The voracious Pinguicula

[TimV]

Here is one of my favorite Pinguicula hybrids, named after the guy who bred it (I presume), John Rizzi. They grow almost exactly like African Violets, and are really easy, at least in comparison with other carnivorous plants. Basically if you can grow an African Violet you can grow this plant.

Now, the fun part. Before pesticides, they used to use these in greenhouses to eat fungus gnats and white fly. They're both horrible pests, and unlike pesticides, they'll NEVER build up a resistance to these fearsome predators. Rather think a mouse would build up resistance to a rattlesnake.

I traded this one to a friend in a big swap for lapidary equipment. He had a problem in his greenhouse with fungus gnats (they're MURDER on seedlings) and he sent me this picture after a couple weeks. In a fairly short period of time, these bugs get absorbed by the plant and all that food makes them grow lush and fast. I have a couple hundred and I never spray or either fungus gnats or whitefly, and if any of you know greenhouses I don't have to tell you how radical that is.

Propagated with leaf cuttings just like African Violets as well.

 

[toddpedlar]

That's awesome.

Sad thing is when I saw the thread title, what came to mind was "Vermicious Knids"

 

[TimV]

Gotta work on my thread titles....

 

[py3ak]

They should get you as a consultant if they ever decide to bring Poison Ivy into a Batman movie.

 

[TimV]

I always had a crush on her

 

[J Miles]

Does it just eat fungus gnats and white flies?

 

[TimV]

Anything up to mosquitoes.

 

[J Miles]

Anything up to mosquitoes.

You thought of my second question before I asked it.

Awesome plant though.

 

[VictorBravo]

Tim, how well do they handle cold snaps?

I don't have a greenhouse now, but in Tacoma I had one and battled white flies on and off. This would have thrived among those bugs. But winter before last we had a zero degree night blast through that killed my date palm. The greenhouse was heated, too, but apparently not enough.

 

[BobVigneault]

Cool plant but I thought this was a thread about the Emperor between Tiberius and Claudius.

 

[toddpedlar]

Cool plant but I thought this was a thread about the Emperor between Tiberius and Claudius.

Either that or a silly Italian song... "Pinguiculi, Pinguicula..."

 

[BobVigneault]

Thanks Todd, now I'll be singing THAT all day.

 

[TimV]

Vic, there's a type called the temperate Pinguicula that come from Europe, and they form a frost protected "hybernacula" during winter, so they'd do just fine by you even without heat. Really showy flowers too!

 

[sastark]

I had no idea what a "Pinguicula" was when I saw this thread. But, I saw "TimV" had posted in "Natural Revelation and God's Creation" and I knew it was going to be cool!