Question
Darlingtonia1
Hey, Ive noticed purple spots appearing on the new growth of my Darlingtonia and was just wondering if you could diagnose the problem.
It happens specifically on the new developing pitchers.
The pitchers dry and eventually die.
They are grown outside in Northern Ireland and are watered with rainwater.
This has happened all season.
They share a tray with some Sarracenia and Dionaea which were having trouble with aphids earlier in the season but I treated them at the time and the aphids are no longer a problem.
I just have no idea what the cause is.
I took a photo just as the purple spots began to show on its newest growth.
Sorry for the poor quality photo.
Thanks, Mark
AnswerHi Mark,
It look like it may not be happy with the pot and the growing conditions. Repot it sometime this winter, and try putting it in a low, wide pots such as a cat litter pan with holes in the bottom. I prefer not to let Darlingtonia sit in water but to top water the pot frequently. It'll be best if you put the Sarracenia and Flytrap in a different pot. They like to be hot in the summer, Darlingtonia roots do not. The top watering helps to keep roots cool. In Northern Ireland your plant should be dormant by this time of year, so you may not see much change in appearance for the rest of the winter.
When you repot use either a media of equal parts peat moss, perlite and orchid bark, or pure live sphagnum moss. If you use sphagnum, it is essential that it is the live moss and not dried long fiber. Also, inspect the roots. You should see nice white roots. If they are black, unfortunately your plant is on its way out. Once the root system collapses on a Darlingtonia, almost nothing can be done to save them. Unfortunately, the leaves often don't start to look bad until it's too late.
For more information on growing Darlingtonia, visit our care pages at: http://www.cobraplant.com/caresheets We also have a chapter on Darlingtonia in our DVD, "Grow Carnivorous Plants" Volume #1. You can also view our podcast, "Serpent of the Siskiyous" to see how Darlingtonia grow in their native habitat.
Good Growing!
Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com
