Curving pitcher

[PlantAKiss]

I just went out and took a look at the plants in my new microbog.  I noticed that one new pitcher is curved over (sort of like an upside-down "J" ).  It is an s. leucophylla.  I bought it somewhat late last summer.  It only had 2 pitchers on it.  This is its first new pitcher of the spring and is about 10" tall but very very thin.  It isn't limp...just curved over.  My other sarra (unidentified) is pitchering quite nicely with about 6 new pitchers and one just opened fully.  They are in full sun most of the day.  We have had a LOT of rain over the past few days (thank god, we need it) so the bog is very wet.

Is this a sign of a health problem?  Or do they just occasionally throw an odd shaped pitcher?  I don't have that many sarras (yet) so I'm not that experienced with them.  My 'unidentified' and s. purpureas did fine last year and are doing well so far this spring.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Suzanne



(Edited by PlantAKiss at 11:52 pm on May 9, 2002)

 

[Mike King]

Hi Suzanne,
leucos do this quite regularly that it seems a normal embryo pitcher grows then suddenly curves over backwards to form a 'winter leaf' or phyllodia.

It should throw a new pitcher up with the next leaf, however if it does not, wait until late Summer or early Autumn then it will send a pitcher up for sure and usually a very impressive one.

I have a large plant of a giant purple & white leuco from North Florida which did exactly what yours is doing now with no summer pitchers at all, but in the Autumn, some of the largest pitchers imaginable! (L19 on gallery page on my website)

 

[PlantAKiss]

Hi Mike

Thanks for the info. But you know what I discovered? I went out the next day and it was totally upright again. Then the next night I went out late and it was curved over again. Checked it about an hour later and it was upright with just a bit of a hook at the top. So...I've been keeping my eye on it at various times and its constantly changing position. This morning it was at half mast.

What causes it to do that? Temperature? Humidity? I thought maybe it was the very high humidity we've been having at night (due to lots of thunderstorms and rain). But during the same night to go from curved to upright in about an hour or so? I THOUGHT this was a pitcher...it is isn't flat and I thought phyllodia are flat. But I could be quite mistake about that. Its just odd that every time I look at it, it seems to be in a different position.

Thanks Mike.

suzanne

 

[Mike King]

Hi Suzanne,
I got the direction of the bend wrong! OK, some alatas and leucos do this, but for me always straighten up when it is time for the pitcher to inflate and pop open. There are possible reasons; water level, humidity, light. The hormones in the new leaf also respond to things like light and gravity so the pitcher grows vertically.. Lets see what happens to your new pitcher!!

 

[Pyro]

Suzanne,

I had something similar happening with my S. excellens and Mike suggested that I make sure the media was well packed around the plant. I am guessing that that might also apply here (not to presume too much and giving full credit to Mike.)

Pyro

 

[Mike King]

Hi Pyro, Hi Suzanne,
Thanks for reminding me of that possible cause, I am happy for you Pyro that your plant sounds like it is doing OK now.

 

[Parasuco]

My... Tall pitcher plant, dunno what yet, itsn all green so far tho... has a baby pitcher (actually, that is tinted red, but is getting lighter as it grows) is slightly curved backward (like someone broke its spine), but just near the top. I THINK that it is straightening, or else it just appears to be less as it gets taller... Is THIS normal?

 

[Mike King]

Hi Parasuco,
Yes, its normal!

 

[PlantAKiss]

Well this little pitcher is a trip. I get a kick out seeing what direction its in...its different everytime I check it. And it can change within an hour. It LOOKS like a pitcher...you can see the flattened hood. Its very thin but getting taller every day. We have been having rollercoaster weather...hot one day, cool the next, storms, hazy at nite with high humidity, chilly nites....I guess that is what's making it change position. My other sarra isn't doing that...6 new (straight!) pitchers and more coming...most have inflated now.

I will check the soil. But now the squirrel problems have started. I had to go repair holes in the soil tonite. Thankfully nothing near the roots yet. I just don't know what to do about the critters...those paws dig up everything! My dog is asleep in his doghouse and so they don't mind a feel around every pot. Sneaky little devils.

Suzanne

 

[Mike King]

Hi Suzanne,
If its any consolation, my new all green leuco (the anthocyanin free one) is doing very similar things to yours, I guess thats a tendency in leucos for the Spring pitchers. At least half a dozen other regular leucos are going much the same thing. The others in question are the more slender clones, but none of them are bending over as far as yours!

 

[PlantAKiss]

Mike...I'm really kinda fascinated with it.

And yes it does bend over quite far at times...3/4 of the way to the ground. Sometimes it just has a little hook at the top. I'm starting to enjoy checking it out and seeing what "mood" its in. lol I just hope it turns into a nice pitcher. When I bought it last year there were only 2 pitchers not in very shape.

One thing nice about new spring growth is the expectation...wondering how tall or how many or how big something will get. Orrrrrrr...maybe how far something will bend over.

What I reeeeeeally want is a white top leuco....all green and white. Is your all-green totally all green? No white?

Suzanne

 

[wickedthistle]

Hey Plantakiss,

My N. Ventricosa has one leaf curving in a "C" shape with the upside down pitcher, but it doesn't change direction at all. I thought it might be because it overdosed of ST last month...hopefully it will correct itself or start doing tricks like yours!

