Collection: Pinguicula - Butterwort

Mexican Pinguicula are some of the most fascinating carnivorous plants out there. They don’t go in for flashy traps—instead, they use their leaves like flypaper. The leaves look smooth and a little greasy, but they’re covered in tiny glands that lure in fungus gnats, fruit flies, and other small insects. Once something lands, it gets stuck, digested, and absorbed right there on the leaf surface. What’s wild is how adaptive they are—most of them grow in nutrient-poor limestone crevices, surviving harsh dry seasons by completely switching leaf types. During the wet growing season, they produce broad, sticky, carnivorous leaves, but when things dry out, they go dormant and sprout smaller, succulent-like leaves just to hang on until rain returns.

What makes Mexican Pings especially cool to grow is how weirdly beautiful they are. Some species have leaves that blush pink, lavender, or even deep red under strong light, and their geometric rosettes almost look fake—like candy or origami. They’re not that hard to care for if you give them bright light, low-mineral water, and a gritty, airy substrate. They’re also surprisingly cooperative about propagation—just pop off a leaf, and you’ve got a decent shot at a clone. For a plant that looks like a soft little rosette, it’s got some serious personality and resilience.