Heli heterodoxa x minor tips

[jbradt]

Hi all!

I just received a H. het x min today, and I'm stoked about it. For the most part it looks really good, but there are a couple pitchers on it that look kind of dead around the edges. I'm wondering if I should trim these off, and if so; how/where exactly do I go about cutting them?

I understand the basics of growing this guy from research, but any tips from experience would be greatly appreciated!

TIA

 

[Av8tor1]

Leave them, trimming them would simply add to the stress of shipment and transplanting...

 

[jbradt]

Awesome, thanks Av8tor1!

 

[twigs]

As Av8tor1 said, trimming the pitchers will only hurt the plant at this point. Heliamphora tend to grow pitchers somewhat slowly and any loss in living plant material will weaken the plant in its current state. Once the plant has settle in (it may take a few months, depending on how rough shipping was), you can trim some of the ugly pitchers if you like, although your best bet is probably to just leave them until they brown throughout and trim/pull them off.

 

[mobile]

Any green left is potential for photosynthesis. Also the pitcher will still function as long as it can retain water, so it has the ability to trap and digest insects. For these reasons, for now I would leave the pitchers un-trimmed until the plant has at least settled and started to grow new ones. If you do eventually trim then be aware that all Heliamphora pitchers are extremely brittle and it is all to easy to damage an adjacent pitcher.

 

[jbradt]

Thanks for the tips, all! It's started growing a new pitcher and seems to be pretty happy, so I think I'll just leave well enough alone...

Thanks again!