Question

Red Leaves  

Basal shoot?   Hi Jeff and Jacob,

I wanted your opinion of this this "Poi Dog" Nepenthes I purchased from you in April of 2014. It has never produced pitchers, but has had a really rough life as I am a complete novice.  First, it was too dry and nearly died.  Once I got the watering down (I use RO water), light was an issue.  I assumed it wasn't getting enough light as the new leaves were dark green and very large, and no pitchers.  So I changed the location to a South window (I'm in Scottsdale, AZ.) about 3-4 months ago.  I do not use any artificial light.  After having a leaf broken and being uprooted by my toddler, it really took off.  It seemed too large for the small pot it came in (top heavy and falling over) so I repotted it to the larger pot it is in now about 2 weeks ago.  The new leaves are reddish in color and I noticed a basal shoot (?).  You can see the Red Leopard beside it is happy and producing larger and larger pitchers.  There are also orchids growing here that are putting on bloom spikes.  So I think the lighting is ok, and the watering is figured out.  I'm afraid I shocked it by repotting (yellow leaves), then being toppled over (2 times actually).  If this plant actually pitchers, it should get the award for the "most hardy" nepenthes!
Is there anything else I can do for this poor plant?  (Toddler leaves it alone now!)  Thank you!

Petra

Answer
Hi Petra,

Overall the plant looks great.  Disturbance and change of growing conditions are always factors that will inhibit pitchering, so what you're experiencing doesn't seem at all unusual.  If you recently repotted, it would have lost pitchers if it would have had some before.  Even growers in the tropics see pitcher drop after transplanting.

Right now it's mostly just time that you need.  A weak fertilizer would help too, but you're most likely to see pitcher production when our day length hits 12 hours.  In addition to the disturbance your plant has already gone through, short days make many species stop pitchering.  If you fertilize just use an orchid fertilizer mixed at 1/4 strength, and mist the leaves with it once a week.  By late spring you should be seeing some pitchers.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.growcarnivorousplants.com