Which plant makes the perfect indoor herb garden companion and is a mean, green, and fungus-gnat-eating machine? Butterworts! – also known as pinguiculas or pings for short. They are a must have for anyone who loves flowers, hates bugs, and is familiar with the basics of plant care.

A perk to growing them is that they are adorable and easy-to-grow carnivorous plants if you give them pure water and plenty of light. Butterworts are known to be an ideal companion to all kinds of herbs, as they help to keep the fungus and gnat population down, allowing the other herbs to flourish.

Plus, there is a high chance your butterwort will flower once or twice a year if they are happy and healthy.  Not to mention, they make an ideal conversation starter when you have guests over – just make sure you don’t forget to introduce them!

What is a Butterwort Pinguicula Plant?

Butterwort Pinguicula plants, or “pings,” as they are affectionately known, are part of the bladderwort family, Lentibulariaceae. With more than 80 species, they combine great variety and charm into one plant. As a fun fact, Pinguicula mesophytica was first discovered and collected in southeastern Guatemala in 1939 by Dr. Julian Steyermark.

In addition to various sizes, shapes, and colors, butterworts have a variety of morphological characteristics. In a wide range of heights and widths, they can measure as little as an inch high and one-and-a-half inches wide, all the way to 18 inches high and 12 inches wide. That’s quite a difference! A variety of colors are present on the leaves, such as white, pink, maroon, green, or yellow, and the flowers are yellow, gold, purple, red, yellow, or white.

Butterworts are known for catching insects, so you’re probably curious as to how they do it

Initially, they develop a sticky, greasy mucilage that coats the fine translucent hairs on the leaves. The mucilage has a sweet aroma glimmering just enough to reflect sunlight acting as a bright beaken attracting hungry insects. Rather than finding a smorgasbord of food on butterwort leaves, insects get stuck in the glue-like mucilage and struggle to break free. This is perfect for indoor herbs! This defense mechanism works to protect the indoor herbs from any lurking pests.

As the bugs digest and the butterwort absorbs their nutrients, their exoskeletons remain attached to the foliage. Furthermore, these exoskeletons are protected from bacterial rotting by a bactericide produced by the leaves. Talk about a bug’s worst nightmare! Stuck in a sticky situation while being digested for dinner. Yikes!

How to Care for the Carnivorous Butterwort Plant

Butterworts are an excellent companion plant for your indoor herb garden; however, this particular plant is fairly self-sufficient and shouldn’t be placed indoors unless you have a gnat problem. This ping thrives outdoors due to the abundant food supply consisting of different species of gnats. Growing this plant indoors can deprive them of their natural supply of insects. To avoid this issue your ping plant will need some extra care and maintenance. 

Butterworts are easy to take care of as long as they have the right living conditions. They require moist soil to prevent dehydration. It’s recommended to purchase a plant saucer to insure that your ping’s soil is getting enough hydration. 

Location is very important for butterworts. They need a couple hours of sunlight to survive. Placing them in low lighting can cause your plant to result in crown rot. 

If you don’t have a gnat problem and you want your butterwort to thrive indoors, you should feed it only one insect per week, ideally not larger than a third the width of the leaf, to ensure the bug doesn’t pose a threat to your delicate plant. Mosquitoes, gnats, flies, and even arachnids such as spiders make up an acceptable prey list for these carnivorous plants. 

Are Butterworts Poisonous? 

Carnivorous plants such as butterwort (pinguicula) consume very small insects. I am sure if you have ever seen a bug stuck or being eaten by a plant species, you must have asked yourself the question, are these plants toxic? How safe is it to keep them at home? Are they a threat to your health? 

The simple answer is, NO!

Butterwort kills its prey before eating it, so some people are concerned about their danger. The truth is, however, that once you understand how these plants function, you will realize that these concerns are misguided.

There is no danger to humans from butterworts because their traps are designed solely to catch insects and they are harmless. Despite the fact that the mucus on their leaves can capture small prey, it does not possess any negative effects on humans or large animals.

The fact that they are safe in homes and are safe near other plants makes them suitable for your indoor herb garden. Once again, they truly make great companion plants. Butterworts are perfect for an indoor herb garden because they are low-maintenance and can tolerate a variety of environments. They also help to protect your herbs from pests, disease, and even fungal rot. Plus, they look so cute just sitting there in your garden! You’ll never have to worry about butterworts taking over your herb garden, as they’re too busy being adorable!

Moreover, if your home houses pets, despite not containing any toxic compounds, butterwort can still cause gastrointestinal upset if ingested. This is due to the presence of certain compounds that can irritate the digestive system of cats and dogs. Even though it is not considered toxic, it is still important to keep butterwort away from pets. So, if you’re a pet owner, it might be wise to keep your butterwort locked up and out of reach. Because you know, cats and dogs can be pretty relentless when it comes to getting their paws on something they shouldn’t!

