Question
QUESTION: About 3 weeks ago I bought a butterwort at a local plant show. ITs large already potted and growing, no cube. Its not grandiflora, but similar, blue flowers, a temperate butterwort. The outer, larger leaves are starting to turn black and die and those coming from the center of the rosette don't look healthy. The plant has flowers. I keep it with my sundews, south window, cool room, about 60 degrees now. I keep filling the tray as soon as it evaporates. What does it need? Should I cut the flowers off?

ANSWER: The plant you have is likely Pinguicula primuliflora.  It's a very common butterwort in cultivation and is native to the northern regions of Florida.

From your description, it's likely that the plant is past the point of no return.  While it's normal for the outer and larger leaves to die off when this plant changes environment, the fact that the center of the plant doesn't look healthy is highly suspect and might be rotting out.

The most common cause for butterwort rotting out is constant wet soil.  While the soil should be damp, it shouldn't be overly wet and waterlogged.  This plant prefers lots of soil aeration.  Unfortunately, many times when you buy this plant at the store, the soil medium is pure peat moss, which lacks soil aeration and keeps the soil too moist.  There are other factors that can cause this, but from what you've written so far, I strongly suspect that the soil was kept too wet without proper soil aeration.  

You can potentially salvage this plant by repotting it in a soil mix of 1 part peat moss, 1 part perlite and 1 part sand.  (Other soil mixes are possible as long as you use ingredients that allow for drainage and aeration.)  Keep the soil just barely damp.  Top water the plant, and avoid letting it sit in large amounts of water, and it's OK if the top of the soil dries slightly before you water again.  You should also cut off the flowers.  You might have a chance at salvaging it, but this plant is a bit finicky.  In most cases, once you see it decline, it's already too late.

For more information about growing this plant, watch our video podcast on the topic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fMIi2f4KLA

Good growing!
Jacob Farin

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: how much sunlight and temp. max is appropriate for these butterworts?

Answer
I prefer not to deal with maximums because a lot of growers get confused with this concept.  Instead, look for growth patterns.  If you're getting nice green leaves with a healthy color, you're giving your plant sufficient sunlight.  If the leaves are yellowish and looking pale, then you might be giving your plant too much sun.  

If you're growing your plant in a south window in your home, you'll be just fine.  The plant is native to Florida, so it's used to a bit of heat.  Dappled sunlight from your south window is also fine.