Question
I have started a collection of carnivorous plants: Butterwort, Green Pitcher,
Sundew, and a Cobra plant. I have been purifying my own water and not
using from the tap. I have the plants still in the original pots, set inside a
mixture (I was told this by the nursery worker) of 25 potting soil, 75 peat
moss; the topmost layer is sphagnum moss over a mixture of about 80
sphagnum moss and less than 20 of the peat-soil-moss mixture.

Now you have an idea what I am using, here's the problem: butterwort is
doing excellent and growing; the sundew (a bonus as it was in the same pot
as the green pitcher) appears to be doing fine. However, the green pitcher
looks great on some growth, 2 or 3 branches are turning yellow, then brown,
but don't appear to be dying. The cobra plant has me worried: its getting
brown about half way up and under the hood. From what I've read and
researched its not dying or dying off older growth. I really don't know if I
should be worried or not. I started this as a hobby because I am very limited
from my favorite hobbies. (Before I was injured in the military and retired
out.)

any feedback or assistance will greatly appreciated, as I hope to keep this
interest and hobby growing.

Answer
Hi Robert,

I'm not sure how much I can help you because I don't know exactly what type of plants you have.  You see, there are many types of butterworts and sundews.  There are tropical species and temperate species.  Some grow best in full sun, while others grow best in partial sun.  Some like very warm conditions, while others like slightly cooler conditions.  Some grow throughout the year, while others go dormant in winter.  So with regards to the butterwort and sundew, if you can provide the species name, I can better assist you and direct you in the correct direction.  Otherwise I'll be shooting in the dark.  If you can't obtain the species name, then a clear digital photograph of your plants will do the job.

I'm also a bit confused about your description of the green pitcher plant.  Green pitcher is a common name for Sarracenia orephila, but the description you provided doesn't match the growth habit of this plant.  I'm guessing that you have a type of Asian pitcher plant, but I'm not sure about that either.  In this case, a species name or photograph would also help since both plants have completely different growing conditions.

The cobra plant I'm assuming is Daringtonia californica, however I've seen nurseries mislabel this plant and use the common name cobra plant for the Sarracenia pitcher plants.  The growing conditions for both Sarracenia and Darlingtonia are a bit different, so I'll need to know which cobra plant you're referring to.

Of course, these issues are not your fault.  Many nurseries, particularly those that don't specialize in carnivorous plants, often use common names incorrectly.  Identifying the correct species is actually the first step in taking proper care of your plants.  There are over 600 species of carnivorous plants, and many of them have their own unique growing conditions.  Without knowing exactly what you have, you risk providing your plants the wrong growing conditions.

At the very least, I can address the soil you're using.  Overall, you should avoid using potting soil with carnivorous plants.  Potting soil contains too much nitrogen and minerals, which will burn the roots over time.  The standard soil mix is 1 part peat moss and 1 part perlite (or pumice or silica sand).  

For now, I'm going to give you a homework assignment.  Go to our main website, http://www.cobraplant.com and visit the sales section and the care sheet section.  Look for photographs that best represent the plants that you have, and then go to the care sheet section to read the general growing requirements.

After doing a bit more research on your plants, if you need further assistance or recommendations, please write back as a follow-up with information about species you have.  (Or you can upload a clear digital photograph.)

Good growing!
Jacob Farin
http://www.cobraplant.com