Sarracenia 'Judith Hindle' Bug Bat Carnivorous Plant

Sarracenia ‘Judith Hindle’ – Bug Bat Carnivorous Plant

A stunning, color-changing carnivorous plant that catches its own bugs!

Meet Sarracenia ‘Judith Hindle’, also known as the Judith Hindle Pitcher Plant or Bug Bat — a spectacular North American pitcher plant hybrid prized for its unusual ruffled hoods, colorful pitchers, and impressive insect-catching abilities.

This unique carnivorous plant starts the growing season with fresh green pitchers accented with white, yellow, and green markings. As the pitchers mature and receive plenty of sunlight, they develop dramatic deep red to reddish-maroon coloration, often with contrasting veins and beautifully mottled, undulating hoods.

And yes — those gorgeous pitchers are actually traps!

The plant attracts insects with its colorful pitchers and nectar. Once an insect ventures inside, the smooth, slippery walls make it difficult to escape. The insect eventually falls into the digestive fluid at the bottom of the pitcher, providing the plant with nutrients that are scarce in the acidic, nutrient-poor soils where Sarracenia naturally grow.

It’s a living conversation piece, a natural bug catcher, and an incredibly rewarding plant to grow.

Why You’ll Love ‘Judith Hindle’

• Naturally carnivorous – catches flies, ants, beetles, wasps and other small insects.
• Gorgeous color transformation – pitchers can mature from green and white into rich red and burgundy tones.
• Unique ruffled hoods – the distinctive, wavy pitcher lids make ‘Judith Hindle’ especially eye-catching.
• Excellent collector plant – a named Sarracenia cultivar with an interesting breeding history.
• Great for sunny patios, balconies, bog gardens and carnivorous plant collections.
• No fertilizer needed – it gets supplemental nutrients from the insects it catches.
• Cold-hardy and seasonal – unlike many tropical carnivorous plants, Sarracenia naturally go through a winter dormancy.

How Did ‘Judith Hindle’ Get Its Name?

This cultivar has a wonderful personal story behind its name.

‘Judith Hindle’ was bred in England by Alan Hindle, an accomplished Sarracenia grower. He created this distinctive hybrid and named it after his wife, Judith Hindle.

Its parentage includes Sarracenia purpurea, Sarracenia flava and Sarracenia leucophylla, combining characteristics from several spectacular North American pitcher plants.

‘Judith Hindle’ is considered a relatively compact Sarracenia, making it a great choice when you want a dramatic carnivorous plant without needing a huge amount of space.

Expect mature pitchers to reach approximately 12–24 inches tall (30–60 cm) under good growing conditions. Individual plants can vary in size depending on age, growing conditions, light, season and container size. 

With time, the plant can also develop into a fuller clump as new growth points emerge from its underground rhizome.

☀️ Lighting Requirements

The more light, the better!

Sarracenia ‘Judith Hindle’ performs best in full sun to very bright light. Aim for approximately 6 or more hours of direct sunlight per day during the active growing season.

Outdoor growing in a sunny location generally produces the strongest growth and most intense pitcher coloration.

More sunlight also helps bring out the dramatic reds and burgundy tones that make ‘Judith Hindle’ so desirable.

If growing indoors, a strong full-spectrum grow light is recommended. A normal dimly lit room or low-light windowsill is generally not enough for this sun-loving plant. 

Tip: If your plant has mostly green pitchers and isn't developing strong coloration, insufficient light may be the reason.

💧 Watering Instructions

Water quality is one of the most important parts of Sarracenia care.

Use ONLY:

• Distilled water
• Reverse-osmosis (RO) water
• Rainwater

Avoid regular tap water unless you have verified that its mineral content is extremely low. Minerals and dissolved salts can accumulate in the growing medium and damage the plant's roots over time.

The Tray Method

Place the plant's pot in a shallow tray containing approximately ½–1 inch of water during active growth.

The growing medium should remain consistently wet or very moist — think bog, not ordinary houseplant soil.

Do not allow the growing medium to completely dry out.

During the winter dormancy period, watering can be reduced, but the rhizome and growing medium should still never be allowed to become bone dry. 

🌱 Soil & Potting

Sarracenia need an acidic, nutrient-poor carnivorous plant medium.

A commonly used mix is:

50% sphagnum peat moss + 50% perlite

or another appropriate carnivorous-plant soil mix.

Do NOT use regular potting soil, compost, manure or fertilizer.

These plants are adapted to nutrient-poor bog soils, and conventional fertilizers can damage or kill the roots.

Plastic pots are often preferred because they don't leach minerals into the growing medium.

🪰 Does It Need to Be Fed?

Usually, no!

One of the fun things about Sarracenia is that they are excellent at catching their own prey.

