Pitchers not opening?

[kate]

Hi there,

I am new to pitcher plants and have aquired a couple of Nepenthes. I have two questions regarding their pitchers .... (1) one of my plants has developed some new pitchers, but their lids aren't opening before they start dying off. Are they not getting enough light maybe? and (2) should you cut the old dry pitchers off or just leave them?

Actually I also have a couple of Sarracenias, and their pitchers are growing very long and skinny, but not opening out at the top.

What am I doing wrong?

[alcran]

How long have you had them? They might be adjusting? Also, if the temperature, humidity, light changed dramaticly this could have caused the pitcher to abort in development. The sarracenia pitchers develop long and skinny before fully inflating and opening. Some species are just naturally skinny. What species do you have?

[kate]

Hiya,

Thanks for the answer. I've had the Nepenthes about a year, but moved them about a month ago - as our houses here aren't centrally heated, I move them with the season so that they follow the sun and don't get too cold!

Not too clear on what species they are - I'm guessing they are both N. alata but the one with the non-opening pitchers had 2 labels on it, one label says alata, the other says ventricosa?

One of my Sarracenias is a purpurea and usually has short fat little pitchers, but then suddenly grows up long skinny ones (about 3x longer than the ohters), and it is the skinny ones that don't open. The other plant I scored off a bargain table and it didn't have a label at all, so no idea!

Is it normal for both genera to have very varied pitcher sizes?

Thanks

Kate

[Aliamyz]

Hi Kate,

Welcome to the forum.

Your first answer is already answered by Alcran.

Second is,you can cut off the dried pitchers since it has nothin to do for the plant and it will look much tidier too.

Thanx!