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Warped, twisted leaves?

One of my D.capensis seems to be warped, or twisted. Concerned about the welfare of my beloved plant, I bring it to you, the denizens of the terraforums.

The "warped" capensis:
1296653899_twisted capensis.jpg


I have another capensis I got on the same day, from the same person (they were actually in the same pot when I got them), which shows no signs of being "warped" like the other one.

The "normal" capensis:
2095792501_normal capensis.jpg


So I ask:
Is my plant suffering from some malady? Is this just a fluke? Should I be concerned?


*Note: I'd be happy to provide clearer pictures of the "warped" capensis, as I suddenly realized the current picture might be a little unclear. Please ask if you'd like me to take new pictures.
smile.gif
 
Hi Osh... and welcome to TerraForums! Do you have a magnifying glass? The plant, as I have witnessed from my own experience, when kept outside, may have picked up some aphids. What I do is submerge the plant / pot in distilled water for a couple days. The aphids drown and the plant lives. The plant also looks like "death warmed over" for awhile, but new leaves replace old ones.

One leaf actually looks like it is bent in the position of ingesting prey. It is also possible that it just needs more light.

This plant, at one time had aphids and also wilted from a 55 degree temperature differential. It survived.

Drosera_capensis.jpg
 
Thanks for the advice, Jim.

I checked my plant, and although I noticed some brown specks under the leaves, I don't think they're aphids. Dirt, maybe? I didn't notice anything crawling.

Here's an updated pic:
(Sorry for the foggy-ness. I had to hold a magnifying glass up to my camera. :/)
564255274_magnified twisted capensis.jpg



I'll keep your advice in mind, Jim, and if no other solution proffers itself, I'll give it a try.

Oh, and yes, I agree that at least one of the leaves looks as if it's digesting. I keep my plant outside, near the "normal" plant, so I think it's getting enough sun. I did notice a nearby rose casting a little bit of a shadow, though. I'm not sure. I'll investigate that further.
 
Insect/arachnid/nematode culprits that frequently inspire this type of growth are frequently long gone by the time evidence of their presence becomes this obvious, though not always.
 
I have to laugh because my very first digital camera was a "complimentary" Earthlink one that proved the adage about, "You get what ya paid for". I used to keep my plants at work, at an environemntal laboratory and after work I would try to take pictures of them with this horrible camera that had no macros worth a lick and even tried holding a magnifying glass between camera and subject. Then I had the fluorescent light bouncing off the glass into the camera. Now I just borrow cameras from willing friends.

Anyways, in the newest picture I see a little bit of dew. Dew is a good sign. If this were my plant, I would take it inside and place it at a south window sill, with the pot sitting in distilled water. CP's vary widely in the conditions they do well. Some really need to be kept outside or in a greenhouse (VFT's & Sarracenias). Many do fine sitting a window sill all year long. This is one that does just fine indoors. Don't know if it's coincidence or not, but the ones that I have taken outside and have gotten aphids, all do well indoors (capensis, spatulata, adelae).I think you were alluding to the correlation between roses and aphids, but I'm not sure.

I suggest immersing / drowning as the simplest, cheapest, and environmentally friendly solution, in contrast to using pesticides.

Magnifying glasses are also good for seeing if seeds have germinated or new leaves or flower stalks or....

Give the plant some time and see what happens. One thing I have learned is to not fret about existing leaves, unless the new ones come out gnarled, dewless, or just don't happen at all. Usually, new growth comes in fine.

Keep us posted!
 
I moved my sundew inside, by the same windowsill my Nepenthes are thriving on.

My sundew has new growth coming in, which so far looks okay. I'll wait for that to come in, and see if it's warped or normal. If it grows in still looking twisted, I'll submerse my plant in distilled water as Jim suggested.

I'll update as I notice changes to the plant, or make changes!
 
Glad to see progress with the capensis. Is your capensis a 'typical' or was it originally a red form? I see red leaves in its oldest leaves. The one I posted is the Albino form.

