FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

So I noticed yesterday that my cape sundew plant's appearance has really changed. It is now a spring green color (as opposed to bright healthy green it was before), and along with the leaves Turing brown (these leaves were already done with their lifespan) I noticed that the new leaves were Turing brown too! I also noticed that one of the new sprouts in the middle had turned black and shriveled up! I don't know what could have caused this; I haven't changed anything in my care regimen for it. I make sure the plant gets the right amount of water and light and I've only fed it twice since I've had it (I fed it an appropriately sized tiny chunk of a freeze dried blood worm). Can someone please help me, I don't want my plant to die!

What is that media mixture? It kinda looks like old sphagnum but it's hard for me to tell. Also, how long have you had this plant? Have you introduced anything else, fertilizer by accident? Changed its lighting? What type of water? Temp? A lot of unknowns man. Capensis can handle a bunch of water, they do well in trays.

Personally with capensis, mine are in approx 75 degree temps, distilled water, ~60% humidity, and I keep them in a tray with water up to about 1/3 up the pot. Mix is generally a 50/50 peat and pool filter sand mix with some perlite thrown in. I keep mine under grow lights.

Can you see the nubs of new, emerging leaves?

@Apollyon
I’ve had this plant since July 4th. The mixture is sphagnum moss with some perlite and sand mixed in. I haven’t added fertilizer (I don’t keep any of my plants near it for safety) and I give it distilled water. I put it outside every day so it can receive good sunlight and humidity. I always check the weather to make sure it will be suitable, and it has been suitable the whole summer! I have literally changed nothing in my care routine. I didn’t have any reason to change anything either, since the plant was doing very well up until now.

Okay, the last green part of the plant turned brown today, so I'm pretty sure the plant is officially dead.
I'm so upset and angry; the plant was doing so good until now and I don't know why it just up and deteriorated like that because I never changed anything in my care routine and I made sure the growing conditions were suitable enough!
So, I'll probably get another cape sundew plant soon (I've wanted one ever since I started to get into carnivorous plants because sundews are my favorite), and I want to make sure I do everything right to avoid another unfortunate incident like this! So please, can anyone give me advice and help me identify just what exactly the cause of my plant was and how I can avoid it in the future? I've already provided details on the care routine and environmental conditions of my plant, but I will post any additional information if it will further help determine the cause of death. Thank you

Tigergirl2000 wrote:Okay, the last green part of the plant turned brown today, so I'm pretty sure the plant is officially dead.
I'm so upset and angry; the plant was doing so good until now and I don't know why it just up and deteriorated like that because I never changed anything in my care routine and I made sure the growing conditions were suitable enough!
So, I'll probably get another cape sundew plant soon (I've wanted one ever since I started to get into carnivorous plants because sundews are my favorite), and I want to make sure I do everything right to avoid another unfortunate incident like this! So please, can anyone give me advice and help me identify just what exactly the cause of my plant was and how I can avoid it in the future? I've already provided details on the care routine and environmental conditions of my plant, but I will post any additional information if it will further help determine the cause of death. Thank you

It might not be a lost cause yet. I won a capensis in a giveaway and USPS completely crushed it. I thought it was dead, but it has two new growth now.
I suggest you repot it in 1:1 peat and filter sand. Put a small dish bowl at the bottom and then place a dome with some hole. And move it to partial sun. It worked for me, might work for you too.
Good luck with your plant.

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I'm very sorry to hear that. Hard to say. I've had a Hercules do something like that from pests down in the base of the crown. Temperature spikes and sun could cause leaves to die off as well. If the plant wasn't hardened off and put into full sun without a water tray, it may have caused something to happen. Unfortunately, I don't grow capensis outdoors. They do not really like full sun, though they say it can be acclimated over time. I do it indoors because it is easier to control for temperature and they do fine. That might be something to consider doing moving forward. Sounds like the factors left would be light, soil, temperature. Was the sand you used silica sand or some other coarse large grain inert sand?

Agree with Lyra though, they can come back from some serious trauma sometimes. High humidity (bagging the pot) and good lighting as she said may bring the plant back from the roots. Definitely keep it in a shadier spot though or by a window. Probably would be better to keep it out of the sun if possible or you'll risk cooking the plant.

I'd recommend ebay as weird as it sounds for capensis. You can likely pick up an adult plant or more for less than the price of one at a cp nursery, usually larger. I got two capensis for like 8 dollars or something from a seller and they started flowering within 2 months.

I just repotted some bains kloof capensis seedlings into their own pots. I'm thinking of doing a giveaway for a couple of them in the next month or so.