Question
Pitcher
QUESTION: Hi,
I started my carnivorous plant collection a few months back and we are now heading into Autumn in Australia.
I have a few pitchers that are going/turned brown and drying up. I understand this could be a normal process, but as I have not expereinced it before, want to make sure I am doing the right thing.
Do I wait until winter before cutting these dead pitchers off? Or do I do it now to encourage growth?
And, do I cut the pitcher off at the top of the pitcher? Or all the way back where the leaf comes off the main plant?
Any help would be appreciated.
P.S - I have attached photos of one of my pitchers.
ANSWER: Hi Leigh,
Thanks for sending the photo. That always helps.
Pitchers normally live about a month and a half, but it varies greatly from species to species. When they start to brown, we usually cut them off when we can't stand to look at them anymore. There's some advantage to leaving them for a while if they are still digesting insects, but once the pitcher is all brown, cut it off, but leave the leaf intact. Cutting them off or leaving them doesn't affect production that much. That is more affected by light, temperature and sometimes nutrients.
For more information on growing tropical pitcher plants consider our volume #3 DVD. http://www.cobraplant.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=38&products_id=
Good Growing!
Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks Jeff,
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but should I prune at the top of the pitcher (Leaving the leaf and stalk); or at the top of the stalk (Just leaving the leaf)?
And will a new pitcher ever grow from the leaf once one has been cut off?
Thanks Again
P.S - I am going to buy all 3 DVD's too!
AnswerHi Leigh,
You clip the tendril right where it joins the leaf. You want to leave the leaf intact so the plant can still use it for photosynthesis. The tendril is the thin shaft the comes off of the leaf to form the pitcher. I usually think of a stalk as being the main growing stem shaft of the plant; think corn stalk. In the case of Nepenthes they are essentially vines.
Each leaf on a Nepenthes can produce one pitcher. Once that pitcher is done, it never produces another.
I saw your order, thank-you! I think you will enjoy them.
Good Growing!
Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com