May I ask what Nepenthes you have? Is it in a hanging basket or planter or terrarium?
 
JIM! Your a scientist, not a Doctor!!!! That plant reminds me of d. hilaris. A capensis wannabe with leaves going every which way. Like its on LSD!!! Doubt it so try the soak. If it doesn't change and stays the same for a few months or more, you may have a d. hilaris. Though I doubt it. D. hilaris isn't too common in most collections.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Bugweed @ July 01 2006,1:43)]JIM! Your a scientist, not a Doctor!!!! D. hilaris isn't too common in most collections.
"I'm a doctor... not a bricklayer?"

D. hilaris sounds like a funny little plant.  
smile_m_32.gif
 
  • #10
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Osheshkers @ June 30 2006,2:55)]I moved my sundew inside, by the same windowsill my Nepenthes are thriving on.

My sundew has new growth coming in, which so far looks okay. I'll wait for that to come in, and see if it's warped or normal. If it grows in still looking twisted, I'll submerse my plant in distilled water as Jim suggested.

I'll update as I notice changes to the plant, or make changes!
Mine will do this from time to time, especially if they get alot of rain on them.
dewy
 
  • #11
[b said:
Quote[/b] (jimscott @ June 30 2006,9:36)]Glad to see progress with the capensis. Is your capensis a 'typical' or was it originally a red form? I see red leaves in its oldest leaves. The one I posted is the Albino form.

May I ask what Nepenthes you have? Is it in a hanging basket or planter or terrarium?
I'm actually not sure if my capensis is "typical" or not.
I got it from a friend who got it from... I don't remember where.
Actually, I've gotten all my CPs from him, so far. He launched me into the wonderful world of CPs.
smile.gif


I have three different types of Nepenthes:
N.rafflesiana
N.ventricosa
N.sanguinea

http://imagesocket.com/images/Rimg0110b66.jpg

Left to Right in picture.
This picture is a week old. They've grown a lot since then... A few new pitchers, etc.

As you can see, the Neps are just in pots, which sit in cups that catch the drainage, which I periodically empty and rinse of the sitting water. They usually sit right on the windowsill, but I moved them onto the table for this picture.
 
  • #12
Sadly, I just checked the new growth on my D.capensis moments ago, and I found... bugs.

There were some green bugs, easily visible to the eye, and some white specks, which I wasn't able to make out precisely what they were.
Sorry I don't have pictures, my parents took the camera. I should have it back tonight, and I'll see about taking some pictures.

My plan of action:
Soak the plant in distilled water.
Hopefully this will solve the problem, but if it doesn't... well, we'll just wait and see.


I'm off to find something put the plant in, to immerse it. :/
 
  • #13
And the D.capensis soaks.
If this doesn't work, my friend suggested a spray he uses.


The bugs were identified by my mother as aphids.

aphids19d3.jpg

aphids288b.jpg


The white, fuzzy spots you see are probably just fuzz feathers from my birds, whose cage is near where the pot was sitting. At any rate, I poked them, and they didn't move. :p

So, kids. The moral of the story is never put your CPs near roses.


A few questions I still have, resultant of the paranoia brought on by the aphids attacking my poor little plant:
1. Is there a preferable place to put the plant while it soaks? I.E. inside vs. outside, light spot vs. dark spot
2. I stupidly placed the questionable plant less than a foot from my Neps. If I notice aphids on them (I haven't so far), do I treat them the same way, or should I opt for my friend's spray?*


*I did notice a little brown beetle on the N.rafflesiana, but I think it's just a lone beetle and not a pest. I'm keeping a close eye on it.
 
