Pinguicula macrophylla

[Joseph Clemens 1]

Thank you Eric.

Edited February 5, 2015 by Joseph Clemens

[Sean Spence 25]

Absolutely superb!

[epbb 4]

really happy to see it so healthy. Mine reached a 20cm diameter with about 4 flowers this year but no viable seeds :cry:

cheers

[Odysseus 18]

Nice plants, Joseph! I read in D'amato's book that P. macrophylla are tropical pings, but they go dormant a good period of the year as an underground tuber.

How much of this is true in your case, and what is the yearly story for those guys?

Thanks for the picture!

[Gawd_oOo 0]

Here is mine.

[Odysseus 18]

Gawd_ooo,

I see yours is dormant. How long will it be dormant and when does it like to come out?

[Tim 0]

Where we're at, they've been dormant for quite some time (natural light, of course). They can come out at any time, although you expect them at early spring. The little leaves are easy to peal off and grow new plants with when the middle of the plant sends up it's carnivorous leaves.

[Gawd_oOo 0]

Yeah, the P. macrophylla went dormant well before any of my other plants. I just placed it (along with all my other plants cept the vft's and sar's) under lights 16 hour cycle. So that might wake it up soon.

[Odysseus 18]

Ahhh. So they go into dormancy usually before other winter sleepers, have a typical winter dormancy triggered by light difference but they aren't dormant most of the year like D'amato said. Would you guys say yours stay dormant around 4-5 months or less?

When I read about the plant in D'Amato's book, he made it sound like 7-9 months of the year the plant was dormant. And it made me curious why Joseph's plants looked to be full on growth in December. I thought it was a curious time to be awake when you're dormant as long as D'Amato said.

Thanks for the info, guys!

[Tim 0]

Joseph's plants grow under light. Mine are in an open greenhouse, and are dormant about half the year, more or less. I've never marked the date on a calender, but in some areas I can easily see them being dormant over half the year.

[Odysseus 18]

Oh really? That long eh...Half the year when grown in natural light? Ok, that is a long dormancy period. Thanks for that info again, Tim.

So, Joseph. How long have you had your macrophylla growing under lights? If you have had it over a year...when does the plant experience dormancy in those conditions?

I am guessing that these pictured are pretty young and haven't had a dormant period since they are growing well in December. But, have you had any other plants longer?

[Joseph Clemens 1]

I'm not sure I'd consider it a "dormancy", I believe they continue to grow those, "scale-like leaves" and some even bloom.

I have been growing it successfully for less than a year so far. Other Mexican Pinguicula I grow that are known for their compact winter rosettes, such as Pinguicula gypsicola, Pinguicula medusina, Pinguicula cyclosecta, Pinguicula rotundiflora, and Pinguicula acuminata have continued to shift leaf forms, but seemingly without regard for season (which they don't experience directly).

[Gawd_oOo 0]

I could see it being 'dormant' for 6+ months. It dropped into the soil a good 2 months ago. I know I jotted down when the summer leaves started drying out, I'll look for that.

But if it started that much earlier, it would make sence that it is going to wait longer to come back. Probably like a Oct-May/June 'rest'

I have only had mine 5 or 6 months, and came as a full summer plant.

[Tim 0]

The big problem with this species is that people throw them away thinking that they are dead. The big leaves just turn brown and rot, laying on the top of the pot. The hibernacula buries itself completely in the ground, and you wouldn't know it's there, unlike gypsicola et. al. which stay on the top.

I should note that the beautiful color in Joseph's plants are almost impossible to get without lights; mine are all green.

Also, you can keep them "bone dry" during dormancy, although I've kept them moist as well.

[Odysseus 18]

I could see it being 'dormant' for 6+ months. It dropped into the soil a good 2 months ago. I know I jotted down when the summer leaves started drying out, I'll look for that. But if it started that much earlier, it would make sence that it is going to wait longer to come back. Probably like a Oct-May/June 'rest'

Good info, Thanks! When you find out when the leaves started drying out, I am interested. I always love to learn more about these plants, so this has been an interesting thread for me.

