Large-flowered butterwort (Pinguicula grandiflora)
Care, watering, light and tips for Large-flowered butterwort on Floravia.
Quick facts
- Family: Lentibulariaceae
- Difficulty: Moderate care
- Watering: every 2 days
- Light: Partial shade
- Temperature: 10–30 °C
About Large-flowered butterwort
Pinguicula grandiflora is a fascinating carnivorous plant, prized for its large, showy, deep purple flowers that contrast with its sticky leaves. It's a compact, low-growing plant, ideal for open terrariums, moist rockeries, or as an accent plant in carnivorous collections. Its leaves form a basal rosette that attracts and traps small insects.
Native range
Western Europe (especially Pyrenees, Alps, Massif Central, and Ireland)
Care tips
It requires bright but indirect light; avoid strong midday direct sun which can scorch its leaves. Keep the substrate consistently moist with distilled or rainwater, either by direct watering or by leaving the pot in a tray with a small amount of water. Use a very well-draining, nutrient-poor substrate, such as a mix of sphagnum peat moss and perlite. Absolutely avoid fertilizers and mineral-rich substrates, as they are toxic to this plant.
How to save a dying Large-flowered butterwort
- Warning signs
- Soft, non-dewy leaves; black or dry edges; stunted growth.
- First aid
- Move to a cool, humid spot. Water from below with distilled water.
- What kills it
- Tap water (minerals), dry air, lack of light, or wrong substrate.
- Can it be saved?
- Yes, if roots aren't rotted. Quite resilient if conditions are corrected.