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Small annoyances with my Sarracenia Flava

There are a few things:
Firstly the plant in itself is fine and nice enough but I think it could be better. The trumpets are starting to go brown already and they aren't erect they keep flopping over (they aren't full of flies either) and bent out at funny angles. Also on the tops on some of the trumpets there are these small dots of black that look like treacle - what is this?
I thought I should thin it out a bit by cutting out the oldest looking trumpets, but I am scared of cutting out the winter trumpets - the phyllodia. Not really sure how to deal with this dormancy idea either - 3 to 4 months?!?!?!?!?!.

Help

mr sundew (not really sarracenia&#33
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First how are you growing them? I grow mine outside I use a foam "rope" to tie up the plants that want to flop over. However, I only tie up the tallest ones the smaller one I let flop. It does not seem to hurt them.
 
If the pitchers keep flopping over and are at bent angles:
a.) The plant is just not getting enough sunlight
b.) It has come under attack by a pathogen
or
c.) It is not a pure S. flava. If it has some S. purpurea in its lineage (for example), it will likely not grow completely sturdy. I have a S. flava x (purpurea x flava) that looks pretty much like a flava, except the pitchers do have a slight curve to them and are floppy enough that everytime there's a storm, they all get knocked over.

The black spots could be a little fungus growing off the nectar the plants produce. Unsightly, yet not really life-threatening.

I would not cut anything off the plant unless it is dried up and brown. If you see green, photosynthesis is still taking place, which is where the plant gets most its energy from.

Dormancy: depending on where you live, you can just leave them out all winter (as long as it doesn't get too cold), put them in a garage or basement (if you live in more northern latitudes), or put them in a fridge if you live in tropical areas.
 
Hi, S.flava tends to have floppy pitchers this time of year. Their best pitchers are late spring to early summer. I had beautiful pitchers early this summer, but in the last couple of weeks the new pitchers have been floppy just like you described. I wouldn't be too worried about it.
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Good luck, Jack
 
just have to wait till next year!I can still enjoy and watch my S.Leucophylla though! hehee!
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My Flava looks like it did when it was stressed this spring too. just blah. O well. Next spring awaits us!
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