Question
I have an S. rubra, S. purpurea, D. muscipula, D. filliformis, N. deroose ventrata, and P. primuliflora. Under good conditions and growing how long would you expect them to live? Also would P. primuliflora be a good window candidate? If so how would you grow it? If not could you grow it outside and how? How dose dormancy go about for P. primuliflora?
Thanks for your time!

Answer
Hi Preston,

For the Sarracenia and Nepenthes, their lifespan is indefinite.  I have S. rubra ssp. rubra plants that are divisions from my original rhizomes I purchased from Peter Pauls's Nurseries in 1979.  Drosera filiformis can be very similar.  Nepenthes can live a very long time.  I have 20+ year old plants, and from pictures I've seen in the wild, 50-100 year old plants wouldn't surprise me.  They form massive woody stems over time.

Let's talk Pinguicula primuliflora, however.  This plant is notorious for having a short lifespan in cultivation.  Under the best conditions, you're doing good if you have one live 5 years.  However, this species commonly produces little "keiki's" or plantlets at the ends of its leaves, so it propagates easily.  You can grow it either in a windowsill, or outside in zones 8-10.  We have grown it very successfully outdoors here in Oregon (zone 8).  It'll take temperatures into the 20's easily.  They seem to do best if they are in large pots.  My longest lived ones are either in large planters or living along with other cp in large pots.  In short, whether indoors or out, plant them in as large of a pot as you have room for.  The large pots seem to moderate the water better.  Death with this species always seems to be from roots rotting out.  Even moisture in a big pot seems to alleviate this.

You asked about dormancy.  P. primuliflora, like other southeastern U.S. butterworts are homophyllous.  They have the same kinds of leaves all year.  So even when the weather is freezing, the leaves look about the same.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com