Hello bob123how,

It sounds like leaf-spot fungus to me. This can infect Nepenthes that are in high intensity sunlight and can be treated with thiophanate-methyl. Are the spots reddish or brownish and produce a blister like extension under the leaves? If so, it is probably leaf-spot fungus. The normal reaction for a Nepenthes in bright light is to produce a tan like these pictures show.

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This Nepenthes does not get full sun, but high intensity flourescent light.

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Notice the largest topmost leaf tanning by turning a reddish bronzy color as the plant gets closer to the light.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, Mh. The pimples look like a tiny bump on the top of the leaf and have a corresponsing dent on the underside. The leaves are yellowish green (in a good way) and there's no discoloration on or around the pimples nor on any of the leaves. Will neem oil work, because I already have that.

I also have this problem on my Miranda, I think. Looks like dark little spots on top that are raised and underneath they are indentations and black. Most of the leaves have a nice healthy tan, though. Sarracenia NW told me to put it was fine to put it in direct west sun with no sheers, so that's what I've been doing. If it's getting fungus, I would think that this means it needs less light.... but I'm still waiting for the baby pitchers on the end of the tendrils to fill out into pitchers.....it stopped producing once I took it out of the terrarium. Sorry to highjack the thread.... just saw the same thing on my plant. Goodluck!

bob123how:

It wouldn't hurt to use the neem oil just in case. If sakmeht's plant is doing the same thing, and Sarracenia NW does not think it is anything wrong, then it is probably just normal. So long as the plant is proucing new leaves and not wilting or dying back, it should be fine.

Thanks, to both of you, I'm glad, sakmeht, that I'm not the only one experienceing this. I think I will neem it, as a preventative measure.

On a side note, the N. ventrata I got a while ago seems to be doing ok...It is putting out tons of new growth especially since the repotting, which I thought, at the time, that I botched. Since bringing it home (maybe 2-3 weeks ago), it has lost all but 5 pitchers, one of which didn't open until a few days after I brought it home, so it still looks really good. None of the leaves that hadn't already had pitchers seem to be working very hard to make them. It has put on 3 new layers of leaves with no new pitchers, and whats more, the brown furry tip on the ends of the leaves, which I assume will be the pitchers, seems to have aborted on one of the leaves.

From just before sunrise (6:30ish) until noon the plant hangs on my balcony getting direct sun in the early morning. After that, I shuttle it inside where it spends the rest of the day until the next morning hanging under a 40 watt compact fluorescent that is on until 11pm. I mist it at least 2 sometimes 3 times daily. I water it whenever I remember to, usually every 4-5 days. If anything, it is more likely underwatered than anything else, but I mist it a lot. Any insight as to why it isn't pitchering?

I just wanted to clarify that when I called Sarracenia NW, I was inquiring about the lighting situation, NOT the possible fungus issue. My only concern at that time was if a west facing window with no sheer was okay for a miranda and they said yes. I got the impression that this is okay for most nepenthes of the maxima or maxima hybrid types that typically get nice dark red leaves... I wouldn't assume that this same lighting would be okay for a Judith Finn.... just saying you should check that out. Goodluck!

Loosing pitchers would be due to lower humidity. Pitcher abortion and halted pitcher growth could be from humidity and light problems. More light and time to adapt to humidity differences would be what the plant needs. Moving the plants around also confuses them and shocks them as they go from one humidity level to another and one temperature to another. They like growing in one place and staying there.

One other thing I wanted say is that Nepenthes do produce nectar glands on their leaves sometimes. If you see dots, indentations, spots, or drops of sticky fluid that is brown or clear in color, you might just have a Nepenthes that is making nectar all over the place trying to attract insects. mine make so much nectar that it drips down the pitcher and drops off the bottom, sometimes leaving a brown glob that is like half dried syrup. that might also be what those pimples are. Check to see if the "blisters" are sticky.

Mutant, that picture of your pitcher plant looks just like one I got from Home Depot a year ago. Even has the same nice reddish bronzy color right now. What is the name of it? Thanks.

Hello eggo:

That particular species is called Nepenthes sanguinea, the blood pitcher due to its red mottled pitchers. It is a very adaptive one for home growers like the N. ventrata, N. alata, and N. ventricosa.

Hi bob123how,
Just a word of caution regarding the dimples on the leaves. Some species of Nepenthes have this dimple like structures like the ones you described, most noticeably in the ventricosa group and its hybrids like "ventrata", the truncata have this same dimples on its leaves and in a lesser degree N. alata. IÂve read and heard that some other species of nepenthes have this same dimples.

These dimples are glands that exude a sugary substance that is use to attract sweet loving insects like ants, bees, or flies. In the case of my truncata, it exudes a lot. Eventually the insects are led to the mouth of the trap and soon fall into it. I should post some pictures later.

Normally the dimples are green and barely noticeable when itÂs a new leaf but in time these glands will be covered with mold, the reason it turns into black spots. IÂm not very familiar with N. ÂJudith Finn hybrid but it may be the case with the species. What I do when the black spots it gets too big and unsightly, I simply wipe it with a q-tip. Nothing fancy but it wont remove totally the stain but in my experience, these spots hasnÂt harmed my plant.

IÂll post some pictures later if that is the case with you.