I once had problems with skunks digging under my (regular) plants to create a burrow. We tried everything, finally the only thing that worked was fine meshed chicken wire buried 2 feet down. Could you possibly make a small "cage" for plants?

 

[Mike King]

Hi Suzanne,
The all green leuco is a green and white plant, but what is special about this plant it has no red pigmentation anywhere in the plant, not even in the crown; a true rarity. I have a number of green & white clones and 2 other yellow flower mutants (still have red in the crown) one of which is known as the cultivar Schnell's ghost and another plant from Citronelle with yellow flowers. I will post some pictures so you can see the beauty of these forms... Even the L2 wanders up not in a straight line as it grows up!

 

[Mike King]

OK, He they are:

This is the largest all green and grows to about 40" tall in Autumn

This is the upper pitcher of the 'Schnell's Ghost' cultivar. It has yellow flowers, but has red pigment in the emerging pitchers and in the crown

This is a straight green & white leuco with red flowers. Has very impressive Autumn (fall) pitchers.

I will be making A LOT of photos this year of all the plants as Sarras make excellent photo subjects!

(Edited by Mike King at 10:46 am on May 17, 2002)


(Edited by Mike King at 11

8 am on May 17, 2002)


(Edited by Mike King at 11:14 am on May 17, 2002)

 

[PlantAKiss]

Wow Mike! Those are beauties! The first picture is the one I want. Are they hard to find? I have seen some but it was before I was into CPs and I never bought one because I heard they needed full sun and I didn't have anywhere for that at the time. Its also possible they had some red in them...I never looked that closely. They were labeled as "white top pitcher plants". Now that I want one, I can't find it (locally). So I guess its an "all green" I will keep my eye out for. Nice pics! I hope you post more. I love photographing all my plants. I have tons of plant pics, CP and "regular". Thanks for sharing your photos.

WickedThistle...I did actually "cage" my outdoor CPs over the winter. All my VFTs and sarras fit in it at the time (minus the flytraps the squirrels did kill) but this winter the new microbog won't. I hate to rig wire over them because 1) its ugly and 2) makes it harder to care for them. I putter over my plants all the time. I guess I need to pay my dog more to keep him awake during the day.

Suzanne

 

[Mike King]

Hi Suzanne,
    2 other leucos which are a 'must have' which I am sure you would like:

The one above is a plant from the Apalachicola national forest, known as 'purple & white giant'

This one is the large pink lipped leuco Richard UK & me rave about, another shot below:

The good thing about leucos is when flavas are dying back and looking very untidy, the leucos are looking their best.

Sarracenias for all seasons!

Hows your leucos coming on now?



(Edited by Mike King at 7:34 am on May 18, 2002)

 

[PlantAKiss]

They are awsome! Just gorgeous! Hmmm...maybe I will need to add another little bog.... #### this addiction! lol

My leuco is still flopping up and down but its getting tall! When its straight, its about 18" tall so far. Its quite a bit taller than my unidentified one although that one has about 6 pitchers fully inflated and hoods open...and more on the way so its a much more robust plant. It hasnt developed its color though. My s. purpurea is looking real good...5 good size new pitchers.

You have very beautiful plants! They must bring you a lot of joy. Where do you keep them all? Do you grow in pots?

Suzanne

 

[Mike King]

Hi Suzanne,
    I keep all my tall Sarracenia in 3 greenhouses and it gets more than 12 hours direct sun per day (when it is sunny in England!)

There are more than 2,000 Sarracenias altogether with about 350 different distinctive clones. To me, they are the most beautiful and most spectacular of the carnivorous plants and the most simple to grow. They don't need any special treatment and no heating over here and our winters under glass give them a good dormancy, and during that time, the autumn pitchers on the leucos are at there best...

If want to browse, have a look at web page (link below) and there about 130 photos of key Sarracenia in my collection..  Have you got photos of yours?

 

[PlantAKiss]

WOW Mike...three greenhouses?? Aren't you lucky! How do you keep up with all that! Your link disappeared. I saw it earlier but didn't have time to look but I will when the link is back up. You have wonderful photos.

I don't have many pics of my sarras. I only had 3 which I just got last year...my unidientified, an s. purpurea and the leuco at the end of the summer. I have added a second purpurea (a rescue). BUT just yesterday I found 3 sarras at a local greenhouse. They were the typical Pot of Horrors plants (so VERY small) but I was shocked to see they had a flava! Only one which I snapped up. Two were labeled, one was not. Its the first time I've seen any of those plants labeled. One is a 'rubra' and the other one I THINK is a minor (from a photo in The Savage Garden) but was not labeled. I am just thrilled...even though they are small they will grow (hopefully). I had been wanting a flava.

Unfortunately the rubra got damaged in transit home.

I have a pic of my 'unidentified'...I will email it to you as I don't have it uploaded on the server. Maybe you might have a clue what it is. It is also a Pot of Horrors plant. I have tried to get it I.D.ed before...most seem to feel its a hybrid of some sort. It did very well though and grew quite a lot from the tiny thing it was.

Suzanne