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Ceph Help For NeciFix Needed!!!!

*Barracuda_45*

Norhtern Michigan Dragway Mama
Hi all im am posting this for NeciFix, whom contacted me and could not get on the forums and wanted me to post this up..

This is what NeciFix said..


Hello, recently my Cephalotus has started to do a few odd things... it was doing fine until about two weeks ago, where it took a sharp downward curve. I do not think it is root rot, as the crowns are not browning. The pitchers are turning soft, and a few seem to be partially dying. Recently, the weird orange ladybugs that come around this time in the Fall have started to burrow in some of the pots, and I think they may have in the Cephalotus pot. Should I use an insecticide to kill them? Please answer, thank you!!!!!!
NeciFix
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Hope you all can help..... Thanks CUDA...
 
Maybe it's going dormant.
 
Limp pitchers and leaves are sure signs of root mealies. The orange ladybugs are there to feed on them. Ladybugs are useful insects so please don't kill them!
 
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If there are any winter leaves, I would pull them and begin them anew in live LFS.
 
I really need a lot of help right now. My mom decided to DRENCH my Cephalotus, while it may be rotting. The pitchers very, very slowly are dying, lids closing first, and they don't seem to fall off and brown. I don't know if this is dormancy or rot. It is really hard to tell. And leaf pullings never work for me. The Ceph next to it in the same exact conditions [except it's smaller in a smaller pot] is doing fine, but, it hasn't experienced this weather yet. My other Cephalotus has, for about two years in a row now.
 
Jim's right, you should start some pullings in live LFS. It's the best stuff to use.

Just make sure you keeep the mother plant's conditions stable, and hold off on watering for a while.
 
I really need a lot of help right now. My mom decided to DRENCH my Cephalotus, while it may be rotting. The pitchers very, very slowly are dying, lids closing first, and they don't seem to fall off and brown. I don't know if this is dormancy or rot. It is really hard to tell. And leaf pullings never work for me. The Ceph next to it in the same exact conditions [except it's smaller in a smaller pot] is doing fine, but, it hasn't experienced this weather yet. My other Cephalotus has, for about two years in a row now.

Cephalotus does not go dormant.
 
It's hard to say what's going on without a picture.

It's unlikely to be dormancy unless the plant is experiencing cold conditions which you never mentioned and they typically don't lose their leaves as you describe it when entering dormancy.

Check for the usual pests: mealybug, scale, and spider mite. Check the roots for mealy. At this point, if the plant is doing as bad as you say, checking the roots is the lesser of two evils.

It may be bacterial or fungal rot.

It may also be a severe stress reaction if your plant has had a drastic change in conditions.

In any event, take some leaf cuttings and don't throw the pot away. Cephs can regenerate from their rhizomes in some instances if given the time.

Ken
 
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