Q/A #73 - Heliamphora Has a Brown Spot That Is Spreading

QUESTION:
I’ve purchased several plants from you guys in over the past few months to build our greenhouse’s CP collection. I have been very impressed with the quality – you guys do a great job!

I recently purchased a Heliamphora heterodoxa x minor from you all. The plant looked great when it arrived a month ago, but now it’s now having some issues. It developed a brown spot at the base of one of the bigger pitchers and began spreading rapidly, and the pitcher is turning a pale red. This is beginning to happen to one of the smaller pitchers next to it as well.

It is in our coolest bay which is set to 75 day and 65 night, although reports show max temps as high as 82 on a few days and as cold as 58. It was originally placed in a location that in a part of the room that received direct afternoon sun and was closer to the outside wall, so it is possible that is may have gotten hotter than our sensors read since they are closer to the interior.

When I noticed the problem developing, I moved it to a location which should still receive plenty of sunlight, but is more protected from direct afternoon sun and is more toward the interior. Humidity is 40% – 50%. I’ve been watering every 3 days or so to allow it to dry somewhat between waterings, overhead with rain water from our cistern.

I would be very grateful for any tips you could provide. Just let me know if you need any additional info and/or photos.
(Submitted in April 2020.)

RESPONSE BY JEFF DALLAS:
On first impression, it looks like the pitcher is dying from excessive insect decay. Cut that big pitcher off at the base and see if there is something inside that the plant caught. I'm guessing it may have captured a snail or small frog, and that's why you're seeing this happen. It happens to us all the time when a slug gets down inside a Darlingtonia. (Frogs can climb out of Heliamphora pitchers. In the wild, they will hang out in the pitchers to capture flies. In return, they fertilize the plant with their poop. But if they push themselves too far into the pitcher, then they get stuck.)

Also, when watering, be sure that the media doesn't actually dry out. As long as they are not sitting in deep trays of water it's fine to have them on a tray system with a little water in trays. The overhead watering is good, and constant refilling of pitchers the plants enjoy. 

Next, I don't think your temperatures are the issue here. H. heterodoxa x minor is a very tolerant plant. That temperature range you described in fine. 

Anyway, let me know what you find out after cutting open the pitcher.

RESPONSE BY ORIGINAL POSTER (ONE WEEK LATER):
This is all very helpful information – thanks! When I cut the pitcher off, I didn’t find any snails or anything stuck in the pitcher, but I did notice a slimy film on the inside where the decay had originated. Maybe something had already dissolved?

Either way, the plant seems to be responding well to more water/constant refilling of the pitchers. It has been putting out some very healthy-looking new growth, and is actually growing a lot faster than I thought it would. Fingers crossed that will continue.

Thanks so much for your help and for growing these awesome plants!

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