Q/A #79 - Outdoor Plants Not Waking Up.

QUESTION:
I recently purchased a Drosera intermedia, D. tracyi, and Sarracenia purpurea x minor. My tracyi has been growing extremely well and fast, but the other two (especially the intermedia) is what I'm worried about. I've had them for around a week or so. They're situated in a aluminum foil tray with distilled water. I live in the Bay Area region of California, so I believe I'm in Zone 9/10. I usually have around 6-8 hours of direct sunlight provided every day. I haven't changed anything about the plant itself (soil, no fertilizers, etc.) ever since they arrived. My intermedia was originally a small green color, but it's changed to red so I don't know if it's sun-stressed or something like. The Sarracenia hasn't had any growth, so I'm not sure if it's doing well. 
(Submitted in April 2021.)

Drosera intermedia

Sarracenia purpurea x minor

RESPONSE BY JEFF DALLAS:
Everything here looks pretty normal for this time of year. Keep in mind that your plants came from north of you, and our climate is slightly cooler and cloudier than yours. 

Drosera intermedia looks like it is acclimating to a sunnier location than here. There's new growth coming up in the center of the plant. All new leaves from this point onward will be perfectly acclimated to your climate. 

Your Sarracenia is a late-season plant, so it comes out of dormancy in May at our nursery. New growth will appear when you have some sustained days in the 70's and warmer. But, that's how our plants look like right now. 

You can clip off the pitchers on your Sarracenia. Those pitchers are from last season and will turn brown by the end of May. We sometimes keep them on for identification purposes. It's a good idea to clip them off before new growth comes up.

On a side note, I strongly recommend using a water tray that is either opaque plastic or glazed ceramic of some kind. Reflective aluminum like that will cook your plants on hot days mid summer. Also avoid clear glass for the same reason.

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