Pinguicula Care Guide

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This carnivorous plant species is excellent at catching fungus gnats, white fly and other small insects in the home, office or greenhouse. Like a natural fly paper. 

Pinguicula (Common name Butterwort) contains 83 different species which can be split into three sub categories: Mexican Pinguicula, Cold Temperate Pinguicula and Warm Temperate Pinguicula. This Carnivorous plant uses sticky, glandular leaves to lure, trap and digest insects in order to supplement the poor mineral nutrition they obtain from the environment. They are famed for their vibrant flowers which vary greatly between species and also their beautiful leaves that show  a variety of colours under good lighting conditions. 

Mexican Pinguicula 

 In the wild Mexican Pinguicula grow in seasonal fog forests on limestone cliffs and tree trunks. Some grow in rocks, others in moss. They are among the easiest of carnivorous plants to grow when conditions are correct. Most pinguicula have two growth stages in a year. During the growing season when it is warm and humid they produce sticky carnivorous leaves to trap insets. During the winter they should be kept cooler and drier and they produce succulent leaves that are much smaller and not sticky. 

Mexican Pinguicula grow well indoors in bright windowsills. Pinguicula do not like direct sunlight. They will also grow well in Greenhouses as long as the Temperature does not get lower than 7 Degrees Celsius. The common species (Agnata, Tina, Weser etc.) will do fine in peat and perlite. I use a mix of equal parts Coarse Silica sand, Vermiculite, Perlite, and Kanuma. Lots of growers use different soil mixes and it really depends on your watering regime. in the growing season I water using the tray method and keep them damp/wet at all times. In the winter, I overhead water sparingly making sure the pots dry out well between waterings. 

Cold Temperate Pinguicula 

These include species such as Vulgaris, Macroceras and Grandiflora. They can be found throughout the Northern Hemisphere mainly where there are cold winters. In Autumn these plants form winter Hibernaculum (buds) so that they can survive freezing temperatures.  Grandiflora is the main species found grown in the UK as its native to Europe and so does well in a cold greenhouse. These produce beautiful showy flowers in the Spring. These do well in a soil mix of 2 parts peat, 1 part perlite, 1 part vermiculite and 1 part silica sand.

Warm Temperate Pinguicula

These include species such as Lusitanica, Pumila, Lutea, Planifolia, Primuliflora, Ionantha etc. These are found in the warmer regions of the Northern Hemisphere. They are normally found in peaty bogs. These have the same sort of leaves all year round and they are short lived perennials. These species like heavier soils for example 3 parts peat, 1 part perlite and 1 part silica sand and some can be grown in pure peat. They will survive temperatures down to freezing but would require frost protection.