More commonly known as Butterworts, Pinguicula are a genus of flowering carnivorous plants found across South and Central America, North America, and Europe. There are over 80 known species of Pinguicula that display a variety of leaf forms, colors, and flowers, which make them a wonderfully diverse group of plants to cultivate. Pinguiculas exhibit their carnivory through their succulent-like leaves which are covered in tiny hairs that secrete a sticky mucilage used to attract and trap insects. The mucilage secreted by the hairs contains small amounts of digestive enzymes which start to break down the insect body. Once triggered by the flow of nitrogen produced by the initial breakdown of the insect, secretory glands on the surface of the Pinguicula leaves will release more enzymes to complete digestion. Fun fact: each specific area on a Pinguicula leaf surface can only be used once to digest an insect!
Because the environments in which Pinguicula grow in the wild are variable, so too are their care requirements in cultivation. Pinguicula are generally categorized into 3 groups: Tropical (Mexican), Warm Temperate, and Cold Temperate, where the description of each environment dictates the required care. Even within these three general groups, care requirements may vary from species to species.
Tropical (Mexican) Pinguicula
The Pinguicula species informally grouped as Tropical (Mexican) Pinguicula are found across Central and South America. They mostly grow in fog forests on limestone cliffs or on trees in warm, humid conditions during the summer and dryer, colder conditions in winter. Tropical Pinguicula are also called ‘Houseplant Pings’ because they do well on a sunny windowsill or in a terrarium. Tropical Pinguicula come in a vast array of species and hybrids, with diverse leaf shapes, sizes, and colors—including red, pink, purple, and green. Many Pinguicula available for sale are tropical Pinguicula hybrids!
All carnivorous plants have adapted to thrive in low nutrient soil conditions, and Pinguicula are no exception. Make sure to water your pings with only deionized, reverse osmosis, or distilled water, and don’t use pre-fertilized growing media! A good soil medium for tropical pings is equal parts coarse sand (like silica), peat, and perlite. Tropical Pings like to grow in slightly alkaline conditions, so dolomite or limestone sand are good optional additions to the soil mix. These plants like to be kept in moist conditions, but they are not bog plants like Sarracenia or Dionaea, so make sure they don’t get too wet. The classic tray method works well for pings: place your Pinguicula (potted into pots with drainage holes) in a tray and fill it with about 2 inches of DI or RO water and allow the soil media to dry out before refilling. Some species of Tropical Pinguicula such as P. moranensis and P. cyclosecta have heterophyllous leaves, meaning they can have larger carnivorous leaves or small, succulent, non-carnivorous leaves depending on the season. If you notice your ping going into its succulent phase, reduce watering and allow for longer dry periods. Pinguicula will appreciate occasional fertilizing, especially if they’re growing in an environment that lacks insects. Aim to fertilize in the spring or when you notice new growth, around twice a month. Fertilizer choice depends on your comfort level with taking care of these plants. Foliar feeding with crushed fish food or freeze-dried bloodworms is a common way to fertilize pings, however a foliar spray can also be made with liquid orchid or cactus fertilizer that is heavily diluted. Finally, Tropical Pings enjoy a lot of light! Many species and hybrids will be more colorful when they are exposed to higher intensity light.
Warm Temperate Pinguicula
Pinguicula classified as Warm Temperate Pings are native to the southeastern coastal plains of the United States where they grow in acidic peat bogs along with other carnivorous plants like Sarracenia. A notable and commonly available Warm Temperate Pinguicula is Pinguicula primuliflora, which has beautiful rose-like flowers. Unlike Tropical Pinguicula, these pings can grow in boggy conditions and in fact enjoy occasional flooding. Make sure they never dry out! They can grow in the same soil media as Sarracenia, a mix of peat and perlite. These Pinguicula can be grown outside successfully if they have protection from intense sun. Growing them alongside Sarracenia that provide them shade or underneath a shade cloth are both valid options. If you live in an area that experiences long freezes and you’re growing your Warm Temperate Pinguicula outside, make sure to bring them inside for the winter.
Cold Temperate Pinguicula
Cold Temperate Pinguicula are found across the Northern Hemisphere and their defining characteristic is their need to be exposed to cold temperatures during the winter. Notable species include Pinguicula grandiflora and Pinguicula vulgaris. During the winter months, Cold Temperate Pinguicula will die back to a hibernaculum (a small pinecone-shaped cluster of leaves) until temperatures warm up again and they emerge with starfish-like leaves. Make sure to keep them wet and on the cooler side. These pings grow well in a soil medium of 2 parts peat, 1 part coarse sand, 1 part vermiculite, and 1 part perlite.