Identifying Sarracenia Rubra Subspecies and Managing Brown Patches

Question Sarracenia ssp   QUESTION: Hi. I was wondering what type of subspecies of S. rubra I have. What is causing the browning in the middle on some of the leafs? Also is the plant on the right a S. purpurea or S.

Rust-Colored Spots on Venus Flytraps: Diagnosing Water and Drainage Issues

Rust spots Initial Question Venus flytraps in a bog garden (plastic container buried, drainage holes 1.5 from top, peat/perlite, distilled/rain water, full sun, NW Ohio, temps 55-81°F) show rust-colored leaf edges and lo

Sunburn on Venus Flytraps: Acclimating to Full Sun After Low Light

Question Red spots on flytraps I asked this question and they told me to send pictures, you have been very helpful in the past, maybe you can tell me what this is. I thought a fungal disease or possibly sunburn. On on of

Red Spots on Venus Flytraps: Pest Diagnosis and Nepenthes Light Requirements

Question Red spots and what loo   QUESTION: I am wondering if you can tell me what these spots are from on the three venus flytraps I bought from Cooks, They are on a pestioles,paradisia and fang. They started out t

Are Ants Good Prey for Sundews? What They Actually Catch

Question I have started to put my sundews outside in hopes that they will catch some food. My question is how are ants for sundew plants? Are they a good or bad food source for them? Thank you, Steve Answer Ants are just

Bonide Insect Control Granules on Carnivorous Plants: Safe or Risky?

Question in your monthly podcast for june you mentioned that u can use bonide insect control to control those pesky aphids and other insects. earlier in the year i asked if you can use this type of insect control https:/

Controlling Thrips on Venus Flytrap Flowers: Prevention and Treatment

Question Last year I had thrips on my VFT flowers that stole all the pollen, thus no germination & no seeds. This year, the thrips are back! (and my pitcher plants bloomed for the first time!) I am harvesting some VFT po

Best Drosera for Outdoor Bogs in South Tennessee: Heat and Cold Tolerance

Question I live in south TN. The summers get to and remain in the upper 90s for a month or two and the winters can have cold spells in teens and rarely single digits. Based on these conditions which d. filiformis would y

Supplementing Windowsill Light for Drosera capensis with CFLs

Question I am receiving a Drosera Capensis from you in the mail, and I have a small question. I will be growing it in a windowsill that gets about three hours of full morning sun, and I know that is not enough. Could I s

Live Sphagnum Moss and Sporotrichosis: Safety Precautions

Question I heard that live Sphagnum moss could contain, sporotrichosis, is that true because i need to know if is right for my health and plant. Answer Yes, this is true. The other name for sporotrichosis is Rosarians Di

Red Leaves on Nepenthes Miranda and Burkei: Normal or Problem?

Question Nepenthes Miranda & bu Hi Jeff/Jacob, I have a question about two of the nepenthes that I ordered from you last month. As you can see in the attached photo (Miranda left, burkei right), the leaves have under

Why Your Mexican Butterworts Won't Flower: Fertilization Fix

Question Butterworts I have two mexican butterworts (P. Moranesis and P. x Sethos) and they will simply not flower. I have had these butterworts for three years and they have not flowered once. Flower buds have appeared

Growing Sundews and Sarracenia in Zone 7 Texas: Heat-Tolerant Species and Dormancy Tips

Question Hi, I live about 30 miles north of Abilene, TX. I am fixing to start an outdoor bog. I am going to install a reverse osmosis system for watering. I would like to know what sundew would do well here and also conc

Should You Clip Dead Nepenthes Pitchers? Expert Advice

Question I have a Nepenthes Unknown from a local nursery. I have your ebook and Savage Garden but I didnt find the answer in either. Should I clip the dead pitchers off? Love your store and your plants always arrive beau

Reviving a Struggling Drosera roseana (Pygmy Sundew)

D. Roseana Question My D. roseana (peat/perlite, 5 hrs sun, 2-inch water tray) produces leaves that die before unfurling. Two of three plants died. Nearby D. scorpioides thrives. Water source? Possible fertilizer contami

Growing Cephalotus in Zone 10: Heat Management Tips

Question Tips for growing Cephalotus in zone 10 (Key West, never below 50°F)? Answer Use large pots (10-inch minimum), preferably terracotta/ceramic for cooling. Top-water with cool water; keep tray slightly moist but n

Light Requirements for Nepenthes ventrata, ventricosa, and ramispina in Seattle

Question How much direct sun do N. ventrata, N. ventricosa, N. ramispina need? I give bright light all day, mist 3-4 times, have east/south windows (sun until 3-4 pm), humidity 50-65%, temps 70-85°F (up to high 80s). Sug

Drosera Falconeri Rot Risk and Nepenthes Miranda Pitcher Issues

Question 1) Is D. falconeri (petiolaris complex) prone to rot—should it be set up like N. bicalcarata or kept in a water tray? 2) Are other petiolaris sundews also rot-prone? 3) My large N. Miranda hasnt pitcherred, but

Diagnosing a Dying Sarracenia purpurea on a Windowsill

Question My S. purpurea on a windowsill (5 hours strong light) is losing pitchers, no new ones in 3 weeks, old ones brown/black. Soil kept moist. Whats wrong? Answer Possible causes: botrytis (grey mold) at crown—common

Why Your New Sundew Has No Dew and How to Feed It

Question My new Drosera capensis has no dew. How do I restore it and feed the plant? Answer Common after shipping—plants spend days in darkness. Dew (mucilage) is produced via photosynthesis. Place in a sunny window, ke