Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 3/25/2010

Question
QUESTION: I purchased a cross teeth flytrap 3 months ago with other cultivars. All the other cultivars have developed new traps however the cross teeth one has remained the same. It is exposed to full sunlight. It went a little pink but recently has gone back to Yellow and now all the traps are turning black. I live in Australia and its the first autumn month. Its being watered with rain water in a tray like the rest of the cultivars

NB. other cultivars are still growing with no signs of dormancy
Location: Liverpool, Sydney Australia
Placed outdoors
full sun 12+ hours
watering by tray method with 1/2 inch rainwater
potted them 3-4 months ago when I received them with the other cultivars.
potted in perlite/peat moss 50/50 mix in 4-5 inch deep pots

ANSWER: Hi Jeffrey,

All of your growing conditions sound good, and since your other flytraps are growing well it seems something specific as happened to this one.  It's possible you could have some fungal problems or an insect has eaten part of the plant.

The only thing you can do is take the plant out of it's pot and examine the bulb.  If it looks nice and white, repot it in fresh media.  It would also be good to treat it with a fungicide.  Just give it some time.  If the bulb is already brown, then it's too late.  Say some final words. :(

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Jeff,

Here is a photo. I can see a tiny new leaf coming out which is the first one in months. I had some peat moss over the centre of the plant so I'm not sure if this would've stopped new growth. It was the only thing that was different!

Answer
Hi Jeffrey,

Thank-you for the picture.  That always helps.

Your plant definitely seems to have had something occur to it out of the ordinary.  It looks like it was a healthy plant that suddenly declined.  It also looks very much like some kind of root rot.  As I mentioned before, I would definitely repot it.  You should be able to tell quickly if the rhizome is still healthy or not.  Your plant may have gotten a fungal disease some how.  Venus flytraps do sometimes have this happen for no apparent reason.  Did anybody else in your household fertilize it by accident?  That would do this also.  Venus flytraps also don't do well if waterlogged, which doesn't sound like the case with your plants, but it does encourage rot.  I like to keep flytraps in large pots that get them a bit higher out of the water.  Also, top water the pots often.  It helps to keep the soil well oxygenated.

Let me know what you find when you unpot it.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com