closeup of flower (white corolla; yellow throat with red veins)

closeup of flower (pale rose corolla; purple veined throat)

side view of flower (white corolla; yellow throat with red veins)

side view of flower (pale rose corolla; purple veined throat)

rosette in cultivation

This species is the smallest of the 6 Pinguicula species growing in the Southeastern United States. In cultivation my plants have rosettes of up to 4 cm in diameter. This species is considered as an annual. In my opinion this is due to the environmental conditions. In culture therefore P. pumila can be cultivated 2-3 years. P. pumila grows in a more sandy habitat, so I use as soil a mix of 60% fine quartz sand and 40% peat. I have not observed any self-pollination in culture, so to obtain seed you have to self-pollinate the plants or better cross-pollinate with a second plant (to prevent inbreeding depression). In summer I cultivate the species under wet conditions (while in nature there can be very dry periods in mid-summer) and in winter I keep the soil more damp to prevent rotting and fungus attack. The coloration of the corolla often is white to very pale lilac with a white palate and a yellow throat with red veination. I also cultivate a form which has a rose flower with a yellow palate and a throat with purple veins. There also exists a yellow flowering form (sometimes named var. buswellii ).

Oliver Gluch
Lindenallee 44
26122 Oldenburg
Germany
Phone/Fax: ++49 441 72618
eMail: Oliver.Gluch@t-online.de