Newbie - PHOTOS Nep. Ventricosa? Deformed Looking New Growth

[Kathy]

Please help....

I have a Nepenthes purchased June 2014 from a garden center in the Northeast. (I am in zone 6B) My plant did quite well living on the edge of our North-facing covered porch all Summer.  When the weather turned cool, I brought it inside and hung it over my kitchen sink so it would get extra humidity. I mist it 3-4 times a day, and water once per day. It seemed pretty happy, but after reading a little about growing Neps inside, I thought it needed more light.  I replaced the ceiling light bulb above it with a 60w florescent, which is on almost continually. The plant(s) seemed to love it; it tripled in size since Fall, and it's grown a couple of new pitchers - although most have dried up prior to forming. It is in a 6" plastic hanging pot, and has grown so much I've had to tie it up. There are 3-4 separate plants in the pot.

My problem is now the newest upper leaves have grown smaller and the new growth on the very top looks deformed. Also the upper 3" of most leaves have small light brown spots all over.  Could this be insects or too much light? Strangely the bottom 3/4 of the plant is fine, so I'm leaning toward too much light???

Also, I've read conflicting info - should I add distilled water to the pitchers if they are less than 1/2 full?

I've taken photos, which would be very helpful to see, but I still need to figure out how to get them here...hopefully this works:

s375.photobucket.com/user/Katsh222/media/Nepenthes/IMG_8957_zpskd6zaogh.jpg.html
s375.photobucket.com/user/Katsh222/media/Nepenthes/IMG_8968_zpsx04kipv1.jpg.html
s375.photobucket.com/user/Katsh222/media/Nepenthes/IMG_8961_zps1t0ojnkb.jpg.html
s375.photobucket.com/user/Katsh222/media/Nepenthes/IMG_9015_zpskuiatsqr.jpg.html

Thank you very much for any advice!
Kathy

[hcarlton]

Pictures are everything here, without them we can't do much. And for posting pics, use an image hosting site and post the links here.
It sounds more like the upper leaves are getting light or heat stressed, which is possible if they are getting close to the light source. Otherwise, other causes do require images to tell.
And no, don't fill the pitchers with water. They produce their own liquid to digest prey, and the level of liquid is never even close to half the pitcher volume. The only time it may be useful to add water to pitchers is with new plants whose pitchers are already completely empty, and may need extra water to acclimate to new conditions.

[Kathy]

Thank you! I will work on the photos. I love this plant! (proof being I haven't liked bugs since I was a child, and now I'm hunting them down!...
I can totally understand becoming obsessed with these amazing plants!)

And good, thank you, I'm happy I didn't add water; I've also left the dying pitchers (browning from the top) as there is still a little undigested material in them.

Thank you again; I'm very happy I found your site!

[Dave Evans]

The pitchers go through different stages of use. Some species skip stage C: A) growth and positioning. B) attractive trapping. During this stage of life, the pitcher is making nectar and sweet smells to attract prey. When the peristome is dry it is mostly safe for bugs to walk on. Once wet, it acts like a slide that shoots bug after bugs into the pitcher. This system ensure a steady supply of ant victims. C) the nectar stops being produced and the tops of the pitchers brown. During this stage, many species use to pitchers to collect rain water. The plants stop adding water to the pitchers and they will dry out as they are built to take in water at this point. Rain doesn't usually fill them up though. Too much water can cause the plant to abort the pitcher. Just add enough water to wet the bottoms of the pitchers .5 to 1 cm deep. A couple of squirts from a spray bottle usually does the job unless the pitchers are really big. D) complete pitcher death, all the available nutrients are taken back into the plant.

The common name for your plant is N. x ventrata. However, the taxonomy of N. alata has been confused for years and years. I suspect your plant is really N. graciliflora x N. venticosa.

[Kathy]

Thank you, Dave, for all the good information!  I can see I have volumes to learn about these fantastic plants!

Do you (or does anyone) have an opinion on the abnormal looking top growth and brown spots?
Also the leaves are growing smaller now; should I foliar feed with SuperThrive?
(I hope my photos are clear enough)

Thanks!

[hcarlton]

The browning of that topmost bud is definitely light burn, so it may be getting too close to/hitting the light.
Also, Superthrive is a Vitamin B supplement, it won't do much for overall growth but helps in things like transplant shock etc. Maxsea 16-16-16 fertilizer is a good choice for feeding, and at the recommended dilution can be given to either soil or the pitchers, and sphagnum moss appreciates it as well.

On a different note: Dave ,not sure how many species at all utilize "step C" as you put it. Most pitchers I've seen tend to crumple the topmost portion as it browns, very few leave the overall shape intact. Most speculation has been to make sure animals do not steal the contents of the pitcher as it finishes breaking down prey. Some species with woodier pitchers, maybe, but the others?

[Dave Evans]

Nearly all highland species do it. Lowlanders not so much. Not sure why there is a difference, but there is. The lid moves out of the way of falling rain and the peristomes tend to keep the half browned pitchers open at the top.

N. ventricosa, N. macrophylla, N. alata, N. graciliflora, N. reinwardtiana, N. lowii and N. eymae all do it.

[Kathy]

Thank you, hcarlton! I appreciate your help. I lowered my plant several inches down and I will be more aware of how long the light is on .

I may have more than one issue though :-(...

While I was up on the ladder, I looked very closely with magnification lenses, and I can see what appears to be very tiny clear droplets on the unformed pitcher vein; almost as if the plant had just been misted, but much smaller. The substance doesn't come off very easily and in other areas the leaf felt somewhat sticky. Is this something the new leaves produce to attract prey?  Or do I have bugs?  I do see a web or two, but not the fine webbing of a mite; more like a spider.

I apologize for all the Qs!...I'm obsessed with one Nep.. How do you all do it with lots of CPs??...hehe.

If I do have mites, do you recommend Pyrethrin or Neem Oil? 

Thank you again!

[hcarlton]

It's probably nectar glands. Most species have them spread across the entire plant very sparsely, and nectar will bead up in those spots. Of course, there's a great number more on the pitchers. You should notice underneath the drops what look like dark spots or a dimple in the leaf.

Also, as a just in case, I would buy a thing of Neem oil, since eventually everyone gets some sort of pest on their plants. Neem works well against mites, and Orthene works well on...everything else.

[Dave Evans]

Some authors call these spots, "Extra Floral Nectaries". There is one species so covered with these spots, it is named after them:

www.google.com/search?q=nepenthes+glandulifera&biw=999&bih=607&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=gejwVNnTFvaBsQSD44C4DQ&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ

[Kathy]

Thanks for that link, Dave. Wow! They are gorgeous! (And I bet "Mother Nature" has made no two with the same print!). I wish the NY Botanical Garden would expand their CP collection.