FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hey everyone I've been browsing the topics but haven't found an answer for my question. I wanted to know how to specifically pollinate my butterwort. I don't know much about plants in general but stumbled across them found I really enjoy learning about them. I'm not sure if I can self pollinate a plant with itself or if I need two plants of the same type or different to get the same

What variety do you have first off i dont grow them but i will help you look for info but with drosera some can self pollinate others can not. Just trying to help

Just Fuzzy

I have the gigantea one and thank you for the link

I plan on buying more and wanted to know if i would be better off buying two at a time or if I can cross the different types and still get the same plants without getting hybrids

If you cross different types and they are compatible, you will get hybrids. If you buy 2 of the same species, get seed grown or even better, get them from different sources so they aren't genetically identical.

Ben is the Ping guy here. Maybe he will chime in.

Hey Phizzels and welcome to the forums! Pinguicula.org is a phenomenal website and I definitely recommend checking them out if you have questions or concerns about growing your plants.

P. gigantea is a Mexican species, so could be cross-pollinated with any other Mexican Pinguicula, but this would create a hybrid (as Smooter80 says). If you want to try pollinating your plant with its own pollen you absolutely can! Some of our forum members have had mixed results with self pollinating their Pinguicula but I don't think it'd do any harm to give it a go (I've done it successfully).

If you wanted to cross-pollinate plants without creating a hybrid you can either pollinate your plant with its own pollen, as mentioned, or buy a second plant of the same species and wait for them both to flower and do it that way. Adding some genetic diversity by using plants from different sources is a good thing too, as Smooter80 says.

These plants can reproduce vegetatively quite prolifically after a growing season, but there is something awesome about growing them from seed, especially from seed from your own plants.

And Grey is the Ping expert lady. Sorry, I didn't mean to leave you out.

Thank you so much I really appreciate the help I've been looking at tons of articles over the past few months

So where else can I get these plants from other than cascade Carnivors since that's where I buy from and South Bay traps (which stinks)

Smooter80 wrote:And Grey is the Ping expert lady. Sorry, I didn't mean to leave you out.

Oh don't worry! I'm just grateful that someone knows I'm a lady. Whoop!

Phizzels wrote:So where else can I get these plants from other than cascade Carnivors since that's where I buy from and a US-based carnivorous plant store (which stinks)

We have a community built list of online carnivorous plant suppliers that's available here, but, California Carnivores is renown for its beautiful array of Mexican Pinguicula plants. I'm only disappointed that I don't live State-side as I can't order from them!