newly forming pitchers wrinkling up and dying (not brown)

18 years ago

I have a pitcher plant that has been growing good this past fall and winter but is now getting new green pitchers that suddenly shrivel up at the top after a few days of being open. There is plenty of humidity. It has bog soil conditions (moist soil). Why are the pitchers doing this? It is kept in the shade. But my grandmother did wash a bucket outside of the screenroom (this is where it is-on a table inside the screenroom-not in the bucket) on the pavement about 8 feet from it with clorox. Did the clorox cause any fumes in the air that would hurt the pitchers? Also my mother sometimes smokes cigarettes outside the screenroom. Could this hurt the pitcher plant?

Comments (5)

sowley
18 years ago
Normally this is due to low humidity. What does "plenty" mean in your case?
alexis
Original Author
18 years ago
I live in north central florida. It usually rains here every two or three days in the afternoon and evening. Also, the weather channel usually has the humidity for my area at 69% or above most of the time.
Related Professionals
Frisco Landscape Contractors · Fort Atkinson Landscape Contractors · Franklin Landscape Contractors · Lynchburg Landscape Contractors · McLean Landscape Contractors · Quincy Landscape Contractors · Vermilion Landscape Contractors · Waipahu Landscape Contractors · Greenfield Landscape Contractors · Northlake Landscape Contractors · Kingsburg Landscape Contractors · Vadnais Heights Landscape Contractors · San Pablo Landscape Contractors · Brenham Swimming Pool Builders · Huntsville Swimming Pool Builders
sowley
18 years ago
I doubt that the Clorox or the cigarettes are doing it. But even if they are, I would say that the plant lacks vigor, and so we must raise its metabolism, so to speak. There are three factors--Light, Water, and Food.

So--

Light. Can you get it more light? I grow my neps in full sunlight at less than 50% humidity--it took them a while to adjust, but now I have plenty of pitchers and even flowers. (The flowers are interesting, if unspectacular. The leaves are dark green, tough and leathery.)

Water. If you are spraying it, stop. The air is plenty moist already. You are using distilled or rainwater to water them, correct? Groundwater can build up salts and minerals, as can tap.

Food. Is the plant getting food? A nep that is getting too much foliar fertilizer will, according to some, stop pitchering. Of course, one that is starved will also produce few pitchers. When mine are indoors, they get a Betta Bite granule in one pitcher once every month. Outdoors, I hang them in a bush to get ants.

It may also be that the nep is just resting a bit, and will spring back. I'd try the light first.

Steve
srduggins
18 years ago
If it is a Nep, the soil could be too wet. They don't grow in the bog, but in the rain forest. Also is it a highland or lowland Nep. Could be night time temps affecting the pitcher.
necro1234
18 years ago
Hi

Im no expert and am growing my 1st Nep Ventricosa.
Im growing it indoors in Salt Lake City (dry indoors).
I potted it in a 6" pot and used the water tray method, the pitchers kept going brown/black and shriveling.
I asked one forum member about this and he asked if Im using the water tray method as they dont like this like their american pitcher plant cousins.
I filled the tray with perlite to absord the water, the plant stopped killing of its pitchers and has sent out two new leaves with pitchers on.
So far its doing very well compared to when it was sitting in a small amount of water.
I also foliar feed mine some Epipythes Delight once a week, it seems to be very vigorous in its growth now.

Cheers

Sheldon