Pinguicula agnata, a carnivorous sticky plant
Pinguicula agnata
- Exposure
- Half-shade
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 10b (1.7°C ≤ T° < 4.4°C)
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Family
- Lentibulariaceae
- Genus
- Pinguicula
- Species
- Pinguicula agnata
Pinguicula agnata is the Superman of carnivorous plants. In winter, this variety of the Lentibulariaceae family is like Clark Kent: harmless and unobtrusive. But in summer, its rosette of leaves acquires the superpower of capturing and digesting insects.
How to recognize the butterwort, Pinguicula agnata?
Pinguicula agnata is a carnivorous perennial with a prostrate habit. It reaches a maximum diameter of 25 centimetres.
The rosette of leaves varies in appearance throughout the year. In winter, it doesn't exceed five centimetres in diameter. The succulent green leaves are covered with white hairs, but do not capture insects.
Traps only work in summer. In summer, the rosette measures up to 20 centimetres in diameter. It's made up of ten-centimetre-long spatulate leaves. Light green to yellow, they are slimy and attract prey such as flies and midges. Once trapped, they are dissolved and assimilated by the plant's digestive juices.
Butterwort flowers in summer. A five-lobed flower appears at the top of a 20-centimetre flowering spike. The color of the petals depends on the variety. Botanical butterwort produces a white flower with purple margins. It can also be totally white, completely purple, or white with a purple heart, as in pinguicula 'Tina. But whatever its color, it gives off a delicate scent, similar to that of violets.
If you have a cat or dog, it's best to keep them away from your Pinguicula agnata. The enzymes are found on the leaves. If your pet nibbles on them, it could become ill.
Our care tips
Traps are located on the leaves. Avoid touching or wetting the foliage to avoid damaging them.
Watering
Water your plant generously during the growing season.
Pinguicula agnata like to have their feet in water. You need to water them by capillary action at all times.
Get a planter or an unperforated container larger than your plant's pot. Place your Pinguicula agnata in its pot.
Pour two or three centimetres of rain, demineralized or osmosis water into the larger container. Never use tap or mineral water. You'll kill your plant.
Don't let the largest container run dry. Add water when the level drops.
Reduce watering during dormancy.
The soil must always be kept moist. Water it from above before it dries out.
You can use rainwater. If you don't have any, you can use osmosis water or demineralized water. Never use tap or mineral water. They contain mineral salts that are fatal to your Pinguicula agnata.
After watering, remove any stagnant water from the saucer.
Repotting
In spring, transfer your Pinguicula agnata to a larger pot, so that it can continue to grow.
Obtain a shallow (about seven centimetres) , pierced plastic pot, wide enough to allow the plant to sprout. Choose a light color so that the roots don't get too hot in summer.
Prepare a mixture of blond peat (40%), perlite or vermiculite (30%) and sand (30%). Pour a little of this substrate into the bottom of the pot. Plant your Pinguicula agnata. Pack gently.
Place your plant and pot in a saucer filled with rainwater.
Prune
To encourage the growth of your Pinguicula agnata, prune regularly.
Cut the flower stems flush once the flowers have faded, and remove dead leaves as you go along.
Use a clean, sharp tool to prevent the spread of disease and promote healing.
Use a clean, sharp tool to prevent the spread of disease and promote healing.
Taking cuttings
Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.
To remove the shoots that appear at the base of the plant, carefully remove it from the soil. Separate the young shoots without damaging the root system.
Prepare a pierced plastic pot. Fill it with a mixture of white peat (60%), perlite (30%) and sand (30%). You can also use a commercially available carnivorous plant mix.
Plant your Pinguicula agnata without burying the leaves. Pack gently.
Pour two centimetres of rainwater into the saucerto water by capillary action.
Diseases / Threats
Information
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Exposure
- Half-shade
- Substrates
- Humus soilSandy soil
- Planting methods
- In potsPlanter
- Categories
- HerbaceousFlowery
- Tags
- BeginnerFlowery
- Origin
- Central America
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 10b (1.7°C ≤ T° < 4.4°C)
- Leaf color
- Light green
- Flower colors
- WhiteViolet
Discover plants from the same family
Pinguicula 'Tina
Pinguicula agnata x Pinguicula zecheri
Find out more
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