Summer Dormancy in Sarracenia flava and leucophylla in Houston

Question: My S. leucophylla and S. flava produce weird phyllodia and dying pitchers. Outdoors in full sun, peat/perlite, standing water. Other plants fine. Cloudy lately.

Answer: You're in Houston—this is summer dormancy. S. flava, S. leucophylla, and S. oreophila go semi-dormant in extreme heat, producing phyllodia (non-carnivorous leaves) to conserve moisture. Unseasonable warmth accelerates this. Your flytrap and S. purpurea aren't affected. When temperatures drop, they'll resume pitching. Nothing to do but wait.

Clouds don't harm full-sun plants—light is diffused but sufficient.

Happy growing!

— Jacob Farin