Is this heliamphora sudden death syndrome?

[anminava15]

I swear this plant looked great last night and then I check on it this morning and it has these mottled red spots and the pitchers are soft. It’s kept in a climate controlled terrarium at 75%-78% relative humidity and a temperature of 75*F during the day and around 85-88% and 61*F-58*F at night. It sits in maybe less than 1/8” of water in its tray if that. It’s in an orchid pot and porous substrate of LFS, perlite, washed coconut husk, and silica sand. I just sprayed it and drenched its substrate with a solution of physan 20. Really don’t want this one to die. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[adnedarn]

Is it new to you? Soft pitchers mean its thirsty, I'd keep it wetter.

 

[anminava15]

Is it new to you? Soft pitchers mean its thirsty, I'd keep it wetter.

Sort of new. It’s been about a week and a half since I got it and it didn’t have those red mottled spots until this morning. It seems to have firmed up a bit with the watering and physan drench/spray but definitely still not at the usual consistency.

I just began keeping helis about a month ago and haven’t run into any issues until this but watering has been a source of anxiety this whole time. Some say to keep them in a 1/4” of water, some say to top water everyday. I’ve been keeping it in a little bit of water as mentioned but I think about their natural habitat where they remain pretty constantly wet but it’s with highly oxygenated, running water if I’m not mistaken. It makes me wonder if they would prefer daily top waterings. Any thoughts?

 

[adnedarn]

I was not successful with them until a local friend gave me one and told me how he does it. I now have many, which are all doing amazing (and many need dividing lol) maybe it'll help you too! Thread 'Andrew's guide to growing Heliamphora in the desert' Andrew's guide to growing Heliamphora in the desert

 

[anminava15]

I was not successful with them until a local friend gave me one and told me how he does it. I now have many, which are all doing amazing (and many need dividing lol) maybe it'll help you too! Thread 'Andrew's guide to growing Heliamphora in the desert' Andrew's guide to growing Heliamphora in the desert

This is actually incredibly fascinating. Conventional wisdom says that, in general, plants grow best under the environmental conditions they have adapted to grow in in nature (more or less), but you found more success in growing heliamphora in an environment so radically different than what they’ve adapted to than in a simulated version of their natural environment.

Why do you think that is? In your opinion, is the climate controlled greenhouse/terrarium actually even conducive to optimal growth/long term health?

Sorry don’t mean to grill you, this is just quite fascinating and not a story I’ve heard for the first time but the first time I’ve been able to ask the grower these questions.

 

[andynorth1962]

Just my 2 cents worth. This is a great write up.
I am wondering if growing in this environment is working because like animals, plants will and do evolve to the environment they are "forced" in to. Albeit this most times takes thousands of years, species do evolve for their own survival.
My first one died on me but I think it was because I fed it too many Osmocote. My newest one is growing like crazy and I just recently divided it. I have not given fertilizer, just fruit flies. It is not however in enough light after reading the above so I need to remedy that here soon.

 

[adnedarn]

I'm not sure "why". But I know I've tried different ways of making co editions to match natural conditions and they fail. Maybe acclimating them to ambient temps gives a more stable condition rather than that variability I'd get in trying to match something more natural?
If you pu look at this post, I had added some photos of my Helis, if you'd like to see them under that care. Post in thread 'Wistuba import giveaway' Give Away For Active Members - Wistuba import giveaway

 

[adnedarn]

PS it has been referenced that in the acclimation to room conditions method (especially with feeding) the plants grow so well and pitchers last so long that dividing becomes nessasary pretty quickly. I've heard of some people going in and thinning the pitchers by cutting out some just to give more room for light to get in and such. In the wild, it seems the pitchers die off quicker preventing this crowded "problem".

 

[anminava15]

I'm not sure "why". But I know I've tried different ways of making co editions to match natural conditions and they fail. Maybe acclimating them to ambient temps gives a more stable condition rather than that variability I'd get in trying to match something more natural?
If you pu look at this post, I had added some photos of my Helis, if you'd like to see them under that care. Post in thread 'Wistuba import giveaway' Give Away For Active Members - Wistuba import giveaway

@adnedarn yeah! i think I’ve seen your video on the ICPS YT page. I’m not sure if it was you but it was somebody growing helis in the Sonoran desert, so I’m assuming it was. This has all been very interesting though in some ways, a bit disappointing because I spent all that time (and money) building a custom grow chamber just to be able to house helis.

Though I can’t say I went into it oblivious to the fact that many growers have had great success growing them in regular room conditions. I’d just thought that if they had great success in those conditions, I’d have greater success in these conditions. Oh well, I can always just use the terrarium to start young highland nepenthes. Already have more than a few in there anyway

 

[adnedarn]

He and I are both named Andrew, but it's user Werdna here that made the post I linked to and the video you saw.