Pinguicula Growth Explosion and Another Flower

Pinguicula moranensis flowering again this year.

The last time I wrote about this plant it had went from 1 to 4 plants, now it's 6 plants that I can see. I haven't been able to get the leaves to turn that nice pink color they can, but that may be a seasonal change. It's in adequate lighting and seems happy otherwise, so I guess we'll see if it's more of a temperature thing than a lighting thing.

Since I repotted it, it's getting huge. I don't need 6 of the same Pings. If anyone in the US (I do not have permits to ship elsewhere, nor do I plan on getting them anytime soon, sorry,) would like one of these, Email me. I would prefer a trade if you also have something extra (carnivorous plant or not,) but if you are new to the carnivorous plant growing scene I'll send it to you for cost of shipping.

Pinguicula moranensis becomes 2, Also Flowers

My Pinguicula now has two growth points. I'm not sure if the plant has totally split in two yet, or is just growing from multiple points right now. After the last mess trying to get photos of this one, I'm not going to poke around to find out. I'm in favor of letting it do it's thing. It appears pleased after all.

Click to see bigger photos

It's also going strong after the last mishap. Now we've got three flowers. The oldest one had faded a little, but has been on the plant for about 2 weeks now. They aren't the prettiest flowers ever, but they do last a long time.

Close-up

Click to enlarge

Cool plant, and hardier than I had always read they were. I think the fact that I received it potted in long fibered sphagnum moss and continued to grow it that way has helped. I previously grew all my carnivorous plants, (with the exception of the Nepenthes,) in some combination of peat, sand, and perlite. These are more susceptible to rot than other carnivorous plants. LFS dries faster and is less compact than peat, so maybe that was a good medium for a Pinguicula beginner, and why mine has done well despite it being my 1st try with this genus.

I'm an idiot...Ping update

I went to take some pictures of the newly opened flower on the Pinguicula moranesis I mentioned last week. I chose to move it to get a better shot early in the morning. I have mild hand tremors (that are only noticable when I'm tired) so this was a poor choice. I promptly broke the flower stalk the first day it opened.

In a medicine cup

Ooops, I broke it

Now I feel like an idiot. Ping's flower stalks are fragile. Their leaves are a stiff and fragile too. I know this because I broke one a few months ago. I should just really never touch this plant again.


But there's good news! It's making another one. Thanks little guy, and sorry about the first one.

I'm going to leave it be this time, I promise

Pinguicula moranensis

This is my first try at growing Pings. I always liked them, but heard they were hard to grow. So I was excited when I was offered P. moranensis as part of a trade last year. I wasn't sure I was giving it enough light. When I got it the leaves had a rosy hue to them. So I upped the lighting and it still looks green, but now it's flowering. I don't know if that is an accurate indicator or I should still try for higher light. Either way, this is how it looked when I first noticed the bud, and what it looks like today. Another bloom to wait for, and possibly it's first one.

P. moranensis

P. moranensis 3 days later

I am growing this one in a terrarium, somehow it got it's dormancy anyway? I guess there's enough temperature fluctuation. I don't really monitor that in this tank as it's open at the top. It's only slightly warmer than the apartment due to the artificial lighting. Any suggestions for this one are welcome. I'm still not sure I'm giving it the right care. I may move it to a windowsill, but only if I have to. I'm kind of running out of those.