Species › Plants › Sweet Pitcher Plant

Sweet Pitcher Plant

Sarracenia rubra

RarePlant
Illustration of Sweet Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia rubra)

Sweet Pitcher Plant is a small, elegant carnivorous plant of bog habitats in the southeastern US, producing narrow, veined pitchers and small, fragrant, dark-red flowers in spring. It is divided into several subspecies with restricted ranges, making it one of the rarest groups in the genus. The fragrant flowers are unusual in the genus — most pitcher plant flowers have no scent. Many populations have been lost to fire suppression, habitat drainage, and illegal collection. It is state-listed as threatened or endangered across much of its range.

Habitat
Seepage bogs, pitcher plant savannas, and streamside wetlands along the Gulf Coastal Plain and Appalachian foothills.
Diet
Carnivorous — pitchers trap insects; fragrant flowers attract specialist bees for pollination.
How common
Rare

Best time to see a Sweet Pitcher Plant

The best time to see a Sweet Pitcher Plant is April–July, when about 63% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 1,672 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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