First species to recover from neglect

[Joseph Clemens]

Curiously enough, two species that have responded most quickly to the return of normal growing conditions, after almost four years of nearly total dryness.

Their names are spelled and sound similar, but they are entirely different in appearance.

Pinguicula rectifolia -->

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and Pinguicula reticulata -->

 

[lizasaur]

Great news!! They look marvelous!

 

[jimscott]

What she said!

 

[Joseph Clemens]

Another couple that are coming along nicely -->

The Pinguicula gypsicola, below is just now growing into its winter rosette.
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Some varieties of Pinguicula seem to be so prolific (via intrinsic vegetative modes), that it seems difficult to maintain one plant to one pot. Pingiucula gracilis, Pinguicula reticulata, Pinguicula esseriana, and Pinguicula rotundiflora seem to be particularly noteworthy for this behavior.

 

[jimscott]

I think my P. gracilis is initiating a flower scape. I haven't seen that in a few years.

 

[Joseph Clemens]

It is interesting how Pinguicula gracilis has such a cute little white flower, but when it is crossed with other species the flowers are almost always more significant (larger and more colorful, too). For a smaller species it is good that it has such strong, natural, clump forming abilities.

I find it interesting that my penchant for propagating my plants, like crazy, has been a good help for maintaining some of them through these past four years of unintended neglect. Just four years before I had at least twelve pots of almost every different tropical Pinguicula that I was growing, at the time. Most of them were started with just a single original plant/propagule. I developed a habit for vegetativley propagating them nearly every time I picked up a healthy pot with plant(s). I miss those that didn't make it through these past four years, but I certainly enjoy growing those that made it. And it is nice to see the survivors rocket back to full health, even if they only, now occupy a single pot, where once there were many. The natural clump-forming behavior of some, is definitely tempting me to again get busy and propagate.

 

[UnstuckinTime]

When you began to water them like you did normally, did you do it gradually? Or was it just a jump back to the previous normality? I'm curious about your procedure and method, would you please elaborate? If you have outlined it in another thread which I have missed, would you post a link? Which ever is easier.

Thank you,
CJ

 

[Joseph Clemens]

Transitioning my Mexican Pinguicula plants back to wet conditions and growth I've found to be harder for them than when I was keeping them continuously wet.

I first tried to just pour the water on, then keep them continuously wet, again. I quickly learned that this was a fast way to undo their hard won perseverance. Many that initially received this treatment quickly rotted away. I soon adopted a gentler approach; now I first set their photo-period to 7/24, then I begin to spritz them lightly from the top, a little bit each day with purified water. After they've tolerated that, for a week or more, I then dust a little dried insect powder on the media, near the base of the plants. I also graduate them to a 40-60 ppm solution of soluble fertilizer (Peters 20-20-20 with trace minerals), spritzed lightly on the leaves and the media surface. Once they show signs of new leaf growth, I start flooding the trays, as is my usual growing method. Some are still lost during this adjustment process. Most of those plants that have survived, this far, quickly grow back out into adult plants.

I've lost so many more plants during my earlier attempts at duplicating a wet summer, dry winter theme, the climate swings that they get in their natural habitat. Once I developed the growing methods that have worked so well for me (and manage to maintain them), I hardly ever lose a plant. See --> How I grow Mexican/tropical Pinguicula.

 

[Baylorguy]

It's good to see the plants are being revived. Your writeup on how to grow pings has been my roadmap, and just like you, I keep my pings wet year round. Prior to this I would lose a lot of plants, but once I ensured good circulation, lighting and water, I have yet to lose a ping.

 

[Joseph Clemens]

Here are another couple of photos of those species showing good recovery:

Pinguicula jaumavensis (or it might be Pinguicula debbertiana - I misplaced the label from this pot) -->

A tray of Pinguicula jaumavensis, before they were unintentionally neglected -->

Pinguicula laueana -->

Pinguicula esseriana -->

Pinguicula rotundiflora -->

 

[jimscott]

From 2008:

P. gracilis

 

[Joseph Clemens]

Here is a an update on Pinguicula rotundiflora, they look like they'll soon be generating flower buds -->

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When conditions are right, many of the Mexican/tropical American species have very distinctive appearances, so they can usually be identified even when not in bloom. Many of these same species can superficially resemble each other, especially when they are growing in conditions that encourage amorphous growth.