Date: Sat, 1 Mar 1997 06:17:58 -0500 (EST) From: Perry Malouf <pmalouf@access.digex.net> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg766$foo@default> Subject: Re: Help...Nepenthes
Hi Les, you wrote:
> I recieved a nepenthes as a gift several weeks ago. The lower leaves are
> turning a brilliant yellow with green blotches throughout. They then turn a
> deep brown almost black and shrivel. The pitchers are doing the same. It was
> growing just fine til a few days ago. I have it under artificial light.
> What's wrong!
Depending on some other factors, there may be nothing wrong--you
haven't provide enough information. Sometimes the lower leaves do
this when they're old, and when the upper part of the plant continues
to grow.
I've seen this sort of leaf death caused by a variety of factors.
One could be consistently low humidity, another could be excessively
high temperatures, often it is a combination of the two.
Sometimes leaf death occurs because there's something wrong with
the roots. If the potting media is kept sopping wet all the time,
or if the media is starting to decay, then the roots might be
rotting. Have a look at the roots to see if they're okay.
But what is the growth tip doing? Is it still green and healthy?
If the growth tip looks fine, then perhaps the lower leaves are
dying a natural death.
I've had Nepenthes plants go through (what I call) a "palm tree"
phase. A 12" vine will lots of leaves and pitchers will suffer
lower leaf death after a while. What remains is a woody 12" stem
with a healthy green rosette at the very top--it looks like a
miniature palm tree. This has been a source of annoyance for
me. Other growers have told me that they've seen the same
phenomenon with their plants. The plant eventually sends up
basal shoots, and starts growing normally again.
Once I was so annoyed with a hybrid that went through a palm tree
phase, that I cut off the rosette at the top and rooted it. The
bare woody stem was left in the original pot, an 8" woody stick
protruding straight up. After a week I noticed plenty of green
buds bursting from the sides of the woody stem, and now that
plant looks great with lots of new growth. The rooted top
was given away to a friend of mine who grows orchids. I'm
trying to get him interested in Nepenthes--I didn't have to
try too hard :-)
Regards,
Perry Malouf
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