Skip to main content

Go out and get this plant if you’re having problems with fungus gnats

If you’ve ever had a fungus gnat problem, you may know how much of a pain they are to manage, even if they’re not particularly harmful to plants. Enter the butterwort, aka the pinguicula plant. Similar to the Venus flytrap and monkey cup plant, this carnivorous plant actually feeds on pesky fungus gnats, whether the plant is situated outside or inside. As a bonus, this plant is stunning as well, pushing out delicate blooms in the spring. Ahead, we go over all that you need to know about the unique butterwort plant and how to care for it.

Butterwort plant in bloom
Image used with permission by copyright holder

What does the butterwort plant look like?

Butterwort plants feature thick, bright green leaves that have a bit of a greasy feel to them—that’s the resinous substance that traps the fungus gnats. During the spring, typically around May to July, they also push out delicate yellow, pink, purple, and white flowers. The more light you can give your plant, the more vibrant its flowers will become. Just keep in mind that butterworts dry out in the winter and go through a succulent dormant phase where they form rosettes with non-carnivorous leaves. Come springtime, they usually put out leaves and blooms—cutting back dead foliage during the winter will help expedite this process. Don’t worry if your butterwort doesn’t flower immediately. It may take them a year or two to grow big enough to grow flowers.

Recommended Videos

How does the butterwort plant feed on fungus gnats?

Butterwort plants trap fungus gnats (as well as fruit flies and other prey) with the resin on their leaves. They have microscopic glands on their leaves that produce a sweet mucous full of digestive enzymes. The bugs get stuck on the dewy substance, and the enzymes in it slowly digest them.

Butterwort plant
Image used with permission by copyright holder

How do you care for the butterwort plant?

The butterwort plant isn’t necessarily the easiest plant to maintain, but its beautiful blooms and gnat-trapping abilities make it worth your time and effort. Because the butterwort is carnivorous, pests aren’t problematic, but other factors may require careful consideration.

  • Light: In terms of lighting, it can tolerate full sun to partial shade, which means that it can adapt on your window sill or under grow lights if you can’t leave it outside.
  • Soil: For soil, the pinguicula prefers a rocky mix that doesn’t retain too much water—a combination of perlite, sphagnum moss, and sand tends to work for it. The butterwort, like many carnivorous plants, has evolved to survive nutrient-poor soil, so fertilizer isn’t a must for its health. (In fact, these plants, if you recall, get their nourishment through bugs!) If you choose to fertilize your plant, create a solution with water and mist your leaves during the growing season—some butterwort growers find that a solution of liquid succulent and cactus fertilizer works best. While not always necessary, a monthly or bimonthly fertilizer misting may encourage leaf and bloom output.
  • Temperature: This plant prefers warm temperatures. It’s perennial in zones 10 and 11 but should be a houseplant in colder regions.
  • Water: Hands down, the trickiest part about caring for the butterwort plant is its watering needs. It does poorly with hard water and needs pure, distilled water (or rainwater) without minerals or chemicals to thrive. You also never want the soil to dry out completely—if you keep your plant outside, you’ll want to make sure its soil is evenly moist but not soggy. To avoid overwatering, you can opt to bottom water your plant.
  • Pollination: You also want to remember to pollinate your pinguicula plant if you don’t leave your plant outside where it attracts pollinators. Taking a toothpick to spread the pollen should work fine.
  • Propagation: Propagating a butterwort plant is easy. All you have to do is pluck off a leaf and place it in soil, then wait for it to grow bigger as you give it the same care as the mother plant. You can also propagate butterworts by way of seeds; place your seeds in soil and moisten them to help them germinate.

In addition to helping you capture pesky fungus gnats, the butterwort plant, or pinguicula, is a delicate plant with gorgeous blooms. To get the most out of your plant, you need to give it proper care, which can require more deliberation than an easygoing cactus. While this plant may initially be finicky, understanding its needs—especially for filtered water and moist soil—will encourage productive, bug-trapping leaves and lovely flowers.

Stacey Nguyen
Stacey's work has appeared on sites such as POPSUGAR, HelloGiggles, Buzzfeed, The Balance, TripSavvy, and more. When she's…
Plant of the week: Staghorn fern, a plant featuring antler-like foliage
Staghorn fern care guide
Staghorn fern leaves in the sun

Some plants just won't be ignored! The staghorn fern is a unique and showstopping plant that would make an excellent addition to any plant collection. With their long leaves and unique growing habits, it's no wonder gardeners all over want to try growing one of these delightful plants. However, caring for them can be tricky. To help you succeed in your staghorn fern endeavors, here's everything you need to know about their care. Keep your staghorn ferns happy and healthy with these tips and tricks.
What is a staghorn fern?

The staghorn fern, Platycerium bifurcatum, are native to tropical areas in Asia and Australia and can even be found in the U.S. in states such as Florida. The staghorn fern is a type of plant called epiphytes, which simply means it lives by growing on another plant. In this case, the staghorn fern grows on large trees. These ferns can grow up to 2 or 3 feet wide and two to three feet tall, but they are slow-growing plants, so don't expect to see too much progress quickly. Like other types of ferns, staghorn ferns prefer warm, humid weather, which can make growing them outdoors tricky.
How to care for a staghorn fern

Read more
How to get rid of scale on plants: Everything you need to know about these pests
Use these methods to get rid of scale insects fast
Scale insects on a stem

There are many common garden pests that can damage your plants. While some are relatively harmless, others can do quite a bit of damage. Of course, some of the largest danger to your plants comes from pests that travel in groups. Scale insects are one such pest, frequently seen in clusters along plant stems. If you want to know how to recognize this pest and learn how to get rid of scale on plants, this is the guide for you. We’ll explain how to identify scale insects and go over several methods to eliminate them.
Identifying scale on plants

Scale insects are related to aphids and mites, but they're easy to tell apart from other pests, because they don’t move much. You’re unlikely to see the scale insects as they arrive at the plant. Instead, look for a series of bumps or lumps on your plants’ stems or the undersides of their leaves. These bumps can be black, green, brown, yellow, or white, often appearing in rows or clusters. Scale insects can range in size, depending on the species, with some scale insects staying quite small. Scale insects are soft when young, and some species stay soft for their entire lives. However, many species develop a waxy cover that hardens as they age.

Read more
Wondering how to care for an inch plant? Top tips for the tropical plant
Grow a gorgeous inch plant in your home with these tips
A purple and green zebrina plant in a white pot, sitting outside

Tropical plants can be alluring for any gardener, but they aren’t always easy to care for. With their unique patterns and interesting shapes and colors, it’s no wonder gardeners love bringing these plants into their homes. However, growing a plant in a different climate than it's used to can be tricky. Your home likely doesn't have much in common with the hot, humid environments most tropical plants come from, so many gardeners choose to skip tropical plants in favor of more common plants.

However, not every tropical plant is difficult to grow. Tradescantia zebrina, also known as an inch plant, is one such plant. This mildly toxic plant is easy to grow and impressive to see. Here’s everything you need to know about inch plant care, so you can bring the topics home with you without worry or stress!
Soil and seasons

Read more