Description
Pinguicula are delicate-looking carnivorous plants with flat, fleshy leaves covered in glands that secrete a bright mucilage. They mainly trap small insects, spores and fragments of organic matter. Unlike other carnivores, their leaves do not move; digestion occurs directly on the leaf surface. Mexican species are especially popular for their showy flowers and relative ease of cultivation.
Specific care
Mexican Pinguicula are the easiest to grow. They need a very well-drained substrate (mineral mix with little peat) and moderate watering: let the substrate dry slightly between waterings. Avoid wetting leaves directly. They need less light than other carnivores. The flowers are very decorative and appear in spring-summer.
European alpine Pinguicula even hunt fern spores and grass seeds. Their leaves slightly curl over the prey to increase contact area with digestive glands.
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