Butterwort 101

[Meagan]

Hi folks,

So, I just purchased my first butterwort this weekend. I know NOTHING about them. I do have 4 VFT which I absolutely love.

I have found this forum more than helpful w/ my VFT, so I thought I could get tons of info for my new plant, except everyone is refering to them as "PINGS". What is a ping? Duh!

I did read the care sheet, but I want the real stuff from all of you...can anyone help?

 

[Pyro]

Ping is short for Pinguicula (the latin Genus name for Butterworts)

As for care, we can help but first we need to know what species it is as Pings are broken down to 3 groups and each has fairly different requirements.

 

[Meagan]

Oh, that is a hard one. I bought it at a small garden center, and it came in a very generic container. All it says is "Butterwort" so, how can I figure out what type it is? It has several leaves, and it is growing in a rosette, but don't all butterworts grow that way? I guess I can take a picture...

 

[Pyro]

I am pretty sure that most of the garden center Pings are P. primaflora so a pic isn't needed unless you really want too.

P. prima is easy, 1:1 peat:sand or peaterlite. Grow on the tray (a little wetter is okay too.) Half sun or under fluorescents. Keep above 50. This plant tends to die after flowering but at the same time will produce numerous plantlets from its leaves.

Hope all this help.

 

[Meagan]

It does, thank you.

Is it ok to keep it in the same water tray as my VFT's? And generally when do they flower?

 

[Pyro]

In your VFT tray should be fine

They tend to flower in spring/summer when exposed to the increase in photoperiod.

 

[Meagan]

May I ask another question?

I read to olny keep butterworts in water 1/4" deep. I keep my VFT's in deeper water. Could that cause problems? And is 14 hours of natural sunlight ok? with about 3-4 of direct light?

 

[Pyro]

You can ask as many questions as you want, that is what these forums are for

I have kept prima in water varying in depth from 1/4" up to 1" (the plant is in a 3" pot) and never had any problems

14 natural sun is probably alright, I have not grown mine in full sun but imagine they can handle it as they would get it in nature. Being that it is a garden center plant to may want to acclimate it slowly to the full sun though.

 

[Tamlin Dawnstar]

If this plant is indeed primuliflora the plant prefers wet conditions unlike most of the other North American temperate species. I grow mine semi-aquatically. I have heard stories of these plants growing in floating matts on the water surface in habitat, and I occasionally submerge my plant. I think the water tray method will be ok as well, but flood without fear with this one!

 

[cephalotus88]

primiflora are a neat warm-temerate ping that doesnt need a dormancy in my expreience. The fun thing is, they often grow lil' plantlets from the tips of the older leaves.

 

[Meagan]

So, is it true that when this plant catches a bug/fly, the leaf will roll up like a jellyroll? Someone told me that, but I wasn't sure if it was true...

 

[Pyro]

Not quite to that extent. The margins will roll up a little but the leaf itself won't. There are a couple species that have leaves that are quite heavily rolled but they just grow that way.

 

[Meagan]

So once the bugs land on the sticky goo, then what happens? Do the consume nutrients like VFT's? Will this plant become a big bug sticker? I guess what I am asking is what happens to the bugs?

 

[Pyro]

The leaf acts like fly paper. The bug lands on it and then the leaf secretes juices to digest it and then absorbs the gunk left over. So in a way it is like the VFT in that it absorbs the juices after disolving the bug but in a way it is different because it never closes around the bug.

 

[Parasuco]

The bug lands... Dies.... The it gets all wet and shiny, then it dries up, and whats leftover is leftover.

I think... Hehehe...

If it has long kinda thing, strap shaped leaves that its primaflora... If they are more round and stubby, it could be moranensis... They are common in garden centers too...

 

[Plantdoctor]

Garden centers carry the fly paper VFT's? Which one?