Diagnosing Purple Spots on Darlingtonia: Pot, Soil, and Companions Matter

Darlingtonia

Purple spots on new pitchers, followed by die-back, suggest cultural issues. Key fixes:

Repot This Winter

• Wide, shallow pot (cat litter pan with holes) – mimics natural seep habitats.
• Mix: Equal parts peat, perlite, orchid bark OR pure live sphagnum (not dried long-fiber).
• Separate from Sarracenia/flytraps: They like hot roots; Darlingtonia needs cool roots.

Watering Change

• Top-water frequently (daily in summer) instead of tray method. This cools roots.
• In Northern Ireland, plant should be dormant now—minimal change until spring.

Root Check

When repotting, inspect roots: white = healthy; black = systemic collapse (usually fatal).

Resources

Care sheets, DVD Volume 1, and podcast "Serpent of the Siskiyous" at cobraplant.com.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
www.cobraplant.com