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Carnivorous Plants/Cephalotus powdery mildew

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Expert: - 1/29/2009


Question
Hi, i recently received a cephalotus which i intend to cultivate on a southwest windosill in my home.

I was disappointed to discover that there was a significant powdery mildew infestation on the plant when it arrived. I have since treated it with a systemic fungicide (contains penconazole).  I was just looking for some further advice- how often should i apply the fungicide, some of the leaf tips are browning is this a normal response?, any other advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Mark

Answer
Hello Mark,

I am not sure about the product you are using. I tend to use Neem oil with pyrethrines or sulfur based products as those are proven safe with carnivorous plants. Never use soap based products as they break down into fertilizer in the soil which would be a bad thing for most carnivorous plants.

I would advise against using the product until you find more information on the effect it might have on Cephalotus. Since I have limited knowledge of Cephalotus (as my profile indicates), perhaps you should refer this question to the guys at Sarracenia Northwest. They are true experts in almost any carnivorous plant you would want to know about.

Good luck with your Cephalotus,

Christopher

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Christopher Littrell

Expertise

I am capable of answering questions about the most common carnivorous plants found in cultivation. I have no personal experience with Byblis, Drosophyllum, Aldrovanda, and Heliamphora. I have not cultivated gemmae forming pygmy sundews nor tuberous sundews. For information regarding those aforementioned species, I would suggest contacting other experts. I can answer questions regarding most species of Nepenthes, tropical and temperate Drosera, Mexican Pinguicula, Sarracenias, and Dionaea. I have some limited experience with growing Utricularia, Cephalotus, and Darlingtonia.

Experience

I have grown carnivorous plants off and on for about 27 years. I have made the same mistakes and suffered the same mishaps that many growers make as they attempt to separate the myths from the realities of growing these plants. Currently, I am successfully growing a variety of tropical sundews, a Nepenthes, several Venus Flytraps of varying ages, and Sarracenias. I have been successful in stratifying Sarracenia seeds and providing artificial dormancy requirements for my temperate plants when needed.

Education/Credentials
I hold a Master's degree in Educational Psychology. Over my lifetime, I have constantly read books involving the growing conditions of carnivorous plants. I hope to incorporate the educational aspects involved in psychology with teaching other people how to cultivate carnivorous plants.

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