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Help my red dragon

Hi all, I received a Red Dragon (at last) yesterday from an overseas order. Upon inspection, the VFT had only one live leaf and a flower stalk, which I promptly cut off. I potted the plant in the usual mix I have for my other VFTs: 1:1 sand/peat, with top dressing of LFS. I watered it with water mixed with Superthrive as per the normal diluting procedure.

This morning, the only leaf has turned black. Specifically, the developing trap is now greyish-red instead of red as it was yesterday. More alarmingly, the bottom of the leaf is also turning black, though, upon some inspection, the blackness has not spread to the whitish bulb.

Effectively then, the plant only has its whitish base left (with some black roots). It looks like it's quite dead.

Is there anyway to save it? Or should I just take "leaf" cuttings of the whitish base, while it's still alive?
 
Just to add, the plant is not in full sunlight. It's in a shaded part of my porch. Yesterday I placed a transparent cup over the plant to retain moisture over the night, but I've since removed it this morning. The plant is being watered with tapwater, but I've used tapwater on my VFTs for some 2-3 yrs now and they're fine. Apparently the tapwater here is ok for CPs. The potting mix is the normal sand/peat mix. It is now in a tray of water, in a shaded location. This afternoon, I gave it ONE drop of superthrive, in addition to the diluted watering I gave it yesterday evening.

It is from Australia (hence the flowering now, I guess). I cut the stalk off. The remaining stalk looks like it's turning black, but from the top and now the bottom. The thing that worries me is the blackness from the bottom of the leaf. The last time I saw that on one of VFTs, the thing died in a matter of weeks.

However, a baby VFT did grow in place of the dead mother plant a few weeks later. If my Red Dragon does die, can I expect a similar new growth?

Or are there any last-ditch measures I can take?

Many thanks.
 
I hope you imported your plant legally if you live in the US!

Firstly, I would remove any black leaves. If they are totally black, pull them off the rhizome. The flower stalk will gradually turn black since you cut it off, but that's nothing to worry about - just leave it.

Also forget the Superthrive - it does diddly-squat! Another thing to dispense with is the plastic cup. It will just encourage fungus.

Make sure the plant roots aren't sitting in water. 2cm water level max in the tray is fine.

I would keep it in maximum sun. Let it catch some rays. I think you've got to be patient with this one. New growth should appear in a week or two, so don't mess with it and let it do its thing.
 
Red Dragons are strange. What makes regular VFT's strong is bad for Red Dragons. What is bad for VFT's is sometimes good for Red Dragons. I used a pesticide on my VFT's and my Pink died; my Dente's started growing deformed traps, and the Red Dragons are an inch taller with beautiful large traps. Your problem is probably too much change in the conditions. The tap water may pass for some but not the Red Dragon. I would stop with the tap water and the Super Thrive for a while and see what happens. All that on top of it flowering is very stressful.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Alvin Meister @ Oct. 07 2005,7:48)]I hope you imported your plant legally if you live in the US!
I believe he lives in Singapore.
 
Thanks for all the advice. I do live in Singapore and the plant was imported with full compliance with the relevant laws.
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Alvin Meister, thanks for your advice. However, full sun here is pretty intense; the temperature can reach 30 degrees C or higher. Does your advice of leaving it in full sun still apply? If yes, does the more intense sun warrant the placement of the tray of water?

Lord Humungus, thanks also. I'll stay away from the Superthrive and tap water for the moment.
 
I looked in your profile but couldn't find a location
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Yep, first rule of growing flytraps is no tapwater!

Try putting your flytrap in the sun for an hour or two and then increasing it gradually until after a couple of weeks it will be happy in the fierce sun.

If you have been using a lot of tapwater, it might be a good idea to repot in fresh peat.
 
To add on the temperature part,my Red Dragons sit in full sun all day,summer temps:90f-100+f.I don't think it will hurt yours.


Jerry
 
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