FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hi all, I just registered here because I'm worried about my scarlet belle pitcher plant. Ever since coming out of dormancy this year, it grows new leaves like crazy, but as soon as they start becoming pitcher shaped at the end, the end turns brown and eventually the whole leaf seems to die. At first I thought it was just damaged by cold from putting it outside too early, and trimmed it mostly to the crown, but it's now august and all the new growth seems to do the same thing. It hasn't had a single nice red pitcher all season. Despite this, it still seems to be getting larger and growing new leaves, but I'm worried if it can survive being dormant this winter after all this.

This is now the third year I've had it, and the first two years, it was beautiful and full of bright red pitchers, and was extremely proficient at catching bugs. I keep it outside in mostly full sun, as much as we can get here. Its zone 3/4 if that matters, I bring it inside and leave it in the cool basement by a window over winter. I have it sitting in a tuperware that I fill with only distilled or rain water. It's in sphagnum peat moss with a little sand mixed in.

This spring I wanted to see how big it could grow, so I repotted it into a muuch larger pot, and I'm wondering if maybe the pot is TOO big? Like maybe the roots are too far from the water? It also behaved strangely when it first came out of dormancy, growing extremely long, thin leaves that hung over the sides of the pot and then would then simply turn brown and die.

I bought another, smaller pot for it, and some fresh peat moss, and I was going to repot it now while it still has some time before dormancy, and completely remove all the old soil from the rhizome, but I don't actually know if that will help. I really don't want to let this plant die, because it's one of the most beautiful and interesting plants i've ever cared for.

I also noticed some lichens growing near the crown, which hasn't happened before, and I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

I apologize for not having pictures, I will get some tomorrow when it's bright out.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

edit: added a picture from about a month ago, but it looks pretty much the same now. The small forming pitchers in this pic are about as much as they grow before turning brown.

Did you rinse the media before repotting? I know certain types of peat can have major levels of dissolved solids in them which could be contributing to your problem. I am new to Sarrs, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

Nick wrote:Did you rinse the media before repotting? I know certain types of peat can have major levels of dissolved solids in them which could be contributing to your problem. I am new to Sarrs, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

I did not. I just pulled all the soil and the plant out of the old pot, made a big hole in the new one, and stuck the whole thing in. That's another reason why i wanted to repot it again but remove all the old soil, because I thought maybe the roots are being choked.

How much light does it get ?
Because mine are doing great
What kind of water do you give him ?
I hope i can help
Good luck
Dave

Dave 1999 wrote:How much light does it get ?
Because mine are doing great
What kind of water do you give him ?
I hope i can help
Good luck
Dave

don't know exactly, but probably 8-10 hours of direct sun. And only distilled or rainwater.

Edolma wrote:

Dave 1999 wrote:How much light does it get ?
Because mine are doing great
What kind of water do you give him ?
I hope i can help
Good luck
Dave

don't know exactly, but probably 8-10 hours of direct sun. And only distilled or rainwater.

when i think about it you noticed that it was doing strange when it came out of dormancy.
my S leucophylla made also only non carnivorous leaf and it 2 weeks ago it first big pitcher maby yours also had a tough winter because i transplanted al my Sarracenia to my new bog and it is by me just bizzy with recovery to make new roods
my plant has only one real pitcher the others are just non carnivorous leafs
this is just my theory.

hope it will grow soon

good luck

dave