  • #14
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Osheshkers @ July 02 2006,10:38)]A few questions I still have, resultant of the paranoia brought on by the aphids attacking my poor little plant:
1. Is there a preferable place to put the plant while it soaks? I.E. inside vs. outside, light spot vs. dark spot
2. I stupidly placed the questionable plant less than a foot from my Neps. If I notice aphids on them (I haven't so far), do I treat them the same way, or should I opt for my friend's spray?*


*I did notice a little brown beetle on the N.rafflesiana, but I think it's just a lone beetle and not a pest. I'm keeping a close eye on it.
My condolences for the aphids. After my post, no doubt, there will be more guidance, with respect to systemis pesticides, but my take on it is to simply take whatever you have on hand that is plastic or glass, and significantly taller and of course wider to accomodate the capensis pot and plant. Then just put the pot and plant in the larger vessel and overfill it with the distilled water. People will vary as to how long to keep the plant immersed. I had one sundew in there for 2 weeks and the plant came back - but that's overkill, in more ways than one. A couple days oughta take care of the aphids. If this had been a collection of plants, drowning the aphids would probably be impractical. In that case I would recommend a pesticide. But with one plant, the simplest approach should do the trick. I never gave it any thought as to where to place the infected plant, other than being inside. so I had mine right at the window sill, which means it's still getting light.

I would take a wait and see aproach with the Neps. Aphids, to my experience, get to every plant in one's collection.

The way you are keeping the Neps is reminiscent of how the forum member called Pinkerton is keeping them. The only difference and suggestion is to blacken / darken the lower portion, so as to eliminate algae. Black construction paper or Sharpie or a dark container would work.

As with anything, people have a variety of cultivation approaches and some people keep their Neps outside. At least 2 members keep theirs in hanging baskets, right in their kitchen. Myself and at least 2 others have them in bathroom window sills. I used to use hanging baskets, but i have had some bad luck with them collapsing. So now I use planters, that catch water as it drains through, which is the same concept as you are employing with yours.

This is what they looked like a few months ago, when I had them in the attic window:

Strausplants0241.jpg


This was when we were living in Pennsylvania, at the lab:

AF001301.jpg


Here's a cobra lily with the suspended pot / drainage approach:

AF003601.jpg


A better picture of the Neps in the planter is forthcoming. just waiting for the pictures to be Emailed to me.
 
  • #15
D. hilaris......LOL~ This is one of the holy grails of most Drosera growers. More rare than an honest politician, and one I could never come up with, alas.
This is D. capensis.


I would submerge the plant for a week, not soak....put it completely under water....or you can use orthene which if diluted properly will do the job and cause no harm whatsoever.
 
  • #16
After submerging my D.capensis for about 5 days in distilled water, today I removed it from its bath, aphid-less.

wet_capensis699.jpg


Sopping wet, but looking good!

I checked the plant over for aphids while it was soaking (poked at it with a toothpick), and checked it again today after I removed it.
My D.capensis is now recovering on the back porch steps, far away from any roses.

I'll keep an eye out for new growth/ return of dew, and let you know when that happens!
 
  • #17
Good job! Is there a possibility of growing it inside, at a window sill? They do very well with that setup. I just don't trust tropical sundews and outside and aphids!

Strausplants0221.jpg
 
  • #18
[b said:
Quote[/b] (jimscott @ July 08 2006,10:13)]Good job! Is there a possibility of growing it inside, at a window sill? They do very well with that setup. I just don't trust tropical sundews and outside and aphids!
My second capensis is outside with my VFT and both are doing quite well, but I agree that it might be a good idea to move the recovering one inside, to be safe.
smile.gif
 
  • #19
It may be just my luck, but whenever I've tried the warm tropicals outside (capensis, adelae, and spatulata) outside, they get aphids. In contrast, they all color up nicely just sitting at the window sill.
 
  • #20
Sorry for not updating in so long.

Well, here are brand new pics of the D.capensis in question:
capensisrecovered1br4.jpg

capensisrecovered2hh1.jpg


Look, new growth! And (finally!) the return of dew! There's even a victim. ;)

So, the aphids were successfully gotten rid of by submerging the plant in distilled water for a few days. My friend was skeptical of this approach, offering up a trusted pesticide instead, but the submerging method did wonders for me.
smile.gif
 
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