If the plant is grown outdoors, it will naturally attract insects. You do not need to feed it regularly.

Never give it meat, hamburger, pet food or other human food. Sarracenia are designed to capture and digest small insects, not household food scraps. 

If grown indoors where insects are scarce, an occasional appropriately sized insect may be offered, but feeding is generally unnecessary when the plant has access to natural prey.

❄️ Winter Dormancy

‘Judith Hindle’ is a temperate Sarracenia hybrid, which means it naturally expects a winter rest period.

During dormancy, growth slows dramatically and some or many of the pitchers may turn brown and die back. Don't panic — this is normal!

The plant's underground rhizome remains alive and stores energy for the next growing season.

Depending on your climate and growing conditions, dormancy can begin in fall and continue through winter into early spring. Once temperatures rise and daylight increases, new pitchers will emerge.

Important: A dormant Sarracenia may look dramatically different from its summer appearance. This is part of its natural growth cycle, not necessarily a sign that something is wrong.

🌸 Flowers

Mature plants can produce beautiful maroon-red flowers in spring on tall, leafless flower stalks.

The flowers are unusual and interesting in their own right, making this plant attractive even before its pitchers fully develop.

🐶 Is ‘Judith Hindle’ Pet Friendly?

Sarracenia are generally considered non-toxic to pets, and their carnivorous nature is directed toward insects rather than mammals.

However, because authoritative toxicity information specifically for the ‘Judith Hindle’ cultivar is limited, we recommend the following:

Keep the plant out of reach of pets that like to chew on plants.

As with any ornamental plant, excessive consumption can potentially cause stomach upset, and individual animals can react differently.

🌿 Plant Difficulty

Beginner to Intermediate

Once the three most important requirements are understood, Sarracenia can be surprisingly straightforward:

☀️ Lots of light + 💧 pure water + 🌱 acidic, nutrient-poor soil

Get those three things right and your ‘Judith Hindle’ can reward you with vigorous seasonal growth and increasingly colorful pitchers.

🪴 What Makes This Plant Special?

‘Judith Hindle’ isn't just another green houseplant.

It's a living insect trap that changes appearance throughout the growing season.

Young pitchers emerge green and develop increasingly dramatic patterns and coloration as they mature. With enough sunlight, the plant can transform into a spectacular display of red, burgundy, pink, white and green.

And because it grows from a rhizome, an established plant can eventually produce additional growth points and form an impressive clump.

Whether you're a longtime carnivorous plant collector or someone looking for a truly unusual plant to start with, Sarracenia ‘Judith Hindle’ is a fantastic choice.

Quick Care Guide

Light: Full sun / very bright light — ideally 6+ hours of direct sunlight
Water: Distilled, RO or rainwater only
Moisture: Keep consistently wet during active growth
Soil: Acidic, nutrient-poor carnivorous plant mix
Fertilizer: None
Feeding: Not normally necessary; catches its own insects
Humidity: Normal outdoor humidity is generally sufficient
Dormancy: Yes — winter dormancy is a natural part of its life cycle
Mature Pitcher Height: Approximately 12–24 inches
Growth Habit: Clumping perennial from a rhizome
Flowers: Maroon-red flowers in spring
Pet Safety: Generally considered non-toxic, but keep away from pets that chew plants
Best Location: Sunny outdoor patio, balcony, bog garden, greenhouse or strong grow-light setup

Botanical Name

Sarracenia 'Scarlet Belle'

Common Names

Scarlet Belle, Trumpet Pitcher Plant, Carnivorous Plant

Plant Type

Sarracenia 'Scarlet Belle' Carnivorous Plant

Mature Size

Can grow up to 10 to 18 inches tall!

Sun Exposure

6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Best grown in full sun.

Soil Type

Do not use standard soil. Carnivorous plants prefer sphagnum moss or a mix of peat moss and perlite. Nutrient-rich soil may harm the plant.

Bloom Time

Late spring to early summer

Flower Color

Deep scarlet-red flowers

Hardiness Zones

Zones 6-9; grown as a houseplant in colder climates

Native Area

Tropical and subtropical wetlands of the Southeastern United States

Toxicity

Pet Friendly; non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Plants ship from our location in Florida and arrive nationwide within 5-8 business days. All our plants ship exclusively with UPS to ensure they arrive timely and in good condition. For those users in Florida, George, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Virginia, shipping may be faster. Estimated shipping dates can be seen in checkout. Plant exclusions may apply.

We monitor the weather in each destination location to maximize the shipping time and utilize thermal protection to ensure that the plant is protected. You can add a heatpack or thermal bag to your order if temperatures at night fall below 40 degrees.

You can visit our shipping policy to learn more.