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Post by barefoot on Mar 16, 2013 23:15:25 GMT
I recently purchased some various species of carnivorous plants and picked out this cool looking butterwort but am not sure how to care for it. When I first brought it home it was a nice green color but after about 1 month of growing it under florescent lighting in a cool crawl space in an open container it began to turn yellow. I thought at first it was from over watering as I watered it using the tray method. I backed off on the watering but this did not help. Next I thought maybe it could be a tropical species or a species needing warmer temps. The area I was growing it in stays about 60 to 65F. I now have the plant by a south window and it has slightly regained some of its color and I also put a partial dome over the plant to increase the humidity. Thought I was about to loose this one but must have taken action before it was too late. Was wondering what species this plant is so I can care for properly. Any ideas anyone? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Not sure how to add more than one photo so will try adding to this thread. Attachments:
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Post by barefoot on Mar 16, 2013 23:20:18 GMT
Here is a second larger photo of the same plant. Attachments:
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Post by barefoot on Mar 16, 2013 23:21:26 GMT
The third and final image of the same butterwort. Attachments:
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Post by ICPS-bob on Mar 17, 2013 4:14:28 GMT
It is difficult to identify your plant exactly. It looks like it could be any number of plants related to P. gypsicola or P. moctezumae or less likely P. heterophylla or possibly some hybrid such as Pinguicula 'Aphrodite' or somesuch. A photo of the flower would help. Also, knowing where it came from might give a clue. Is it from a commercial distributor? It is a Mexican Pinguicula. Here are some growing hints, although once you determine exactly what the plant is, the growing conditions might be different. www.carnivorousplants.org/howto/GrowingGuides/Pings_Mexican.php
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coline
Full Member
Life's essence: patience
Posts: 484
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Post by coline on Mar 17, 2013 14:35:42 GMT
I think that first you need to help the plant providing the care of a Mexican pinguicula as Bob said, then when it is in good condition, it will flower, and it would be eaiser to identify. Also, try asking the person who sold it to you, or the one that gives the plants to the nursery, they should know which species is it.
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Post by barefoot on Mar 17, 2013 14:36:55 GMT
I picked this plant up while I was in Oklahoma city, OK at a nursery called TLC nurseries. There is a sticker on the side of the pot that says it came from www.flytrapfarm.com. The instructions on the label are very generic. Think they read the same for the pitcher plants I also purchased at TLC nursey. The plant is slowly regaining some of its color back and is forming new leaves. After reading your link about the care of Mexican pinguicula im sure the crawl space temps were to cool for it. Now that I have it in a more humid environment I can see the leaves are starting to regain those small sticky droplets on the upper side of its leaves. Thanks for the help. I'll have to see if I can get it to bloom this spring if I take better care of it!
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Post by hcarlton on Mar 18, 2013 2:50:21 GMT
The only Ping that I've seen that matches that leaf shape is P. moctezumae. The other varieties Bob mentioned either have thinner, more tapering leaves (gypsicola, hetrophylla, and their relatives) or much wider leaves (Aphrodite). If you manage to get it to flower, and it is bright pink, then you can be sure. P. moctezumae also does prefer slightly wamer temps (70-85 F) during summe,r but in winter when it may or may not go dormant, it often will enjoy cooler temps like where it was at. if it goes dormant, don't forget to let the pot dry out.
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Post by teinkes on Mar 19, 2013 19:52:41 GMT
I agree
P. moctezumae! I was working in the past in a nurcery and we sold those plants over there too. The etiquette named: Pinguicula hybride.
Mine flowered and sure it is a P. moctezumae
easy growing on the windowsill
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coline
Full Member
Life's essence: patience
Posts: 484
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Post by coline on Mar 20, 2013 0:23:15 GMT
I agree that the species really is alike that one, and as it is a fairly common one, the flower will quickly tell which species is it.
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Post by barefoot on Mar 20, 2013 1:38:03 GMT
Thanks for the help! After looking at photos online of the Ping. moctezumae it really does look like thats what I have. After checking the plant this evening it has sure regained those sticky droplets on the upper surface of the leaves and is greening up more. The plant is growing new leaves and seems to be doing much better in the higher humidity and warmer temps that it is in now. My new question now is next winter when I allow it to go into winter dormacy will it stay green, or die back some, leaves turn to succulant leaves, or will the leaves turn a sick yellow nearly white like it did when it was kept in the crawl space?
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Post by ICPS-bob on Mar 21, 2013 3:57:46 GMT
Winter conditions for your plant depends on where you live.
I grow my plants in an unheated greenhouse in coastal northern California where my minimum winter temps in the greenhouse can get as low as about 34F and max summer temp about 80F (min summer 50F). The Mexican Pings, including P. moctezumae, do quite well and have been flowering for the last several months. So they are really quite hardy given plenty of light.
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Post by barefoot on Mar 22, 2013 1:09:00 GMT
Im in central Nebraska. Not exactly sure what I will do with it come winter to try to get it to go to winter dormacy or succulent stage. May have to create another environment for those conditions. Any sugestions? Maybe a slightly heated cold frame or small greenhouse?
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Post by Dave Evans on Mar 22, 2013 1:34:26 GMT
N. moctezumae is fairly tropical and doesn't actually have a dormancy.
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Post by hcarlton on Mar 22, 2013 4:13:16 GMT
it does have a dry dormancy, like most Mexican butterworts. While I believe that this is one of the few that can tolerate nearly year-round growing, if the temperatures drop low enough and the soil is allowed to dry during winter, yes, it will go dormant. As for getting it to go dormant, the plant will let you know if it wants to by dying back to a bulb (or rosette, I don't remember which it is for this species).Then, just let the soil dry out, only sprinkling it with water at most for a few months.
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Post by Apoplast on Mar 22, 2013 16:02:14 GMT
Hi HCarlton - I must have done dormancy incorrectly with my P. moctezumae then because it died this winter when I let it dry out. All my other species were fine, but that one tanked fast. I wonder what I did wrong.
The temp dropped to 15-16C and I let the soil dry out. That one along with P. agnata and P. gigantea got a few drops of water from time to time because I thought they could take it.
So, if you do dormancy with P. moctezumae does it need to be totally dry like P. gypsicola? I'm hoping to get this one again, so it'd be good to know for next time.
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