Butterworts (Pinguicula)
Butterworts are flat, succulent-looking rosettes with greasy leaves that trap gnats and small flies. They also flower beautifully, with violet-like blooms in pink, purple and white on tall stalks. The Mexican species and their hybrids are the easiest. They don't need distilled-water trays or cold dormancy like other carnivorous plants, which makes them great windowsill gnat traps.
How to choose Butterworts
- Easiest: Mexican butterworts: moranensis, gigantea, esseriana and hybrids like Tina and Aphrodite.
- Gnat control: large-leaved types like gigantea and moranensis catch the most.
- Temperate species: P. grandiflora and P. vulgaris form winter buds called hibernacula and need cold. They're best for experienced growers.
Butterworts at a glance
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Light | Bright indirect; an east window or LED |
| Water | Distilled, rain or RO; let the mix dry slightly between waterings |
| Soil | Mineral mix: perlite, pumice or sand with a little peat |
| Humidity | Average household humidity |
| Winter | Mexican types form tight succulent rosettes; water sparingly then |
| Size | 2 to 8 inches across |
How to pot a Mexican butterwort
- Mix about 2 parts perlite or pumice with 1 part peat moss. Butterworts like a gritty, fast-draining mix.
- Use a shallow 3 to 4 inch plastic or glazed pot. Their roots are short.
- Set the rosette on the surface with the roots just covered. Don't bury the leaves.
- Water with distilled or rain water until it drains, then let the top dry slightly before watering again.
- Place it in bright indirect light. Strong sun turns the leaves pink but can scorch them.
- In winter, when the rosette tightens into small succulent leaves, water only every 2 to 3 weeks.
Common problems
- Leaves no longer sticky: Low light or recent repotting. Give it brighter light and new leaves come in sticky.
- Rosette rotting at the base: Too wet in winter. Mexican butterworts want a drier mix while they're in their winter form.
- Small leaves in winter: Normal. That's the winter rosette. It'll go back to big carnivorous leaves in spring.
FAQ
Do butterworts get rid of fungus gnats?
Yes. They're one of the best plants for it. A couple near your houseplants catch adult gnats every day.
Can butterworts use tap water?
Mexican types tolerate it better than most carnivorous plants, but distilled or rain water is still safest long term.
How do I propagate butterworts?
Gently pull off a healthy leaf in spring, lay it on damp mix and keep it humid. Plantlets form at the base in a few weeks.
Do butterworts flower?
Yes, often twice a year, with violet-like flowers on stalks well above the leaves.
Related collections
Carnivorous Plants · Venus Flytraps · Sarracenia Pitcher Plants · Nepenthes Tropical Pitcher Plants · Live Plants