How to Incorporate Butterworts into your Indoor Herb Garden

I don’t recommend planting your butterwort plant in the same pot as your herbs. These Pinguicula need a specific blend of soil and nutrients to grow and thrive. Simply keep them near your indoor herbs to avoid any infestations. 

The Butterwort plant has unique requirements when it comes to soil and nutrients, so it’s important to keep it away from other herbs that may require different soil pH and nutrient levels.

By keeping them close to your indoor herbs, the Butterwort plant can still absorb nutrients while protecting them.

However, watch out for pests like aphids, mealybugs, and soil mites that attack the undersides of leaves and the soil. Unfortunately, just like any herbs you may be growing, butterworts can still fall victim to these pests. To prevent this for your herbs and your butterworts, you should regularly inspect their leaves and inspect the soil around them. If pests are found, take immediate action to remove them and prevent any further damage. Ensure the soil is dry before watering to prevent pests from breeding in moist soil.

What is Butterwort Used for?

Not only does this incredible plant make a great companion to your indoor herbs it also has some health benefits. Butterwort is rarely used in contemporary herbal medicine. While there are no studies into the benefits of butterwort, it may have certain medicinal properties. Butterwort can still be used for medicinal purposes, such as treating skin issues, wounds, and as an antispasmodic, antitussive and a purgative. Its skin healing properties can help to treat minor skin issues such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne. Additionally, it can be used as a topical application on wounds to help them heal faster. Butterwort leaves are used as a cough suppressant, and herbal tea made from their leaves can be helpful in treating chronic coughs, whooping coughs, and other respiratory conditions. Who knew that butterwort leaves could do all that? I guess it really is true that butter is better!

Where Can Butterwort Pinguicula be Found?

Any indoor herb garden can benefit from the carnivorous butterwort plants. For example, they would be a perfect addition to your indoor basil garden. As basil is a natural pest repellent, butterwort would add as an extra defense against these mealy pests with its distinctive leaves that contain sticky glands that trap insects. To add to their uniqueness, this intriguing plant is known for its elegant flowers, which bloom in shades of blue and purple, adding a nice touch to your herb garden. So, where can you them?

In its natural habit this plant is mostly grown in the damp, sunny places of the temperate regions of North America and Europe, as well as in South America, Southeast Asia, and North Africa. However, this butterwort plant may be purchased from a variety of sources if you are interested in buying one. You can find this particular ping in these 4 main locations:

The 4 Main Locations Butterworts Can Be Purchased:

Online nurseries

Online nurseries provide a wide variety of carnivorous plants, including butterworts, that may not be available at traditional nurseries. By offering rare and hard-to-find plants, online nurseries give plant enthusiasts the opportunity to grow plants they may not be able to find elsewhere.

Local stores and Garden Centers

You can ask any questions about taking care of your new butterwort plant at many local nurseries and garden centers. These stores typically have knowledgeable staff who are familiar with the various kinds of plants that can be grown in the local area. They are also familiar with the right soil, light, and water requirements for each type of plant.

Plant Shows and Expos

It is common for these events to bring together vendors from all over the country specializing in all kinds of plants, including carnivorous plants like butterworts. This is because carnivorous plants require specialized care and knowledge to grow and thrive, and these events provide a great opportunity for vendors to showcase their expertise and share their knowledge with other enthusiasts. 

Specialty Plant Stores

These stores often have hard-to-find butterwort varieties and carnivorous plants. Specialty Plant Stores are the best way to find rare and hard-to-find varieties of Butterwort plants. Among their wide variety of carnivorous plants, you are sure to find what you’re looking for.  Plus, you can always count on the friendly staff to provide you with helpful tips on how to care for your carnivorous plants – like never letting them eat your house guests!

Enjoy Your Pest Free Indoor Herb Garden!

In your indoor herb garden, this incredible carnivorous butterwort plant can combat annoying and harmful pests. They enjoy feeding on insect pests such as mosquitoes, gnats, and flies, helping with indoor pest problems. As a bonus, your plants will remain healthy throughout the year if you keep them next to your garden.

Another fascinating aspect about them is that they have medicinal properties and can also treat minor skin conditions. Not only is it an attractive addition to any garden, but this plant is also useful for a number of purposes. It may also help cure your mosquito bite problem to have this particular pinguicula in your garden. Who knew a little plant could be your one-stop-shop for all your garden needs?

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Besides talking about butterworts, I grow my own indoor herb garden and research the best methods to assist beginner gardeners in learning about and growing their own indoor herb gardens. I enjoy teaching people about how to successfully grow herbs indoors and share tips and tricks that I have learned from my own experiences. I also enjoy the challenge of growing new herbs and experimenting with different methods to see what works best. After all, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of watching your plants grow — except maybe eating the food you grew yourself!