Butterworts (Pinguicula)

Compact, flowering rosettes for a bright windowsill — the cutest fungus gnat catchers you can grow.

Difficulty Beginner-friendlyLight Bright, indirectDormancy Winter succulent phaseCatches Gnats, fruit flies and midges
Growers' favourites
Pinguicula esseriana Pinguicula esseriana Pinguicula 'Marciano' Pinguicula 'Marciano' Pinguicula 'Weser' Pinguicula 'Weser'
Nature's flypaper

What makes a butterwort greasy, and why gnats stick

Beautiful architectural wonders known as the "little greasy ones". The name comes from the mucilage they secrete over their leaves, which gives them a sticky, buttery, greasy feel. This genus is excellent at luring and trapping small insects like gnats and fruit flies. Many species flower profusely throughout the season in shades of purple, violet, pink and white, adding some further excitement to your plant journey.

Read the Pinguicula care guide →
Gnat magnet: Each sticky leaf can hold dozens of fungus gnats at once.
Gnat magnetEach sticky leaf can hold dozens of fungus gnats at once.
Up close: Tiny glands coat every leaf in the greasy film that gives them their name.
Up closeTiny glands coat every leaf in the greasy film that gives them their name.
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Which butterworts should you start with?

Pinguicula 'Weser' Pinguicula 'Weser' Pinguicula 'Pirouette' Pinguicula 'Pirouette' Pinguicula 'Bugbane' Pinguicula 'Bugbane' Pinguicula moranensis Pinguicula moranensis

Common questions

Do butterworts need a winter dormancy?
Most Mexican butterworts don't need a cold rest — they shift into a smaller, non-carnivorous succulent rosette over winter as light drops, then start growing sticky leaves again in spring. Ease off watering during that resting phase.
Will one plant actually clear my fungus gnats?
One plant makes a dent on a windowsill; for a real infestation, a few plants near the soil surface work best. Butterworts trap adult gnats on the leaf, which breaks the breeding cycle over a few weeks.
Can I water with tap water?
Only if it tests under 50 ppm total dissolved solids. A lot of Canadian tap water is harder than that, so rain, distilled or reverse-osmosis water is safer long term.
How do they ship in a Canadian winter?
Bare-root, wrapped in damp paper towel, in an insulated box. Add a heat pack at checkout when nights drop to 5°C or below. We can't guarantee live arrival without one in freezing weather.

Growing Butterworts (Pinguicula)

Read the full care guide →

Light

Bright light, but not harsh midday sun — a windowsill, a grow light, or both. Shorter autumn days push some species into a non-carnivorous succulent rosette.

Water

Rainwater, distilled or RO water. Stand the pot in a tray with a few centimetres of water and let it run dry between waterings; we often leave ours dry for 2 to 5 days. Water less through the winter succulent phase.

Dormancy

No true dormancy — shorter autumn days trigger many species into a non-carnivorous succulent rosette. Water sparingly until new sticky leaves return in spring.