How to care for a Penguin

pinguicula moranensis

Within the carnivorous plant family we find a particularly curious and interesting genus. So much that even they look like flowers instead of complete plant beings. Its leaves, turned into excellent sticky traps, barely rise from the ground, giving our protagonist an even more beautiful appearance.

However, it is a complicated genre. Therefore, we are going to explain how to take care of a Pinguicula, so that the complications dissipate.

Features

The genus of the Pinguicula includes about 80 species. Belonging to the lentibulariaceae family, they are small plants -about 6cm in diameter- that you can find in much of North America and Europe (also in Spain), North Africa, and in some parts of South America, such as Venezuela, Colombia or southern Argentina.

They are carnivorous plants whose capture mechanism is reminiscent of those of Sundew, whose leaves are covered with very sticky hairs. Once the insect lands on the trap ... it will no longer be able to escape. Immediately some glands -which we could call digestive- begin to secrete a liquid that dissolves the hardest parts of your, now, food. This liquid is composed of acids and enzymes, which will soon turn the unfortunate prey into nutrient-rich compost that will later absorb the leaves.

Farming

Penguin 'Sethos'

In cultivation we find some plants that, although they are not very demanding, they do a series of recommendations must be taken into account so that they have an optimal development, which are:

• Location: outdoor, partially shaded. If in winter the temperatures drop below -2ºC, we will protect our plants inside the home in a room where there is a lot of light, or in a greenhouse.
• Substratum: equal parts natural blonde peat with perlite.
• Irrigation: frequent. In the hottest months it will be necessary to water 4-5 times a week. The rest of the year we will decrease the frequency, leaving it 2-3 times every seven days. We will use rainwater whenever we can, but if we don't have a way to get it, we will use osmosis water.
• Fertilizer: no fee. The roots are not able to absorb the compost directly, and could damage them.

Do you dare to have a Penguin?