Sarr divisions

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with receiving divisions of sarrs that decided to flower for them. I received 3 divisions of a particular sarr that did not look all that healthy upon receiving them, but I planted them up anyways and put them on a windowsill. They did not have many roots and the tops were cut right down to the rhizome. Now all 3 are putting up a flower bud, just wondering if it really would improve the health of the plant to chop the flower stalk off or if this is just a urban legend.

It's an urban legend Wolfman. The flower buds are produced from the previous year's growth and lie dormant until the following spring. If your plants do not produce good growth this year and then decide to send up flowers in 2007...I would definitely remove them.

Thanks Phil, they shall flower at will then this year.

Uh oh, I think nipping those off might very well improve the overall condition of the plants that you described as not looking all that healthy when you received tham and I don't think it's urban legend.

Regardless of whether these are carnivorous plants or not, the botany is the same. The leaves produce carbohydrates and make them available for the roots and fruits (seed). If a Sarracenia is trying to rebound from a division, I think the blooms should be cut off regardless of when they were formed. A plant uses a tremendous amount of energy for a panicle to flower and to produce seeds. By cutting off the blooms, more starch reserves are available to the root structures. A plant coming out of dormancy is going to be relying upon stored energy reserves to be able to survive so if a plant that was recently divided and coming out of dormancy is shooting up flower scapes, that would be that much less carbohydrates available to be translocated to the roots. Sounds to me as if a plant cut to the quick such as yours needs all the energy it has going to the roots but what do I know anymore.

Interestingly enough, many plants will use all available energy to set seed if they are stressed. It's an adaptive trait to ensure survival.

OK, I'm ready to take my blows for my comments. I say nip the buds on a stressed plant.

http://www.auburn.edu/academic/classes/biol/1030/bowling/lecturenotes/topic9.htm

Well its either nip the buds and see how they do, or let them flower, use the flowers to get some more seed and then see how they do and if they die then I have lots o seed. UMM, now I don't know what to do.

Let them all die and buy new ones from ME!! LOL...Only kidding.

You know something Wolf, the condition of the plants you described that you received is the exact reason I am limiting who I buy from in the future. I am sick of getting plants that are infested with something, and I am sick of getting sent plants that aren't packed properly that get banged around from here to kingdom come while being shipped, I am sick of getting sent unhealthy plants, and I am sick of getting sent plants that are puny. Don't get me wrong, I've "weeded" out the nurseries that I won't buy from any longer and am down to about 5 nurseries that I will buy from again that sent me great healthy plants but there is only one nursery that I have bought spectacular healthy plants from and this person claims to be a hobbyist- ha ha ha ha ha! My money goes to the SarrMan and when he runs out or doesn't have something I want or feel I can't live without, then I'll go back to the other 5.

Like Emaril Lagasi would say..."Can you feel the love"?

I hear ya Lauren,

What is the most upsetting is I spoke with the guy who sold me these particular plants and he claimed that they were mature divisions. Now I guess mature is a relative term, but to me mature is not a plant with a rhizome the size of a quarter. Granted they are all flowering but far from mature. If I get a sec I will snap a few pics.

Ok here is what the three look like. If you cannot tell the three taller leaves are all brown.

"Oh yeah, babe"

"Kick it up a notch"

"BAM!"

and after seeing those photos! I don't exactly "Feel The Love". Please do me a favor and e-mail me who it was who sold you those absolutely pathetic specimens of whatever they are.

That is far from a mature plant. It's blooming size...but not mature. It's barely a teenager. I hope you didn't spend too much for it.

Craig I think it may be a good idea to lose the flower on this one. It just doesn't look like it should be pushed to those limits. If it was a mature division (3 or 4 growth points) then it would be ok. It would be a gamble IMHO.

What a way to ruin one's credibility by sending you a single growth point and saying it's mature. Still...I have no doubt you will nurse it to glorious health.

If the vendor who sold you that plant is reading these threads....SHAME ON YOU!!!

On this one, I agree with Equil. Blooming is more stress.

The best one I know in this vein concerns planting large trees. The local owner of a large nursery saw that a large tree being planted in 'warm' weather was stressed. He thought for a sec, and ordered all the leaves snipped off in order to force the tree to put out new feeder roots. It worked. The strength of the tree would have transpired through the leaves.... before the new roots could readily supply nutrient.

Bill in Newfoundland zone 5a

I think everyone is in agreement since he posted photos of that pathetic plant he was sold as being mature. I've received plants that I have purchased that were sold as mature that had single growth points. I've learned to ask these days to avoid any confusion with small, medium, and large or seedling, juvenile, and mature. I don't mind buying seedlings or juveniles in the least, just let me know and don't try to dupe me.

there's a bit of controversy about snipping leaves on newly planted and stressed trees. The way it was explained to me is ...yes, it forces the tree to put out more roots. Because it's desperate for nutrients. The new roots are allegedly weakened. Without leaves, the tree can't photosynthesize. And that's how it was explained to me!