My first Ping!

[Frogger]

I decided to venture out to the Chicago Botanic Garden this past weekend because the Illinois Orchid Society was having a flower show and sale.  Well, as with most orchid growers, they usually grow CP’s as well.  I was very impressed with the show!  Beautiful is such and understatement!  
Anyway, I was mostly interested in the CP’s that were for sale, and was ASTONISHED at the PINGS!!!  I wanted to buy them ALL!!!  Well, since I live in an apartment in Chicago, I have limited space.  I REALLY REALLY REALLY had to force myself to only buy one.  It is a P. moranesis and has such a beautiful flower.  This is my first ping, so I’m hoping that I can give this guy a great home.  
How long should I wait to re-pot it, and would it be okay to use the same potting mix that I use for VFT’s?
(Sorry for the blurry picture...)

 

[Ispahan]

I have recently discovered that these plants are as easy as pie to repot.  Just uproot it, place it in new mix, and you are done.  It is as easy as that.  A typical VFT mix (half peat moss, half sand) may be much too heavy for many of the Mexican Pinguicula grown in windowsill conditions so you may want to lighten it considerably with perlite, vermiculite and even pumice (if you have it).  The plant will respond by putting out an amazing flush of new growth within a week or so.    

While you're at it, repotting will be a great time to peel off leaves to use as cuttings.   There are many posts on this forum that explain how to make leaf cuttings of Pinguicula.

 

[PlantAKiss]

I'm glad you discovered pings.

Way back yonder in my early days I thought they were rather boring but I finally gave them a chance and now I love my pings and I'm always looking for more. They have a very appealing fleshy-ness, are nicely slimey and have beautiful flowers.

Pings don't always get their due. But thanks to Joseph, Eric Partrat and other pingmen, their photos and helpful info are enticing people over all the time. I remember when the ping forum hardly had any posts and almost nobody paid it much attention.

Maybe we will get some ping offerings in the upcoming NASC auction.

 

[Ispahan]

It is funny that you say that, PlantAKiss. I have always been fascinated by Drosera and never even gave Pinguicula a second thought until discovering the Mexican species. I have always found the temperate and warm-temperate species to be attractive, but the Mexican species and hybrids of Mexican species are downright spectacular. I love their greasy leaves, flashy flowers and ease of growth. And did I mention that I have yet to see another adult fungus gnat flying around my house?

 

[Treaqum]

Are you sure that's P. moranensis? It looks like P. 'tina'<span style='color:red'>[Edit: P. 'Tina', actual cultivar names such as this one are always capitalized]</span>.

 

[Joseph Clemens]

All I see is an out-of-focus plant and flower (a healthy looking plant and flower), then a crystal clear green froggie.

 

[Frogger]

Thanks for the info peoples!  
It is funny, as both Ispahan and PlantAKiss have mentioned, that our last fascination with CP’s is usually the Pings!  I have been fascinated with VFT’s and have been growing them on and off for the past 20 years, and only within the past five I have expanded my horizon to the entire realm of CP’s!   And my most recent, being the Pings of course!   I guess that Joseph’s pictures and info (and others) on them have somehow captured my fascination!  
Well, the guy I purchased the ping from told me that it was a P. moranensis, or a hybrid of one.  At least I know that it is a Mexican Ping, so I know how to give it some care.  
Again, I do apologize for the quality of the photos.  You can only do so much with a cheesy camera.

At least my little froggie came through crystal clear!

He is the guardian of ALL my CP's!

 

[LauraZ5]

I think you have a very attractive Ping. I have a few that are doing well and have new growth. 3 out of 4 are sending up flowers which pleases me. Sarracenia and Drosera were my first CPs. Utrics and Pings came after those. I am going to hold at that for a few years. The Pings brighten my day in my home.  I just flat out enjoy having them around. They are so pleasant and cheerfully squat and lush. There's something about those Mexican Pings and their dainty blooms that just does it for me.

 

[PlantAKiss]

Ispahan...I'm a Drosera person myself.  But those pings are sneaky...they take their time and tip-toe up behind you, tap you on the shoulder and you say..."Gawd that's beautiful!"  

Can't have too many Pings.  Or Drosera.  

 

[rattler]

no Utrics are generally the last facination other than for a few of us. nice looking Ping. not my favorite Genus but definatly worth while to have a few of the Mexi species floating around in any collection.