H. neblinae (Cerro Neblina) RIP :(

[fly-catchers]

Alas my H. neblinae (Cerro Neblina) has succumbed to winter stress.

Having grown the plant from a tiny juvenile plant to one that produced some of the largest pitchers and flowers of my Heli it is not a good day!

From this

to this-

Ironically before I cane across it I was/still am concerned by my H. hispida. And a few of my Neps have gone downhill as well/dead. Hate winter!!

Sigh!


bill

 

[Heli]

Jeese thats awful.

 

[thez_yo]

Oh I'm so sorry

I have that happen every winter too... I just lost an N.eddie, N.hamata hairy, N.argentii, and I think I might have an N.jacq on the way out too

 

[amphirion]

I lost 2 Macs this growing season....definitely bummed about that. But to lose a full grown plant that you grew from a tiny 2 inch plant.... Man. Thats negative pressure dude....sorry for your loss.

 

[GrowinOld]

IMO...
In winter's cooler temps & shorter days,
a plants metabolism slows.
When that happens, a reduction in moisture is needed,
lest the plant...unable to utilize all that moisture...rots!

At least that is what I have seen happen
and when I reduced the watering in winter,
indeed less casualities!

Perhaps it might be worth a try.
[It does feel like I am allowing the plant to nearly-dry more,
as growth slows... but then that is why less water is needed in the 1st place!]
NOT dry! But then, less water!

Good luck! And sorry to see your losses, but then that is how we learn.

(The best way to learn what works, is to find out what doesn't!)

 

[jht-union]

That's terrible, I feel sorry for your lost . What a beautiful plant that was.
Well, see it in the positive sign that you can replace plants but not humans, what I mean is that you can always grow one from seed or as a young plant again, or simply purchase a big one.

Good luck!

 

[Av8tor1]

Sux big wind Bill,

I have that variant, if you have the paperwork you need... I can send ya a small adult

let me know,
Butch

 

[RL7836]

Bill, Sorry for your loss (& Thez also - wow!!)

In another thread, I mentioned that my H. pulchella - Amuri Tepui was looking 'off'. Since then, it cascaded downhill & died about two weeks ago (1st Heli I've lost). In better days earlier this year ...

I don't believe that my plant's demise is related to winter - as all of my HL'ers are loving the cool temps & growing like mad...

 

[fly-catchers]

Thanks for your good words everyone.
I agree GrowinOld that letting a plant get too wet at this time of the year is a no no. My greatest error is allowing plants to get too dry. OK for my citrus and usually Neps but bad news for Heli or Sarracenia. This one did not dry out so think I it must have got too wet. The roots were extensive and not rotten but the bulk of the rhizome was brown and dead. I have turned three bits into cuttings where there is a bit of clean rhizome remaining. But not the best time of the year for cuttings- but no choice in this case. So fingers crossed I might get lucky.

Thanks Butch for your kind and generous offer. But the paperwork now needed over here is so expensive now- it makes getting plants from anywhere other than the EU prohibitive.

After 25 years of growing all kinds of plants I should be used to the losses by now!! And they all seem to turn up in January or Feb. One of the delights of growing tropical plants in a cold climate!

bill

 

[UnstuckinTime]

My Heliamphora pulchella declined to nearly just 5% or so of what it was before, I'm thinking it might have been Sudden Heli Death Syndrome. It was just a stub of a thing. I held onto the the rhizome, with nothing to validate any hope i had... Until today, when I noticed three or four new growing points and some root growth as well.

So, I have a little feeling there is hope for your rhizome cuttings.

 

[fly-catchers]

Alas despite two of the cuttings showing some new and strong growth a layer of brown started to spread up the pitcher from the base! And on investigation the base was already totally brown and dead. No great surprise but sad after seeing the new top growth. So back to the drawing board!

The H. hispida I had found earlier is now split up and repotted and pending recovery/dieing. And a H. exappendicaulata is dead and so are the two H. pulchella - Amuri Tepui. Though those two had never really got going and were a pale example to yours Ron. And a great pity that yours went downhill. As indeed Thez yo losing some nice rarities.

bill

 

[vraev]

Bill...truly sorry to see this mate. I know how it feels. But hey..don't give up on those rhizome bits...they are a better shot at getting ur plant back than trying what I am with stems of nepenthes. But hey...we can still hope right?

 

[fly-catchers]

Thanks Vraev, I know how bad it has been for you this winter. And I hope some of your cuttings take and you can save some of your great collection.
For some reason this winter root rot in some of my Neps has been an issue. Found a mini maxima & lowii rotted off today. And my other Nep plants now cuttings had all lost their roots.

The Heli is I fear a gonner as the whole of the rhizome was brown through-out.

I guess the longer you grow plants the more likely you will encounter problems and losses at some point...