FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Something happened to my B52 about two or three months ago. The plant was doing fine and started to grow a flower stalk that was cut off after reaching about 2,5 inches and was planted in the same pot because I wanted to try that method of propagation. A few weeks after that the older leaves died and all the new ones are damaged, traps too. They are functional, they catch prey, but still. Right now the plant looks nothing like a B52. What are those brown marks?

I didn't change anything in my care routine, only thing that comes to mind is that flower stalk planting--it withered anyway so I threw it away and repotted the whole plant, just in case I somehow managed to "poison" the medium. New leaves grow but they are all damaged like that. I can't see any pests there so what might be causing that?

If you completely bare-rooted the plant while you repotted it, the plant is most likely stressed.

I guess if the plant was stressed, it would probably be making smaller leaves, not damaged ones. My guesses are bird/mammal damage or stress.

Sundews69 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 8:13 pm If you completely bare-rooted the plant while you repotted it, the plant is most likely stressed.

Yeah, but the problem started before repotting, not after that.

Panman wrote:I'm going to vote for bird damage. All of the wounds are V-shaped, like a beak.

There is no chance for birds coming to my room. Also no mammals and no insects apart from occasional housefly.

lemon wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 8:23 pm

Sundews69 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 8:13 pm If you completely bare-rooted the plant while you repotted it, the plant is most likely stressed.

Yeah, but the problem started before repotting, not after that.

Panman wrote:I'm going to vote for bird damage. All of the wounds are V-shaped, like a beak.

There is no chance for birds coming to my room. Also no mammals and no insects apart from occasional housefly.

Oh, you're right lol

Could it be getting too dry and the plant just doesn't have enough moisture? Maybe that and intense light could cause it to get a little bit crispy.

Thanks for trying to help.

Panman wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 8:26 pm Have you always had that top dressing of gravel on there? Some of those materials are definitely not silica.

Not always. When the problem started the plant was in a peat/perlite mix without any kind of top dressing. I wouldn't worry about the sand though, since I use it in many of my VFT's without issues. It's blasting sand and I wash it with distilled water before mixing with peat.

Those brown marks are basically a scar, the plant looks like it was damaged somehow.
If it is inside, away from birds and other outdoor critters, I would start looking at what's inside.
A dog would probably demolish it, where a cat might nibble. What about little crotch goblins? Any younger siblings that may have gotten too close with their grubby claws?
Look for sources of damage inside, because that plant looks to have been beaten up.

ChefDean wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 9:07 pmLook for sources of damage inside, because that plant looks to have been beaten up.

Hmm, no kids or animals. But still a good point. Maybe there are some small pests or larvae in the soil that nibble on the developing leaves before they grow above the surface? As I wrote, it started before repotting and I cleaned the roots and rhizome before planting into a new mix. Didn't see any bugs or snails though.

It's almost a year later and I want to share the good news. I did another repot in autumn and now all new growth is looking normal. I think the old rhizome died and new divisions are free of whatever calamity was tormenting it. Not sure if repotting itself had any part in it, but anyway.