Chilean pitcher flower

Description

Sarmienta scandens, the Chilean pitcher flower, is a species of flowering plant, and the sole member of its genus within the family Gesneriaceae. It is native to the cool South Chilean rainforest, where it grows as an epiphyte. The Latin specific epithet scandens means “climbing”. Reaching just 10 cm (3.9 in) tall by 50 cm (20 in) broad, it is a creeping evergreen perennial with small oval leaves and pendent scarlet pitcher-shaped flowers in summer. In temperate regions it is usually grown under glass, either epiphytically or using a specialist potting medium containing leaf mould or sphagnum moss. It may be placed outside during the summer months, in a warm sheltered spot where the temperature does not fall below 5 °C (41 °F). It may however survive brief periods down to 0 °C (32 °F).