Butterworts (Pinguicula)

CARING FOR BUTTERWORTS

Pinguicula


Butterworts (Pinguicula sp.) are interesting and beautiful carnivorous plants, trapping insects upon their innocent looking leaves. The surface of the leaves are covered with little tiny hairs that exude a greasy substance that feels much like butter. When an insect alights upon the leaves, they find themselves stuck as if to fly paper. After capturing prey, the edges of many butterworts' leaves will slowly curl, perhaps to keep the juices of the trapped insect from running off the leaf. The hapless insect is slowly dissolved and absorbed into the leaves of the plant. Butterworts occur throughout the world, in different types of habitat. Many grow in very well-drained locations, such as rocky cliffs, with cool water running across their roots.

Mexican Butterworts

These particular butterworts are easy and rewarding plants to grow, and their flowers are quite lovely, rivaling those of African violets. They bloom at least once or twice a year for a month or two at a time, and they bloom more often as they mature, young plants may take a year or so to start blooming. Their care, however, is quite a bit different than that of other carnivorous plants.

Soil: Mexican butterworts need a very loose, well-drained potting mix. A good mix is 1 part sand, 1 part perlite, 1 part vermiculite and 1 part peat moss. Long-fibered sphagnum moss can also be added.

Water: If you have killed a carnivorous plant, it was probably the water you used. Typical tap water or well water has too many minerals and salts that will build up in the soil of your plant, and within about six months it will die. An occasional watering with such water will not be deadly, but be sure to flush it out well with pure water after using tap or well water. You can buy distilled water (the kind you put in your iron, not mineral or spring water), collect rainwater from a downspout, or you can use a reverse osmosis water purification system. Filtered water from a system such as Brita can be used in a pinch, but should not be used as a permanent water source.

Watering frequency: Mexican butterworts like it considerably drier than most other carnivorous plants. During the winter, many Mexican butterworts go somewhat dormant: their leaves become small and are held closer to the ground, and the leaves are usually not carnivorous at this time. Water once or twice a week during this time, and do not sit the plants in excess water. During the spring through early fall, the plants resume active growth and need water more frequently: water when the potting media is slightly dry. Do not sit the pots in water.

Light: Mexican butterworts like bright light but not intense sun. If outside for the summer, they do well in a mostly shaded location, with perhaps just a little early morning sun. If inside, they prefer an eastern window, or they can grow well under a fluorescent shop light.  Keep them 6"- 8" from the light.

Pots: Mexican butterworts can grow in a variety of pot types, from a simple 4" plastic pot to a fancy ceramic pot. They can be grown in decorative ceramic pots without drainage holes IF close attention is paid to watering (you don't want water sitting in the bottom of the container). Their roots are generally quite shallow, especially in winter.

Feeding: Butterworts are very good at catching gnats, fruit flies, and other similar flying insects. If outside during the summer, they will feed themselves heartily. If inside, they will usually find enough fruit flies, etc. If your plant isn't feeding itself, you can put small flying insects gently on the leaves, but this won't usually be necessary. Do not use chemical fertilizers.

Pests: Butterworts are about the only carnivorous plant that CAN help you get rid of some of the insects that plague you.  As mentioned above, they love fruit flies and gnats. If you have fungus gnats in your other plants they will eat them happily. They also will attract and eat whiteflies. They are not typically prone to being attacked by other houseplant pests.

Propagating: Mexican butterworts are easy and fun to propagate. Division of multiple crowns is best done at the start of the spring growing season: gently pull crowns apart and pot up individually. Leaf pullings taken in spring, or at any time during active growth, can also make new plants.  Gently remove an entire leaf and place it on the preferred potting medium in a pot enclosed in a terrarium or in a plastic bag to keep humidity quite high. Keep in bright light, but out of any hot direct sun. Some leaves may just rot away, but many will sprout a tiny baby plant at the point where the leaf was formerly attached to the plant. After a month or two, that new plant can be potted up individually. It takes a year or two for such a baby to become a mature plant.

Primrose butterworts 

Pinguicula primuliflora: These butterworts are native to the southeastern United States and are grown far wetter than Mexican butterworts. They produce lovely primrose-like pinkish violet flowers in the spring. While they tend to be somewhat short-lived, they constantly replace themselves by making baby plantlets on the tips of their mature leaves. These will grow and root right where they are, or can be removed and planted elsewhere.

Soil: Primrose butterworts like the same soil mixture used for American pitcher plants or Venus flytraps, 1 part white sandblasting sand to 1 part peat moss and some added perlite if desired.

Water: See above for general water info. Keep these butterworts quite moist to soggy. They like to be planted in lower areas in a bog or planter, or individual pots can be placed in a saucer of water.

Light: If outdoors, morning sun is ideal, though they can be acclimated to receive even more sun if necessary. Indoors, grow them in your sunniest window.

Fall and Winter Care: These butterworts benefit from a cooler winter (night temperatures 55 or below, or as low as 35 - 40). They MAY survive year-round outdoors if planted in a bog, but are not always reliably hardy.

See above for all other general butterwort information.

Other sources: