Good starter butterwort?

[kwende]

Come spring I'd like to start collecting a couple butterworts.

I have a really nice, sprawling collection of Sundews, Nepenthes, VFTs, Sarrs and even bladderworts. Pings are my last unexplored territory (completely unexplored). I was wondering if anybody could recommend some good, starter butterworts with similar requirements to, say, D. Capensis or D. Natalensis or D. Alicea (the "weeds" of the sundew world). Preferably one that does well under high lighting T8s, 75-80 degrees, usually around 40-60% humidity.

HOWEVER. I had one Ping a long, long time ago that didn't fare well. I have gorgeous, red, slimy sundews in my terrarium; but I worry the lighting may be too high for butterworts. The leaves appeared to burn and the plant eventually just died. I had it on the tray method (so maybe root rot?)

Typically I tend to overthink things ... I know, but I'm hoping someone can point me in a good direction. Thanks!

...I forgot to mention. One more thing is I'd prefer to not have to think about dormancy.

 

[Wire Man]

Mexican Pings can take a lot of light. They come from completely open areas with very harsh conditions. Their dormancy is surprisingly easy. In your area you could simply sit them in a windowsill and forget about them for the winter. The easy species would be moranensis, esseriana, launeana, and cyclosecta.

 

[kwende]

By forgetting about them, we're still talking about watering them every so often, though, right?

 

[JMN16150]

Mexican Pings can take a lot of light. They come from completely open areas with very harsh conditions. Their dormancy is surprisingly easy. In your area you could simply sit them in a windowsill and forget about them for the winter. The easy species would be moranensis, esseriana, launeana, and cyclosecta.

Agreed

By forgetting about them, we're still talking about watering them every so often, though, right?

During dormancy, no... They go into a succulent-like state and lives like a succulent until the dormancy is over

 

[Wire Man]

I haven't watered mine since November.

 

[Exo]

Yeah, Mexican pings are the easiest IMO, P x sethos being the easiest I've ever grown..I've never seen such a vigorous ping.

 

[NewspaperFort]

m p. x sethos is my most demanding ping. i would try any form of moranensis as they all seem to flower almost constantly.

 

[jimscott]

Mexican Pings can take a lot of light. They come from completely open areas with very harsh conditions. Their dormancy is surprisingly easy. In your area you could simply sit them in a windowsill and forget about them for the winter. The easy species would be moranensis, esseriana, launeana, and cyclosecta.

What he said. I find that the crosses are the easiest to maintain.

 

[Maiden]

Come spring I'd like to start collecting a couple butterworts.

I have a really nice, sprawling collection of Sundews, Nepenthes, VFTs, Sarrs and even bladderworts. Pings are my last unexplored territory (completely unexplored).

What about Heliamphora? Genlisea? Stylidium? Cephalotus?

You have many 'last unexplored territory' to come

 

[Millipede]

I can help you out. Ive got a ton of Pinguicula Esseriana. i'll send you a few. PM me your address

 

[Plant Planter]

I've been told that Pinguicula primuliflora is one of the easiest butterworts to grow. I can't tell you if that's true or not, but I've had mine for a month and I haven't killed it yet. To top it off, Mexican butterworts never go into a very deep dormancy, since they're from Mexico (duh) and it never really gets very cold there. It just so happens that Pinguicula primuliflora also reproduces quickly if it is kept healthy by producing tiny little plantlets on the tips of its leaves.

 

[JMN16150]

I find Mexican species to be more forgiving than temperate ones. The Mexican ones can take quite a lot of missed waterings; they also don't need to stay at least moist all the time

 

[Crissytal]

I've been told that Pinguicula primuliflora is one of the easiest butterworts to grow. I can't tell you if that's true or not, but I've had mine for a month and I haven't killed it yet. To top it off, Mexican butterworts never go into a very deep dormancy, since they're from Mexico (duh) and it never really gets very cold there. It just so happens that Pinguicula primuliflora also reproduces quickly if it is kept healthy by producing tiny little plantlets on the tips of its leaves.

I disagree regarding the dormancy. They do indeed go dormant. They reduce in size, stop producing carnivorous leaves, and do not grow. I would say their dormancy is just as deep as D. filiformis in the winter. They require little to no water when they are in this stage.

Here is an example of a P. gypsicola actively growing and an example of the same plant as it is breaking dormancy.

As far as the easiest Pings to grow, I agree with JMN, Mexican Pinguicula are a lot more forgiving than temperates in my experience. I would say, pretty much any Pinguicula that are commonly available are easy to grow. I personally have issues with P. cyclosecta, P. medusina, and to a lesser extent P. gypsicola. The rest are easy .

Crystal

 

[tikiwikitiki2]

I'm slightly new to Pings and I started with P. gigantea. It seems to be very forgiving and tolerant of my care. I went through a few trial and errors with it in the beginning.

 

[Plant Planter]

I disagree regarding the dormancy. They do indeed go dormant. They reduce in size, stop producing carnivorous leaves, and do not grow. I would say their dormancy is just as deep as D. filiformis in the winter. They require little to no water when they are in this stage.

All the sources I've found suggest that they never really need to go dormant. If they do, well, at least I'll have maybe six months to figure out how to give mine some sleep!

 

[JMN16150]

Surprising even though most tropical plants don't require dormancy; on this 1 source, I heard they require it
Good thing they don't need cold temps ;D

 

[Crissytal]

I have found that temperature plays a large part on them going dormant in my experience. My winter temperatures never dropped below 70F in the winter. For years they never went dormant. Now my temperatures drop down into the high 50's during the winter months. Over half of my Pinguicula are currently dormant. My lighting tends to stay on 10 hours year around. I never seem to get around to resetting the timers. It is possible that some may never encounter dormancy. When they do though, it is a true dormancy.

Crystal

 

[hcarlton]

Certain species like P. emarginata, gigantea, moctezumae, moranensis, 'Aphrodite,' etc, either do not go dormant or they can survive perfectly well year round in wet conditions. Most other Mexican pings do require a strict cool winter dormancy.

 

[JMN16150]

Whoops:/ I guess the ones I received from Crissytal just felt like going dormant ......

 

[Plant Planter]

So, how cold is a "cool" dormancy? 50 degrees F? 40? I have a greenhouse that's actually a part of the house, and I regulate winter temperatures by opening the door by a certain amount. It would be nice to know just how cold it should be in there.