirondacks.org

The Carnivorous Plant FAQ, courtesy of the International Carnivorous Plant Society

 

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

5/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 1 × 1′ (36 × 34 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

9/16/2016 · Sieur de Monts Botanical Gardens, Bar Harbor, Maine

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

5/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 15 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

5/22/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (15 × 23 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

7/24/2010 · Acton Arboretum, Acton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 16 × 12″ (39 × 29 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

8/3/2025 · Saco Heath Preserve, Saco, Maine

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

9/16/2016 · Sieur de Monts Botanical Gardens, Bar Harbor, Maine

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

8/3/2025 · Saco Heath Preserve, Saco, Maine · ≈ 4 × 3″ (10 × 7.5 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

5/22/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 11 × 9″ (26 × 23 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

2/26/2010 · San Diego Zoo, San Diego, Cali­fornia ID is uncertain

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

9/20/2009 · Wild Gardens of Acadia, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 2 × 1′ (62 × 41 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

5/22/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

The sparse-leaved vines are Vaccinium oxycoccos, small cranberry. · 8/22/2020 · Kettle Hole Bog, Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, Maine · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

8/3/2025 · Saco Heath Preserve, Saco, Maine · ≈ 4 × 5″ (10 × 12 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

8/22/2020 · Kettle Hole Bog, Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, Maine · ≈ 7 × 7″ (18 × 17 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

2/26/2010 · San Diego Zoo, San Diego, Cali­fornia ID is uncertain

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

2/26/2010 · San Diego Zoo, San Diego, Cali­fornia ID is uncertain

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

5/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 13 × 9″ (32 × 24 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

At far left, there is some sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) · 8/22/2020 · Kettle Hole Bog, Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, Maine · ≈ 7 × 6″ (17 × 14 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

8/22/2020 · Kettle Hole Bog, Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, Maine · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

9/16/2016 · Sieur de Monts Botanical Gardens, Bar Harbor, Maine

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

9/20/2009 · Wild Gardens of Acadia, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 10 × 15″ (26 × 39 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

7/24/2010 · Acton Arboretum, Acton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 2 × 1′ (62 × 41 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

9/14/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 12 × 14″ (29 × 35 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

5/22/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 5 × 5″ (12 × 13 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

8/17/1997 · Nova Scotia, Canada

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

9/14/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 15 × 10″ (39 × 26 cm)

Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant, American pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, purple pitcherplant)

7/24/2010 · Acton Arboretum, Acton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 9 × 12″ (22 × 30 cm)

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin)
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
SubclassCaryophyllidaeCacti, many other succulents, carnivorous plants, and leadworts
OrderNepenthalesCarniverous (or more precisely insectiverous) plants
FamilySarraceniaceaePitcher plant (bug-eating plants) family
GenusSarraceniaFor early 18th century physician Dr. Michel Sarrasin
SpeciespurpureaFrom Greek for “purple”

About plant names...

Range:

About this map...

Sarracenia purpurea description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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