Pinguicula gypsicola (Buena Vista, San Luis Potosí)
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NOTE: Tropical Pinguicula ship bareroot and need to be planted upon arrival. Tropical Pinguicula soil mix is available in the shop.
Description
Pinguicula gypsicola is a beautiful and odd Tropical Butterwort. It grows gold to bronze colored, upwardly curved, pointed leaves in an octopus-like rosette. Mature specimens can have dozens of upward pointed leaves with an incredible appearance. Like many Tropical Butterworts, it has a dry winter dormancy, during which it will shrink into a succulent with rounded, flat leaves (completely different than its carnivorous form). The name is derived from its gypsum habitats where it lives on crusty cliffs in the mountains of Mexico. This form originates from Buena Vista, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
Tropical Butterworts (Pinguicula) are exceptionally voracious gnat catchers. Their colorful, flat leaves are covered in tiny sticky hairs which attract and trap small flies and gnats for digestion. What makes this group of Butterworts so fascinating is their beautiful neon pink, purple, and white flowers. Many of these species have a cute winter succulent phase where the leaves shrink down into a nice geometric pattern. The colorful rosettes and orchid-like flowers make these amazing carnivorous plants for any collection.
Tropical Butterworts live in the cool, foggy mountains of Central America, typically on rocky slopes but sometimes epiphytically in moss on tree trunks. Most of these species have a unique winter succulent form — during the cool, dry winters they will shrink into a dense, geometric cluster of non-carnivorous succulent leaves. They can remain in this form with little growth for months, eventually bursting out of dormancy with larger, carnivorous leaves throughout the warmer wet season. There are roughly 60 species of these Tropical Butterworts that can vary in size from 1” to over 10” in diameter and each has different shapes and colors.
Small plants have leaves roughly 0.5-0.75” in length. Medium plants have leaves roughly 0.75-1.25” in length. Large plants will have leaves over 1.25” in length and will be fully mature, flowering size. Sizing is based on their carnivorous stage and plants may appear smaller during dormancy. They need to be gently potted into an appropriate soil mix upon arrival.
WINTER SHIPPING: Cold winter temperatures (<40F) require heat packs which will be automatically included with the shipment if necessary. During winter and early spring, Tropical Butterworts may be in their winter succulent phase with smaller, thicker leaves. They will grow new large carnivorous leaves in the spring. Sizing is based on the size of the carnivorous leaves from summer/fall.
Growing Information
Climate: Temperatures from 50-85F - they prefer some humidity but can adapt to lower humidity.
Light: Part Sun or 15W per sq ft LED light. These do well under LED lights and will attain great color.
Water: Distilled or Reverse Osmosis water. Sitting in ~0.5” of water using tray method. They can also be top watered regularly in humid environments, but the tray method is simpler. This species appreciates good drainage. During winter dormancy keep this species quite dry.
Soil: P. gypsicola seems to prefer alkaline, inorganic soils. I use a mix of perlite, volcanic granules, and gypsum, though a more standard mix of perlite, volcanic granules, and vermiculite might work.
Feeding: Dust the leaves with Insect Powder every 2-4 weeks to stimulate explosive growth. Foliar feeding is also good at a frequency of once or twice per month with 1/4 tsp per gallon MaxSea or roughly 500ppm Dynagro Gro/Foliage Pro or Schultz Cactus Fertilizer.
NOTE: Tropical Pinguicula ship bareroot and need to be planted upon arrival. Tropical Pinguicula soil mix is available in the shop.
Description
Pinguicula gypsicola is a beautiful and odd Tropical Butterwort. It grows gold to bronze colored, upwardly curved, pointed leaves in an octopus-like rosette. Mature specimens can have dozens of upward pointed leaves with an incredible appearance. Like many Tropical Butterworts, it has a dry winter dormancy, during which it will shrink into a succulent with rounded, flat leaves (completely different than its carnivorous form). The name is derived from its gypsum habitats where it lives on crusty cliffs in the mountains of Mexico. This form originates from Buena Vista, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
Tropical Butterworts (Pinguicula) are exceptionally voracious gnat catchers. Their colorful, flat leaves are covered in tiny sticky hairs which attract and trap small flies and gnats for digestion. What makes this group of Butterworts so fascinating is their beautiful neon pink, purple, and white flowers. Many of these species have a cute winter succulent phase where the leaves shrink down into a nice geometric pattern. The colorful rosettes and orchid-like flowers make these amazing carnivorous plants for any collection.
Tropical Butterworts live in the cool, foggy mountains of Central America, typically on rocky slopes but sometimes epiphytically in moss on tree trunks. Most of these species have a unique winter succulent form — during the cool, dry winters they will shrink into a dense, geometric cluster of non-carnivorous succulent leaves. They can remain in this form with little growth for months, eventually bursting out of dormancy with larger, carnivorous leaves throughout the warmer wet season. There are roughly 60 species of these Tropical Butterworts that can vary in size from 1” to over 10” in diameter and each has different shapes and colors.
Small plants have leaves roughly 0.5-0.75” in length. Medium plants have leaves roughly 0.75-1.25” in length. Large plants will have leaves over 1.25” in length and will be fully mature, flowering size. Sizing is based on their carnivorous stage and plants may appear smaller during dormancy. They need to be gently potted into an appropriate soil mix upon arrival.
WINTER SHIPPING: Cold winter temperatures (<40F) require heat packs which will be automatically included with the shipment if necessary. During winter and early spring, Tropical Butterworts may be in their winter succulent phase with smaller, thicker leaves. They will grow new large carnivorous leaves in the spring. Sizing is based on the size of the carnivorous leaves from summer/fall.
Growing Information
Climate: Temperatures from 50-85F - they prefer some humidity but can adapt to lower humidity.
Light: Part Sun or 15W per sq ft LED light. These do well under LED lights and will attain great color.
Water: Distilled or Reverse Osmosis water. Sitting in ~0.5” of water using tray method. They can also be top watered regularly in humid environments, but the tray method is simpler. This species appreciates good drainage. During winter dormancy keep this species quite dry.
Soil: P. gypsicola seems to prefer alkaline, inorganic soils. I use a mix of perlite, volcanic granules, and gypsum, though a more standard mix of perlite, volcanic granules, and vermiculite might work.
Feeding: Dust the leaves with Insect Powder every 2-4 weeks to stimulate explosive growth. Foliar feeding is also good at a frequency of once or twice per month with 1/4 tsp per gallon MaxSea or roughly 500ppm Dynagro Gro/Foliage Pro or Schultz Cactus Fertilizer.
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