Several kinds of butterworts grow in France (in natural environment) but they are different from the ones I have. They look similar like a green leaves rosette near the ground. They have huge flowers at the top of a long stem (one by stem). You don't think when you look at them they are carnivorous because there traps are small droplets of glue all over the leaves. So, the preys they catch are rather small like gnats or mosquitoes. My Pinguiculas species are:
- Pinguicula 'weser' hybrid of P.moranensis and P.ehlersiae, is an easy one too. The main difference is the shape of its leaves compare to P.moranensis.
- Pinguicula esseriana is rather small. It reproduces easily but I have not yet obtained flowers.
- Pinguicula moranensis (tailed butterwort), with D.capensis, it's one of the easiest carnivorous plant to grow up and moreover it flowers often and easily.
- Pinguicula primuliflora is a little bit more different because of its leaves, its flowers too and its growing conditions.
- Pinguicula X mola is an hybrid of P.moranensis and P.gypsicola with long an thin leaves. It takes an hibernation shape during winter.
| Temp. (°C / °F) | Light | Climate | Origin | Remarks | |
| min. | max. | Half-shade | Warm temperate | Cultivation hybrid | Winter dormancy: dry pot, humid air |
| 5 / 41 | 35 / 95 | ||||
It's in fact Pinguicula moranensis X Pinguicula ehlersiae. It's smaller and has thicker leaves than P.moranensis. It can bare more light, its leaves become slowly pink. It seems too that it's more tolerant to cold and heat. It flowers abundantly with near the same flowers as P.moranensis and it's difficult to distinguish one from each other. There is nothing particular to add compare to P.moranensis. I take care of them in the same way and they provide both many flowers but without any seeds though I tried to obtain them. There flowers make my cultivation really nicer and that's why I'm interesting in it.
| Temp. (°C / °F) | Light | Climate | Origin | Remarks | |
| min. | max. | Half-shade | Warm temperate | Mexico | Winter dormancy: dry pot, humid air |
| 5 / 41 | 35 / 95 | ||||
In fact this plant was in the pot of another one I bought and grow there silently. So it was difficult to identify. At first I thought it was P.agnata but now I'm near to be sure it's P.esseriana. Its name is really close to its way of reproducing by dropping its leaves around. It reproduces at the end of spring in a very effective way. In good conditions each leaf that separates itself from the main plant produce a new shoot without any help from me. But its growing is slow and I never had flowers. The plant stays in small size about 0.8 in and its leaves are thick and brittle. It seems that it could bear cold or heat easily. I didn't put it in direct sunlight as other pinguiculas.
| Temp. (°C / °F) | Light | Climate | Origin | Remarks | |
| min. | max. | Half-shade | Warm temperate | Mexico | Winter dormancy: dry pot, humid air |
| 5 / 41 | 35 / 95 | ||||
It looks like a fresh green small lettuce. In good conditions it becomes huge, between 4 and 6 inches of diameter. It needs space and you'd better provide it at the beginning because it's delicate to handle. Its root is small and go down straight in the ground without really fixing to it. Don't change pot too often, it would stop its growing and it's dangerous for the root. It bears winter's cold not too bad even with frost. Of course it dries but grows up again better at spring. It flowers from spring to autumn and even winter if you keep it inside. Its mauve flowers are big enough (0.6 to 0.8 inches of diameter) and have a nice looking but I've never got some seeds though I used a brush. Perhaps it's a sterile hybrid. If you know more about its germination I'm very interested by your information. Take care about too warm summer and not to let it in direct sunlight. It makes the leaves roll inside and dry. It's not very difficult, if you see some new leaves growing like that and becoming brown just protect the plant from sun and warm. It doesn't like much sun.
| Temp. (°C / °F) | Light | Climate | Origin | Remarks | |
| min. | max. | Half-shade | Warm temperate, subtropical | USA (Florida) | Barely damp winter dormancy |
| 8 / 46 | 33 / 91 | ||||
This one is different because of its flowers and leaves and it's more difficult too. It doesn't like heat (about 86°F) no more hard cold. I know it well because unfortunately I loose two of them. It doesn't like dry ground or dry air too. Its flowers are very nice with a white background, magenta petal tips and yellow calyx. As its name says it flowers early in spring and till the first heat. I never obtain seeds but it reproduces itself by the end of its leaves that produce a new plant when they touch the peat. These sprouts are easy to put in another pot and grow.
| Temp. (°C / °F) | Light | Climate | Origin | Remarks | |
| min. | max. | Half-shade | Warm temperate | Cultivation hybrid | Winter dormancy: dry pot, humid air |
| 5 / 41 | 33 / 91 | ||||
I bought this hybrid (Pinguicula moranensis X Pinguicula gypsicola) in its winter shape, a rosette. After two weeks, much light and much more water, new leaves have grown. It has yet catched some gnats. More few weeks later it begins to flower. A very nice flower. Take care to protect it from direct sun light. It makes leaves become a little bit pink and after they dry quicker.
Last modification on Saturday 08/02/2008
URL: http://gelinaud.free.fr/carni/pagdyn.php
