Do Sarracenia Pitchers Need Water Added?

A common misconception is that upright Sarracenia pitchers should be filled with water. In fact, only S. purpurea and S. rosea naturally collect rainwater. All other species—S. flava, S. leucophylla, S. oreophila, S. rubra, S. alata, S. minor, and Darlingtonia—produce digestive enzymes from their pitcher walls. Their lids function as umbrellas to exclude excess rain.

Adding water can cause the plant to absorb it rapidly, and historical illustrations showing water-filled trumpets have misled generations of growers. Do not fill upright pitchers.