Each plant is unique. Size, shape, fullness, and variegation will vary.
Pinguicula ‘Florian’ | Florian Butterwort
A saturated rose-red carnivorous rosette edged in pale green makes ‘Florian’ especially striking when it reaches full color. Broad, slightly cupped leaves overlap into a dense rosette, with a bright green center transitioning through bronze and rose into deep red across the mature foliage. Tiny mucilage glands cover the leaf surfaces, giving the red foliage a sparkling appearance while allowing the plant to capture fungus gnats and other very small insects. This documented hybrid between Pinguicula debbertiana and Pinguicula jaumavensis stays relatively compact while producing an impressive amount of color.
New leaves emerge tightly from the center and expand outward into the overlapping carnivorous rosette. Mature plants generally remain around 2–3 inches across, making this a compact Ping even when fully grown. The leaf margins can curve upward, creating the distinctive cupped appearance visible across a mature rosette. Beneath all of that foliage is an extremely small, shallow root system. Tiny roots sitting immediately below the substrate surface are completely normal and are capable of supporting a surprisingly substantial plant.
For natural light indoors, place it directly in an east-facing window or approximately 1–2 feet from a south-facing window, aiming for approximately 1,000–2,000 foot-candles at the leaves. Foot-candles simply tell you how much light is actually reaching your plant. ‘Florian’ is capable of developing intense rose and deep red coloration under strong usable light, sometimes while retaining a beautiful pale margin and greener center. Color expression can vary with light, temperature and growth stage, so look at the quality of the newest growth along with its color. A healthy plant does not have to be completely red to be growing successfully.
Under a grow light, use a full-spectrum 5000–6500K fixture approximately 6–10 inches above the rosette, aiming for 1,000–2,000 foot-candles at the leaves. Center the fixture over the rosette so light reaches the entire plant rather than only one side. If your Ping has been growing under considerably weaker light, increase intensity gradually. As the rosette expands, continue measuring light at leaf level so the plant receives the usable intensity you are aiming for.
Water when your plant needs watered. Use distilled water, reverse-osmosis water or rainwater. During active carnivorous growth, wet the plant and upper root zone thoroughly from above in the morning and again in the evening. This is more than a light mist into the air. The foliage and surface of the substrate are actually wetted so moisture reaches the extremely shallow root zone. The open substrate below can remain aerated, and the pot does not need to sit continuously in standing water.
Give those shallow roots a loose, open substrate made from approximately half organic peat moss and half coarse mineral material. The mineral portion can include coarse pumice along with natural aquarium sand or fine gravel. The finished mixture should look visibly gritty and open rather than dense or peat-heavy. Use a small, relatively shallow pot and keep the crown at the substrate surface. When repotting, finding only a small amount of fine root underneath an otherwise healthy plant is normal.
During carnivorous growth, the sparkling droplets covering the foliage are called mucilage. These sticky glands allow the plant to capture tiny insects and absorb nutrients from its prey. Fungus gnats and other small insects caught on the leaves can simply remain there while the plant uses them. There is no need to wipe the leaves clean, and doing so removes the sticky surface the plant has produced.
For additional nutrition, Rooted grows Pings using Schultz Cactus Plus 2-7-7 diluted at one full dropper per ½ gallon of distilled, reverse-osmosis or rainwater. Mix it thoroughly into the water. During active carnivorous growth, this is the diluted water used when wetting the plants, allowing nutrition to reach the glandular foliage as part of their regular watering routine.
One of the most fascinating parts of growing ‘Florian’ is watching the rosette change as it moves into its succulent phase. The transition begins in the center. New leaves become smaller, thicker and much more tightly packed than the broad sticky leaves surrounding them. As those new leaves continue developing, the older carnivorous foliage gradually ages away and the mucilage diminishes. Eventually, the center can develop into a dense little succulent rosette with many tightly arranged leaves and look remarkably different from the colorful carnivorous plant you started with. As the plant becomes smaller and its active growth changes, its water use changes with it, so reduce moisture along with the plant rather than continuing to wet the smaller succulent rosette at the same rate.
The plant will also show you when carnivorous growth is returning. Watch the center for new leaves beginning to broaden and develop their glandular, sticky surface again. Gradually increase moisture as the expanding carnivorous rosette becomes more active and return to its regular carnivorous-growth feeding routine. You do not need a calendar to tell you which phase your Ping is in. The newest leaves will show you.
Flowers rise above the rosette on slender stalks and can be allowed to bloom normally. ‘Florian’ produces delicate pink to violet-toned flowers, often with darker markings toward the center. Flowering and changing foliage can happen while older outside leaves are naturally aging, so evaluate the entire plant by the healthy growth continuing from its center rather than expecting every older leaf to remain perfect.
Success looks different throughout the year. During active carnivorous growth, look for a dense rosette continuing to produce healthy sticky leaves, with coloration potentially progressing from green and bronze into rich rose and deep red. During succulent growth, look for a healthy compact center continuing to build small fleshy leaves. When broader sparkling leaves begin appearing again, your Ping is showing you that another cycle of carnivorous growth is underway.
