Pinguicula primuliflora
Southern butterwort
Dsdugan · CC0
About
The southern butterwort, *Pinguicula primuliflora*, is an ideal beginner species known for its sticky, carnivorous leaves and its ability to form white flowers in the spring. It is native to the southeastern United States and is generally easy to cultivate.
Field notes
Morphology
The plant has sticky, green leaves covered in tiny hairs that secrete a mucilaginous liquid. It produces 5-petaled zygomorphic flowers. The roots are undeveloped.
Distribution & habitat
Native to the southeastern United States, commonly found between the southern east of Mississippi and the north west of Florida. It can tolerate temperatures down to 20°F or -9°C.
Ecology
The sticky leaves attract insects, which become ensnared in the mucilage. The plant then secretes digestive enzymes to dissolve and digest the prey, absorbing nutrients like nitrogen from the acidic soil.
Cultivation notes
It is easy to grow and does not require high humidity or extremely intense lighting. It requires poor, acidic soil, such as a 50/50 peat moss and perlite mix, or pure sphagnum peat moss mix, with no potting soil or fertilizer. It can also be grown in a tray of standing water.
Habitat
- Altitude
- 0–200 m
- Altitude Class
- lowland
- Native To
- United States
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- easy
- Temperature
- Day 22–30°C / Night 16–22°C
- Humidity
- 55–80%
- Notes
- Gulf Coast warm-temperate species. Forms plantlets at leaf tips.
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