Question

Basal shoots  

Nepenthes sanguinea   Hello,
I have been growing my nepenthes sanguinea for almost 1-1/2 years and I have noticed that recently the pitchers and leaves on the plant seem to be getting smaller. The pitchers used to be almost 8in. and now they are only 6in. while the leaves which used to be very large, green, and shiny seem to be slightly yellow with bits of orange tinting along the edges. I grow the plant in a northern facing window, in which it receives direct morning light (maybe 4 hours), and is shaded for the remainder of the day until the evening in which it receives almost a hour of light. The plant is growing in long fiber sphagnum moss and I make sure to keep the soil moist to touch (with rainwater). I live just north of Houston. I thought that maybe the plant was receiving too much light , but it has been growing in the same spot since i got it and I don't know why it is not doing so great now. As seen from the pictures it has put out 3 basal shoots, could this be the reason the plant looks the way it is? Please help me return the plant to its original glory.

Thank you

Answer
Hi Matt,

Your plant probably isn't getting too much light.  Four hours if it's direct sun is pretty good.  N. sanguinea likes it pretty bright.  Check out the photo of the plant with the cat in this link:  http://www.cobraplant.com/caresheets/nepenthes  That plant was growing in a West window that got strong afternoon sun for about 5 hours during the summer.  Glass blocks 80% of UV light, so when growing them indoors you want them in direct sun.  We've often heard from customers that if they have newer 100% UV blocking windows, their plants won't pitcher at all.  

If you're noticing yellowing, bit may be more of a heat issue that sun intensity.  Try moving to plant back a little ways if the window is super hot.

The other issue could be your soil.  When's the last time the plant was transplanted?  Using just straight long-fiber sphagnum works initially, but it tends to break down, so you might be getting a little root rot.  This could also cause the appearance you're seeing in the leaves.  It's best to mix the sphagnum with some orchid bark and some perlite to open it up some.  Nepenthes like their soil most, but it should never sit in water.  If you haven't transplanting in awhile, it may be time.

Hope this helps.

Good Growing!

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