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Reasons for growing Pinguicula

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 12:45 am
by Benurmanii
Ok, I know I'm always a bit salty about the disproportionate popularity of Pings to other CPs, but I am legitimately curious, why do you choose to, or choose not to, grow Pinguicula? I grow temperate Pinguicula because I like their subtly, they are not generally very flashy, and they are some of the most cold-hardy CPs out there. Something about a CP that lives on freezing, montane environments is really appealing to me. You can also get an easy crop of them every year, as they produce gemmae around their hibernacula.

I do grow some other Pings, including South American Pings (which are just so unique), a few Mexican Pings, Cuban Pinguicula, and a few of the North American warm-temperates (which have been giving me trouble recently, and our unusually cold winter killed off a lot). I grow whatever Mexican Pings people offer me, as for seeking out Mexican Pings, my interest is more pointed towards South American, Cuban Pings, European Pings, and any sort of cold temperate from non-European origins as well. I actively seek out South American and Cuban Pings, but sources for them are scarce. They are some truly unique pings, and have exceptionally beautiful foliage.

In regards to the NA warm temperates, I have backed off on these recently because of climate reasons. I have decided to not apply as much focus to the NA warm temperates as I once did, since I realize that I need some sort of humidity protection if we get another unusually cold winter, as our freezes are often accompanied by strong freezing winds that penetrate through cracks in my garage. Some I received recently also had trouble settling in, perhaps the best time to buy them bare-root is summer when they grow much faster. I love the subtly of these Pings as well, but they just don't quite match my climate so easily as cold temperates do, so as of recently I've sought out more cold temperates. It seems that it does get cool enough in my European warm temperates to slow down for the winter in my tuberous Drosera area, I may try warm temperate US pings in this area next winter, especially some that are from more southerly locations.

Re: Reasons for growing Pinguicula

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 1:20 am
by Wikiwakawakawee
I never really gave it much thought to be honest, but I decided to buy one just on a whim. The thing is most of the plantlets that came with it (Including the mother plant :? ) died because I didn't know how to properly care for it. I only have 2 little Primuliflora plantlets growing right now, but this certainly has gotten me interested in Pings :) Really interested in the Mexican Pings more than anything.

Re: Reasons for growing Pinguicula

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 2:05 am
by Hungry Plants
I just got a Primuliflora when I went to pick up Nepenthes I was looking at. Its my first one. Hope I have it setup right any tips would be great. It definitely has sparked some interest in Pings for me.

Re: Reasons for growing Pinguicula

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 2:57 am
by Bhart90
I started carnivorous plants by purchasing my first butterwort 2 almost 3 years ago after watching Bill from his YouTube channel "PlantzNThings".
Not going to lie, the inner child came out with the whole ▪Cool, kill bugs!▪
But then started to look at other ones, and was blown away by their appearance(s). As time went on, I focused more and more on their symmetrical beauty and less and less on their " purpose " How these things have managed to see the world, or their respected environment really impressed me. Not having arms or eyes, just the planet itself as a focal point. You got to respect them, for they are the ultimate survivalists!

Re: Reasons for growing Pinguicula

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 3:39 am
by jwalker
I'm interested temperate forms. Could anyone list a couple that could live with my sarracenias.

Ps I just got my first couple from bhart90 and that seem to be happy right now

Re: Reasons for growing Pinguicula

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 5:15 am
by Benurmanii
jwalker wrote:I'm interested temperate forms. Could anyone list a couple that could live with my sarracenias.

Ps I just got my first couple from bhart90 and that seem to be happy right now
I love cold temperates. Listing your climate info would help immensely. I may have some available next fall, but since all of my cold temperates are waking up at this time, it is too late for me to send you some.

Re: Reasons for growing Pinguicula

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 6:19 am
by cjpflaumer
We started growing pings because my wife loved the flowery look when she saw them at California Carnivores. We got her a Leauna. Then came across a Primuliflora at lowes. Then next online order she picked out 'John Rizzi' (my favorite of the bunch) and Rectifolia Huajuapen. So honest answer, she is why I/we grow pings! Hey if it gets her interested in my hobby I will take it.

