NemJones Photo Vault

[Whimgrinder]

PS: the new growth I eventually got has been consistent in producing non-distorted leaves and pitchers. The uppers are a real delight:

 

[hcarlton]

Not quite the same but has similar effects: I notice my glabrata gets funky leaves and growth that is scarred before it unfurls every time the summer heat returns...

 

[NemJones]

Those are really nice whim.. Maybe mine still has a chance.
And Carlton, It seems like this one ALWAYS as the really strange scars and slow growth.
Just a really strange plant.

anyways, I have fully submerged plants into the
main chamber. Things seem to be going really well.

The fluid line after 24 hours in the new tank.
There has never once been so much liquid in these pitchers!

Dying pither and low growth point of the strange spectaXaristo Hybrid.

New pitcher. This picture is 3 days old, however the pitcher just opened today.
This is the lowest growth point on the stem now. all 3 other growth points have become
useless.

By useless, I mean they have de-volved into small, curly tidbits that no longer seem
to have the urge to inflate.

Should I cut the stem and let it restart??

Rescued Sago

 

[Sashoke]

Holy crap nem, that last picture is artsy as heck. I love it. Looks like something Id use as a wallpaper haha

 

[Whimgrinder]

Nem,
those distorted growing points have discoloration on them that suggests there is something going on besides possible chimaera tissue distortion. Too many consistently warm nights followed by 80F+ days in an enclosed space will cause that kind of growth distortion on aristolochioides and its hybrids. Have you investigated for Thrips/mites? That too could be responsible. It's possible you have more than one problem occurring here.

 

[theplantman]

How long has the plant with the distorted growing point been in your care? How old is the plant itself? Do you fertilize? If so, frequency, type of feed, and amount would be helpful.

Definitely check for thrips. If you can't find thrips, the cause is going to be my preliminary guess.

 

[NemJones]

Nem,
those distorted growing points have discoloration on them that suggests there is something going on besides possible chimaera tissue distortion. Too many consistently warm nights followed by 80F+ days in an enclosed space will cause that kind of growth distortion on aristolochioides and its hybrids. Have you investigated for Thrips/mites? That too could be responsible. It's possible you have more than one problem occurring here.

I check for mites every night, but never find any pests. Also, my chamber always sits at 82 in the day time.
That may be the issue, and im trying to build a mini swamp cooler to drop temps more at night. However,
Wouldnt it do that on ALL growth points it it was too hot and not just a few?

How long has the plant with the distorted growing point been in your care? How old is the plant itself? Do you fertilize? If so, frequency, type of feed, and amount would be helpful.

Definitely check for thrips. If you can't find thrips, the cause is going to be my preliminary guess.

Ive had the plant about a year and a half now. Itself, is probably about 2 years old. The distortion and growth splitting occured about 6 months ago out of the blue. No fertilizations.

 

[theplantman]

I check for mites every night, but never find any pests. Also, my chamber always sits at 82 in the day time.
That may be the issue, and im trying to build a mini swamp cooler to drop temps more at night. However,
Wouldnt it do that on ALL growth points it it was too hot and not just a few?



Ive had the plant about a year and a half now. Itself, is probably about 2 years old. The distortion and growth splitting occured about 6 months ago out of the blue. No fertilizations.

Mites shouldn't be causing any distortions like that. Thrips can, but you'd certainly be seeing them by now (or at least the black fecal spots) if you had some. They'd need substantial numbers to do that kind of damage.

I'd say it's running out of calcium, in which case you should definitely (a) consider adopting a fertilization regime and (b) grab some Neptune's Harvest, Dyna-Gro, or other liquid feed that contains Ca. Foliar feeding fixes it the quickest. Furthermore, if you provide good nutrition, your plants will be less prone to any pest infestation, should it occur. It'll also improve the temperature tolerance of your plant (especially K).

The signs I'm looking at: On your 5th photo, note that the meristem is very chlorotic compared to the outermost parts of the new leaves. That's a deficiency pattern and cannot be induced by any pest I know of. On the second to last photo, you can also note the primordial leaves are curled and distorted, which is also typical of Ca deficiency. Two years under good growing conditions is an awful long time for any plant to continue growth without nutritional supplementation.

 

[theplantman]

And in this photo, your tallest plant in the bottom right is showing a need for K on the lowest leaves.

 

[Whimgrinder]

I think Kevin may have put his finger on the problem - or at least one of the problems. (Some of the foliar distortions I see in the photos may be chimaera tissue - this particular hybrid has exhibited that problem in many private collections, my own included.) But get some nutrients into the plant first....

 

[NemJones]

Spectabilis X Aristo

The Vine Lives!

Menacing Pitcher from Spectabilis X Aristo

Nepenthes Hamata - A new leaf started to uncurl today. Its been frozen for about
a month due to chamber moving.

Peeking behind the mutant mass, I spy a Hamata pitcher.
Could this be the one that the prophecy foretold?

Brocchinia hechtioides Seedlings

 

[NemJones]

More Brocchinia. How many can you spot??

And for anybody wondering about those little
sprouts that always pop up in the sphagnum, they turns into
these things. (Ive only seen two so far. Perhaps a sedge?)

These beastly sedges have a thick armor of rhizomeous core.
They are not to be disturbed as they are known to eye gouge when threatened.

Nepenthes Hamata

Nepenthes Jamban Seedlings

Nepenthes Spectabilis Giant Plot - Another monster sedge can be seen in the back.

Nepenthes Ventricosa - Creepin

 

[Sashoke]

Lookin good Nem! Id cut that sedge out if I were you though, wouldnt want it overgrowing the tiny plants.

 

[NemJones]

Which one? They dont seem to create any problems, the root systems dont go very far down at all..

 

[Whimgrinder]

Do yourself a favor and get rid of the sedges now, while there's still time!

 

[theplantman]

Do yourself a favor and get rid of the sedges now, while there's still time!

Ditto. They may seem innocuous now, but if any should seed, you'll have them forever.

I particularly like this method to avoid soil disturbance:
(1) get a sharp pair of scissors
(2) wrap all the sedge leaves up in one hand
(3) cut 1" beneath the plant at an angle, underneath the soil, severing all roots
(4) don't bother pulling out the fine roots, which would disturb the soil. As long as you get the crown, the roots of many sedges (and rushes/grasses, too) won't resprout

 

[hcarlton]

Curious as to where on earth you managed to find seeds (or seedlings) of B. hechtioides. The species altogether doesn't seem at all common in cultivation. Congrats on the success by the way.

 

[NemJones]

now, while there's still time!

Ditto. They may seem innocuous now, but if any should seed, you'll have them forever.

DOOOM
What do they do?
(Im guessing if they set seed once, then an army of
seedlings will choke out the collection plants?)

Curious as to where on earth you managed to find seeds (or seedlings) of B. hechtioides. The species altogether doesn't seem at all common in cultivation. Congrats on the success by the way.

Thanks! I was really hoping to try some Reducta seeds, but
Failed to find any. This batch was extremely fertile.

 

[NemJones]

Its time.

Spectabilis X aristo

A couple scorps.

Brocchinia hechtioides

Pasian Truncata - Finally beginning to move!

Opening Hamata pitcher

The fruit of my efforts...

 

[Sashoke]

Looks great Nem! I really like that last pitcher.