Description
Sarracenia ‘Alucard’ is a fascinating and mysterious carnivorous plant that is sure to capture anybody's attention. This complex hybrid of Sarracenia flava var. rubricorpora and S. ‘Royal Ruby’ was created by Phil Faulisi in 2000, and since then, due to its relatively slow growth rate, it has stayed fairly elusive to many Sarracenia collectors.
The name ‘Alucard’ comes from the word ‘Dracula’ spelt backwards, which perfectly describes the plant's dark and ominous appearance. The pitchers of Sarracenia ‘Alucard’ resemble those of S. flava, but with a slight degree of ruffling that alludes to the presence of Sarracenia leucophylla genes in the mix. The pitchers usually reach a height of around 75 cm (30 inches) but can grow up to 94 cm (37 inches) tall. Under extremely high light the pitchers will turn a deep reddish-black, giving them a striking appearance.
As the pitchers age, they turn into a completely velvety black colour. Some pitchers may occasionally display slight green patches on their hoods, but this is not consistent within or between plants. One season, some plants may produce pitchers with many green-patched hoods, while others will produce pitchers with the same lid type season after season and then suddenly revert to the opposite type.
The flowers of Sarracenia ‘Alucard’ are a bright yellow colour, providing a stunning contrast to the plant's dark appearance should you have simultaneous pitchers. With its intriguing appearance and unique characteristics, Sarracenia ‘Alucard’ is an excellent addition to any carnivorous plant collection.
More Information
National collection description: H216 Sarracenia x “Alucard” (CA Sx104, 2010)
Cultivar Registration in Carnivorous Plant Newsletter: https://legacy.carnivorousplants.org/cpn/Species/v38n1p12_22.html#Alucard
Carnivorous Plant Photofinder: http://cpphotofinder.com/sarracenia-alucard-2690.html
MK-H216
Plant Size On Offer
Plant photos usually show the mother plant, not the smaller divisions offered for sale.
Divisions taken from mother plants are planted into 9cm pots. The size of divisions can vary greatly and will always be sent largest first. If you'd like to know the size of a plant before ordering, please feel free to get in touch.
Basic Care
Sarracenia plants are incredibly easy to care for, given the correct conditions. An unheated greenhouse is an ideal location for Sarracenia, they can be grown outside in the UK but a greenhouse provides a longer growing season. Here are the 3 golden rules for healthy Sarracenia.
- Provide as much sun as possible.
- Keep their pots sat in 1-2cm of rainwater.
- Use acidic soil. A 1:1 peat moss & perlite mix is typical but you can also research peat-free alternatives.
Click here to read a more in-depth guide to growing Sarracenia in the UK.
