Question
Is it something other than aphids? Am I doing something wrong? I have been using Neem II for the last month and a half, and little progress has been shows to eliminate the pest. I just can't get a nice, straight & normal leaf to form on my flava cuprea, which is looking pretty sad for the middle of the summer. Watering with distilled, 50:50 peat moss/perlite, and in full sun. Is it something in the pyrethrin/neem based insecticide, or some other pest? I just cant seem to find Ortho S.I.K. for a systemic in any stores, so are there any other systemic alternatives? The photo shows somewhat insect damage, with the flava's 2 tallest leaves having already been emerging when I recieved it in the mail. This is also a minor case with my leucophylla to the left.

Answer
Hi Ted,

Thanks for sending the photo.  Your plants look perfectly normal and healthy.  I see new growth, colors are good, and I can even see the Venus flytrap flower on the left.  I can see a perfectly normal new leaf forming on the flava in the foreground.  What does happen this time of year is Sarracenia flava begins to produce phyllodia, non-carnivorous leaves.  They look like flat leaves, or partially formed pitchers.  S. leucophylla does this mid-summer to be followed by the best leaves in the late summer or early fall.  Otherwise, I don't see anything wrong with your plants.


Good Growing!

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