Pinguicula vulgaris - Butterwort

Family:	Lentibulariaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.08
Synonyms:
Range:	Europe, including Britain, from Iceland south and east to Spain, Macedonia and N. Asia. N. America.

Pinguicula vulgaris (Butterwort) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.08m . It has a hardness rating of 3.
Butterwort will flower in November to January. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by

Soil Information

Butterwort will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Butterwort prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Butterwort should not be planted in shady areas.

Boggy soils on wet rocks and damp places, avoiding shady places[17].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• A bog garden plant

Cultivation Details

Requires a boggy soil[1]. Because of their insectivorous habit, plants are able to succeed on soils very deficient in nitrogen. Butterwort is an insectivorous plant, the leaves are sticky and trap insects which are then digested by the plant[7]. Plants overwinter as a tight winter-resting bud with virtually no roots[200].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 1/5
The plant can be used to curdle plant milks[46, 61, 66]. The milk is poured over a strainer on which fresh leaves of butterwort have been laid. The milk is then left for a day or two until it sours when it becomes solid like yoghurt and is considered to be most delicious. A small quantity of the milk can be kept to inoculate further batches[183]. Another report says that the leaves are infused in the milk for some time[115].

• Curdling agent - used to curdle soya milk in making cheese.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 2/5
Butterwort is little used in contemporary herbal medicine, though it was commonly used in the past as a purgative in Wales[254]. Its main application is as a cough remedy[254]. The leaves are antispasmodic and antitussive[7, 13]. The plant is an effective treatment for whooping cough[7]. Used externally as a poultice, it has a healing effect on the skin[7]. The leaves are harvested in early summer as the plant comes into flower and are dried for later use[7]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant[9]. It is used in the treatment of whooping cough and nervous throat irritations[9].

• Antispasmodic - Relaxes muscular spasms and cramps, calming nervous irritation.
• Antitussive - Prevents or relieves coughing.
• Homeopathy - A plant used in homeopathic treatments.

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in the summer if this is possible otherwise in early spring. Place the pots in shallow water to keep them moist. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first two growing seasons. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division of the resting buds in the winter[200]. Leaf cuttings.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

A colouring substance is obtained from the leaves[7].

• Dye - Plants that provide dyes.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Flora of the British Isles.
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Author: Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Rating:
Publisher : A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
Date of Publication : 1962

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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