What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Mexican Pings

how do you go through dry summer dormancy?

thanks
mike
 
Mexicans Pings don't have a dry summer dormancy, keep them wet-damp all summer. It's winter when some go dormant and most others change their growth form from carnivorous to succulent, non-carnivorous growth. It's not really dormancy, just a change in growth strategy to enable the plants to survive the dry, cooler winter.

Vic
 
well i have a p.ehlersia and giganta. dont they need a dormancy. like wen you dont water them for a couple months?

thanks
mike
 
Yes, in the Winter, P. ehlersae likes it a bit drier than P. gigantea (this species does not form a succulent rosette).

Just because the plants are in a different growth form doesn't make them dormant though. There are numerous species of Mexican Pings that form succulent winter rosettes, yet they flower and set seed in this state, not what I call dormant (which is essentially asleep).

Hope that's clear

Vic
 
so could i just keep both pings in a terrarium there whole life?  or could i put them out side in the winter.  it gets about 20F the coldest in the winter?  
thanks
mike
 
I have heard it said that some of the Mexican Pinguicula have a drier, cooler winter in their natural habitat and that they have had success imitating such a variation in the environment they provide for their plants.

I am lazy and wanted to see if I could keep them successfully without all that trouble. I have had no problem, and no loss of plants, I keep all my Pinguicula in trays of water, with about 3/4 inch (2cm) of water in the tray, I let the water dry out and then I replenish it. The pots and plants never dry out, actually they are always wet. I am doing this even for plants such as Pinguicula gypsicola, P. moranensis, P. ehlersiae, P. esseriana, and many more. They receive a 16 hour photoperiod and they periodically change their growth form, but several can be in either phase at any particular time. I have, for instance P. potosiensis which is in the Winter leaf phase and is blooming including other images of plants growing in the same conditions. All of the following photographs were taken in the last few minutes.

p_potosiensis_sml.jpg



Pinguicula rectifolia

http://members.aol.com/_ht_a....sml.jpg


Pinguicula gypsicola

http://members.aol.com/_ht_a....wtr.jpg


p_gypsicola_sml.jpg


p_gypsicola_sml_1.jpg
 
That's fascinating Joseph, I grow all my Pings with natural light, so nature takes care of changing leaf form etc.

I have a small terrarium that I use to grow Byblis liniflora and a few tropical sundews, it might be a bit bright for Pings though. I think I'll pop a few spare, young plants into the corners and see how they get on.

Do you grow any of the SE USA Pings under similar conditions? I have a few tiny seedlings (1 week old) of P. pumila and P. ionantha which I suspect might fare better under terrarium conditions over the winter, than in my conservatory (min. temp 8C / 50F).

Cheers
Vic
 
ok great thanks guys. i love ur fotos pingman. ill keep them in a terrarium.

thanks
mike
 
Ooooh, they're so pretty! Hehehe... How big does potosiensis get?
 
  • #10
My largest P. potosiensis has a diameter of 5 1/2 inches, I've only had it about 18 months, but I don't think it will get much larger.

Vic
 
Back
Top