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Carnivorous Plants/Nepenthes Growth

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Expert: - 1/22/2012


Question
Plant thing
Plant thing  
Hi, Chris, I have a question regarding a small green leafy thing emerging from the stem of my Nepenthes. The rest of the stalk is pretty brown around where this little growth is, although I guess that could just be the leaf coloration that has died off and not the stem.

My question I guess is this; what is this little green plant? Is it some sort of other plant that's grown out of the sphagnum moss it's planted in? Or perhaps, somehow, it's a new Nepenthes plant?

Thanks for your time on this issue!

Answer
Hello Devon,

Nepenthes are vining plants like Ivy. When the main stalk ages and begins browning, or when you prune the vines back, they will grow new vines from various points along the older vines. The growth points are located just above each leaf on the vine. When leaves die off, these growth points remain intact usually, and begin growing when the parent vine gets old enough or becomes damaged and can no longer grow at other points. The new vine section will grow out at a tangent from the parent vine and develop its own leaves and pitchers as it elongates, but it will not develop roots as it is not really a separate plant. As the entire plant gets older, expect to have half a dozen or more vines reaching out in different directions.

Christopher

Carnivorous Plants

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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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