Dead Nepenthes?

[fnglazz]

Hi all

I have a bad track record when it comes to keeping tropical pitcher plants alive and its a shame because I think they are the most unique looking plants. About a year and a half ago I brought 2 nepenthes glabrata's and unfortunately they died after a few months.

Summer of last year was going to be different as I got a greenhouse but a combination of a fairly crap greenhouse heater, along with terrible winter temperatures seemed to kill off the tropical ones. So just for future reference, correct me if Im wrong but under no circumstances should the temperature drop to below 8-10'c in a greenhouse containing tropical pitcher plants?

I assume the following Nepenthes are dead?

[Rob-Rah]

Yes, they're dead. They seem to have been well under 8 to 10C though. That damage is almost definitely from freezing or near-freezing.

You also seem to be standing them in water. Neps shouldn't really stand in water at the best of times, and certainly not in cold conditions. That, combined with looks like peat-based soil, may have assisted with rotting the roots.

Edited March 5, 2011 by Rob-Rah

[rsivertsen]

Yeah, this is also what seperates the highland plants from the lowland plants, and as already mentioned, this is frost damage; these plants were in fact exposed to freezing temps. Many, if not most highland species and hybrids can tolerate short periods of a brief "surface frost", and may lose their current stem and leaf growth but usually will sprout new growth from underground stems in well established plants. Over the years, I have seen ice crystals form on the leaf hairs of N. stenophylla, fusca and several other highland plants without any signs of damage. Lowland plants have no such tolerance, and will die with the very first exposure to frost. Highland plants that are just beginning to become established are also at risk of frostbite. I tend to dry out my plants out a bit during winter months as it seems to harden them up a bit and makes a stronger rootball. Letting plants stay in water logged media, especially during the winter months invites problems with rot. - Rich

[fnglazz]

Ah well, live and learn I guess :)

[manders]

Some utrahighlanders are ok kept just above freezing but most others seem to need a min of 10 or 15C, especially in the uk with long dark winters, if you can get warmer day temps ~20 to 25 that seems to help compensate for low nightime temps.

With cheap heaters, use at least two, so if one fails the other one kicks in, also better to use a good quality thermostatic switch rather than rely on the cheap mechanical ones built into the heaters.

They may have frozen or were just too cold and too wet for too long.

[fnglazz]

Correct me if Im wrong, but do tropical pitcher plants stay green all year round? As in, do they not go into dormancy? I just wonder cause if they do stay green all year round and start to go brown, I know something is wrong (as opposed to them going brown due to dormancy).

[manders]

Yes they should be green and preferably growing all year, the only seasons most of them get are different amounts of rain. Temperatures remain similar throughout the year, for most species.