Question
Tweaked Flava 3-23-11.
1) The species: S. Flava Typical, S Flava Cupera
2) A concise description of a single issue: Pitchers grow upright, then start to bend at top, but continues to grow (rise) but develpos deformed, then turn yellow . Other Pitchers same plants develop good.
3) The type of lighting, water and soil you're using: Outside direct sun roughly 6 hours. Soils is 2 parts sphagnum + 1 part perlite + 1 part Silica Sand.
4) Your location: Southern California between San Diego and Los Angeles
5) A CLEAR photograph of your plant. Included
QUESTION. Do you know why the plants is growing this way and can I safely cut these off to converse plants enegery for new growth?
AnswerHi Shannen,
Thanks for including a photo. This always helps.
This happens periodically, and we see it on our plants intermittently during the growing season. It can be caused by a slight amount of damage to the growing point or some insect damage to a growing shoot. In your photo you can see a slight reddening and damage to the wing (ala) on the growing shoot. Something like a caterpillar doing a little munching would cause such damage, and would create the the folded over pitchers.
You can definitely cut those off. It will help speed production of new pitchers.
Good Growing!
Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com
