Pinguicula — 28 species

Pinguicula, the butterworts, are compact carnivorous perennials prized for their jewel-like rosettes and sticky, insect-trapping leaves. They thrive under abundant bright light — ideally within a foot of a sunny window or under grow lights — and demand consistently moist, nutrient-poor media such as a peat-and-perlite mix, always watered with distilled, rainwater, or reverse-osmosis water via a tray; tap water mineral salts quickly damage roots. Toxicity varies across the genus and has not been fully documented for all species, so check each before buying and keep plants away from curious pets as a precaution.