Question
QUESTION: I just picked up a Darlingtonia and a Pinguicula from the local "Home Improvement Warehouse". Is there a way to tell which variety, coastal or mountain, the Darl. is? And the same for the Butterwort, how can I be sure what variety or species it might be? It does somewhat resemble the primuliflora you have, but I'm just not sure.
I was trying to open the care sheet for the Butterwort. Is it not available right now?
Thanks so much.

ANSWER: Hi Holly,

It's a bit difficult to tell the difference between the mountain variety and the coastal variety, especially on young plants.  So you may need to wait until the plant matures.  In general, the mountain variety has flared fangs (the part of the plant that extends below the opening).  The fangs sort of grows like a mustache.  The coastal variety tends to have fangs that grow straight down.  Again, these are very general characteristics and are not always present, even among known populations.  These characteristics also show up in mature plants than in young plants.  If in doubt, always treat your Darlingtonia like a coastal variety.  

We haven't yet posted our temperate butterwort care sheet.  You didn't state where you live, so I can't offer any specific advice.  For now, treat your P. primuliflora as an annual.  This species is extremely prone to fungal infection that we rarely bother treating as a perennial even though it is technically a perennial.  If it makes it through winter, great.  If not, well it's cheap enough that you can just get another one.  In general, the butterworts from the southeastern portions of the US are a bit more temperamental to grow outside of that type of climate.  The butterworts from the western and northern states are much easier to grow as perennials in cultivation (for most areas of the US).  To learn a bit more about P. primuliflora, read our sales page of this plant.

Good growing!
Jacob Farin

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

QUESTION: I suppose when people ask a question they are more concerned about putting down the situation and forget to add the small details. I live in zone 6b, I believe. Should I try to go ahead and put the ping outside with my other garden cp's to have it winter over or try to keep it inside because it was grown in a nursery?
As for growing the Dc, what are the different requirements for raising a coastal variety rather than the mountain variety?
Thanks again.

Answer
You can read up on the differences on our care sheet:
http://www.cobraplant.com/caresheets

In general, the mountain variety is much more tolerant of high daytime temperatures (100癋) as long as the nights are cool (below 65癋).  The coastal variety isn't tolerant of high daytime temperatures.

With your Pinguicula, it'll be a judgment call on your part.  We're reevaluating whether to continue carrying this species mostly because it's so prone to fungal infection.  Even with proper winter care protection, such as mulching, fungus will likely attack it in spring. If you were to keep it indoors for the winter, fungal infection will likely attack during the winter.

The only sure fire method for growing this plant is keeping it exposed throughout winter dormancy.  The rain washes away fungal spores, and UV light kills the spores.  At least in our region (zone 8), it survives the freezes just fine.  However, in much colder climates it dies if it's not protected.  For this reason, we recommend keeping this species as an annual unless you live in a region where it can survive outdoors without any winter protection.  If you can get it to survive the winter, great.  If not, it's cheap enough to try again or attempt to get starts from.

The one thing that seems to work the best is growing the plant in live sphagnum moss.  Live sphagnum moss is naturally resistant to fungal spores, and plants (P. primuliflora specifically) that we've grown in live sphagnum grew larger and survived the winters just fine.  Whether or not they'll survive mulching with the live sphagnum moss in colder climates is unknown.  We haven't proceeded to that level with our experiment.

Good growing!
Jacob Farin