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Re: Reasons for growing Pinguicula

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 11:24 am
by Grey
I started growing Mexican Pinguicula because I thought they were stunning (they were quite unlike anything I'd ever seen), and also because of their neglect resistant nature. At the time I first started growing them (around 7-ish years), I was very, very unwell and barely managed to keep myself fed, watered, and clean. Having something to care for was a hugely life-giving act for me, and Mexican Pinguicula were much more resilient to drought and lack-of-poking than other carnivorous plant genera seemed to be. Their drought resistance was a hugely attractive feature, as I wasn't always well enough to undo the lid for my water container (or lift the thing off the floor), or even really to get out of bed, so having something that could handle an extra day or two without water, yet still flourish on my bright windowsill was absolutely amazing.

As time went by and I started coming out of the worst of my illness, I delved into other areas of caring for living things and had various animals that ate lots of fresh, watery veggies... this meant an influx of fungus gnats that would end up everywhere (including up my nose), so Mexican Pinguicula really helped to keep my room clear of gnats, which made me (and said nose) a lot happier.

As I continued to recover, I found that no other carnivorous plant (except, perhaps, a Heliamphora) charmed me in the way that my Mexican Pinguicula did. Their change in growth habits during the year, the way they'd glisten with jewels of mucus in the middle of summer and yet somehow look totally delicate despite their deadliness was simply awesome to me. The colours they'd produce simply by being exposed to bright sunlight and simplistic beauty of their flowers -- seeing a flower stalk was the most incredible thing ever! There was so much satisfaction in them, and they just kept going and going and going, however ill I ended up, for however long.

I tried warm and cold temperate species and while they were most assuredly beautiful and fascinating, I found their watering requirements a bit too strenuous for me at the time (this was a few years ago, I'd manage better now). I'd quite like to get into growing native species but that won't happen unless/until I get my own garden.

Re: Reasons for growing Pinguicula

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 12:46 pm
by jwalker
Benurmanii wrote:
jwalker wrote:I'm interested temperate forms. Could anyone list a couple that could live with my sarracenias.

Ps I just got my first couple from bhart90 and that seem to be happy right now
I love cold temperates. Listing your climate info would help immensely. I may have some available next fall, but since all of my cold temperates are waking up at this time, it is too late for me to send you some.
Well I live in northwest Pennsylvania zone 6a. If that helps I thought had at leasto ne of all the temperate cp's lol

Re: Reasons for growing Pinguicula

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 3:32 pm
by evenwind
I bought my first ping to cure a fungus gnat infestation in my orchids - maybe 10 years ago. I've always had a few oddballs in my plant collection, so after the gnats became lunch meat, I bought a couple more pings and a few sundews, too. Along the way, I realized that VFTs would grow under my (indoor) conditions and that they came in hundreds of collectable varieties. So I started doing that. It pretty much sat there until last growing season's Spider Mite Apocalypse which destroyed most of my orchids and at least half of my VFTs. After I sent the remaining VFTs to winter in the refrigerator, my light stand was almost empty. So I started to consider my options. From the remaining plants, the mexi-pings stood out. I did some (minor) research and realized that there were a lot more ping varieties to collect. And pings apparently aren't host to spider mites, at least out of Europe (although I've been trying to get more data on that). Hating to see an empty light stand, I've spent this mild Winter expanding my ping collection. Now I'm hoping for a Group Order to access a bunch mite-less ones from Europe.

Re: Reasons for growing Pinguicula

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 7:33 pm
by Benurmanii
jwalker wrote:
Benurmanii wrote:
jwalker wrote:I'm interested temperate forms. Could anyone list a couple that could live with my sarracenias.

Ps I just got my first couple from bhart90 and that seem to be happy right now
I love cold temperates. Listing your climate info would help immensely. I may have some available next fall, but since all of my cold temperates are waking up at this time, it is too late for me to send you some.
Well I live in northwest Pennsylvania zone 6a. If that helps I thought had at leasto ne of all the temperate cp's lol
Cold temperate Pinguicula are montane and can struggle in high summer temps. I'll research the temps in your area. Even here in Portland, Oregon, I grow my cold temperates indoors during the summer.

Re: Reasons for growing Pinguicula

Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 1:52 am
by jwalker
The high is in August about 80