The big problem with this species is that people throw them away thinking that they are dead. The big leaves just turn brown and rot, laying on the top of the pot. The hibernacula buries itself completely in the ground, and you wouldn't know it's there, unlike gypsicola et. al. which stay on the top.

Wow...throwing it away...I guess I imagine that I would be one of those that think they are dead too. But, when I lose plants I always tear the soil apart in the name of research. I like seeing where the roots were, and if any are possible to regrow the plant from if transplanted.

So, if I had a macrophylla and it "seemed to die" on me, when I took the soil apart to inspect I would have come across the hibernacula and had been pleasantly surprised.

I should note that the beautiful color in Joseph's plants are almost impossible to get without lights; mine are all green.

So, would you say that it is more of a "burn" rather than a coloration, because of the higher than normal artificial lights?

[Joseph Clemens 1]

It is said that some plants have developed the ability to produce pigments to protect them from high UV light levels and for other purposes. Somewhat like melanin in human skin.

See: http://www.charlies-web.com/specialtopics/anthocyanin.html

[Gawd_oOo 0]

Ok let us see.

I got the plant May 19th.

Almost killed it..

It produced only 3 or 4 leaves through end of july early august, and then leaves started drying up, well the first one was completely dried up, august 27th.

[Tim 0]

Some young plants going into their first dormancy

(does it work? photohosting seems slow right now)

As the plant gets older the bulb buries itself deeper and deeper.

[Fernando Rivadavia 77]

Hi guys!!

I'd love to see pictures of the flowers Eric!! Please post pics of your plants here or on your website!!! :):)

It has now been a year and a month since I saw P.macrophylla in the wild near Guanajuato. So for those of you in the northern hemisphere, winter rosettes were already fully formed in early November, buried underground. Summer leaves were still on the soil surface, but looking yellow and sickly. I was really sad I wasn't able to hang around 'till summer/ autumn in Mexico to see the flowers!!

Take care,

Fernando Rivadavia

[epbb 4]

Hi Fernando,

Here is P. macrophylla flower

[Tim 0]

And mine

[Tim 0]

And the above plant's bulb, after I uncovered it from the inch or so of soil on top. The picture was taken a few days ago, and it's been this way since around early September.

[Odysseus 18]

Nice flower! Eric and Tim. Interesting how the two petals at the bottom on the side of that third one in the center seem to be curved upward. They have the plane propeller twist almost.

Joseph, thanks for that link on anthocyanin. I was going to call the red in this plant anthocyanin, but I wasn't sure if it would be correct. I usually only hear anthocyanin in reference to the red color in Sarracenia. So, it's the UV from the artificial light that basically "tans" the plant, just as it would our skin. Not complicated like I thought. So, as long as it isn't detrimental for the plant, I certainly prefer it grown under artificial light.

Thanks for the timeline, Gawd_oOo. It starts drying up and sneaking back fairly early on.

Tim, so the older it is the deeper in the soil it goes. Does this imply you shouldn't repot during dormancy? Could you end up potting it too deep for it's age? Also, how does a plant "bury" itself? Every year the LARGE part of the bulb or tuber pushes itself down through growth?

[buch 0]

won't the length of the dormancy depend on the water ? I can force it into dormancy by stopping the water. I imagine that starting watering after 4 months will make it wake up.

Menno

[Gawd_oOo 0]

buch,

I think it was more based on photo period or temperature then water. Mine was grown outside until I had gotten 2 or 3 frosts, but we had lots of rain during the time it was strating to go 'dormant'. The other mex species I had in the same pot that formed winter rosettes seemed to be more affected by water.

After moving the planter inside I have been watering much less frequently, and that is when the others formed winter rosettes.

Does this imply you shouldn't repot during dormancy? Could you end up potting it too deep for it's age? Also, how does a plant "bury" itself? Every year the LARGE part of the bulb or tuber pushes itself down through growth?

I think repotting would be fine so long as you pot it just with the top of the plant at the soil surface.

I would think yes you could pot it to deeply at any age.

It seemed to me more like the roots pulled the entire base of the plant into the soil. I know when I first planted it I just dropped it onto the dried LFS, making no attempt to really get the roots into the media.