How to Grow and Care for Butterworts

Pinguicula moranensis /pɪŋˈɡwɪkjʊlə ˌmɒrəˈnɛnsɪs/ is a perennial rosette-forming insectivorous herb native to Mexico and Guatemala. A species of butterwort, it forms summer rosettes of flat, succulent leaves up to 10 cm long, which are covered in mucilaginous (sticky) glands that attract, trap, and digest arthropod prey. Nutrients derived from the prey are used to supplement the nutrient-poor substrate that the plant grows in. In the winter the plant forms a non-carnivorous rosette of small, fleshy leaves that conserves energy while food and moisture supplies are low. Single pink, purple, or violet flowers appear twice a year on upright stalks up to 25 cm long. The species was first collected by Humboldt and Bonpland on the outskirts of Mina de Morán in the Sierra de Pachuca of the modern-day Mexican state of Hidalgo on their Latin American expedition of 1799–1804. Based on these collections, Humboldt, Bonpland and Carl Sigismund Kunth described this species in Nova Genera et Species Plantarum in 1817. The extremely variable species has been redefined at least twice since, while several new species have been segregated from it based on various geographical or morphological distinctions, although the legitimacy of some of these is still debated. P. moranensis remains the most common and most widely distributed member of the Section Orcheosanthus. It has long been cultivated for its carnivorous nature and attractive flowers, and is one of the most common butterworts in cultivation. The generic name Pinguicula is derived from the Latin pinguis (meaning "fat") due to the buttery texture of the surface of the carnivorous leaves. The specific epithet moranensis refers to its type location, Mina de Moran.

Beanweed, scientifically known as Pinguicula vulgaris, is native to most countries in Europe, the United States, Canada and Russia. The carnivorous plant has a purple flower and grows in damp habitats.

Large-flowered butterwort is a charming carnivorous plant with striking large violet flowers. Its sticky, glistening leaves lure unsuspecting insects, which become trapped and digested, supplementing large-flowered butterwort's nutrient intake in the poor soils it typically inhabits. This adaptation showcases the resourcefulness and specialized survival strategy large-flowered butterwort employs in its native damp, boggy environments.

Pale butterwort (Pinguicula lusitanica) is a carnivore that traps and feeds on insects. It is considered to be one of the easier carnivorous species to grow ornamentally and is therefore popular with carnivorous plant enthusiasts, although it is sometimes so successful it may be considered weedy. This plant can be rare in the wild and is under special protection status in many parts of France.

Southern butterwort is a carnivorous botanical marvel, sporting a rosette of bright green, sticky leaves that lure, trap, and digest unwary insects. Delicate, funnel-shaped violet flowers rise above the foliage, contrasting against the dewy leaves. This plant thrives in nutrient-poor, damp environments, where its clever adaptation secures necessary nourishment.