How to pollinate Pinguicula (butterwort)
Butterworts are not self-pollinating plants, so it is necessary to cross-pollinate unrelated plants to obtain seeds. Pollinating butterworts is quite a complicated process, which is why I created this guide on How to pollinate Pinguicula.
Butterworts generally have larger, differently colored flowers. In the picture, you can see freshly opened flowers of Pinguicula gypsicola (left) and Pinguicula agnata ‚red leaf‘ (right).
The stigma and anthers with pollen are hidden inside the flower, and the simplest way to access them is by removing the petals. The petals can be relatively easily detached by gently pulling the two parts apart. It is essential to perform this carefully to avoid breaking other parts of the flower.
After removing the petals, the interior of the flower is exposed, making it easy to locate both the stigma and the anthers with pollen.
The anthers with yellow pollen are hidden under the „roof“ (see the photo below). The easiest tool for collecting pollen is a toothpick with a darkened tip, making the collected pollen more visible. You can also use a brush or another tool you are accustomed to for gathering pollen.
Next, rub the pollen onto the stigma of another flower.
