Pinguicula caerulea
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ping-WIK-yoo-la see-ROO-lee-uh
- Description
-
Blue butterwort is a carnivorous plant native to the southeastern USA in the bladderwort family (Lentibulariaceae). It grows in a moist bogs and ditches of the sandhills of North and South Carolina. The species epithet is Latin for blue.
It prefers to grow in sandy nutrient-poor acidic soil in bogs in partial shade.
It traps small insects in digestive mucilage secreted on the upper surface of the leaf by specialized glands. The blue-to-violet flowers appear March to May.
Blue butterwort can be grown in a bog garden or container. It is suitable for a children's garden, native plant garden, carnivorous plant collection, or in a wet or boggy meadow.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: none.
- See this plant in the following landscape :
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Pinguicula
- Species:
- caerulea
- Family:
- Lentibulariaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeast USA
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 2 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Carnivorous
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Prostrate
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Frequent Standing Water
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Tiny violet flower on a leafless, sticky, hairy stalk. Corolla has five deeply notched lobes and a spur.
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Slippery
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Rosulate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Up to 2" yellow-green strap-like, shiny, sticky basal leaves with rolled-up edges
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Poor Soil
- Wet Soil
