North American Butterwort Care Sheet

Getting started

Please pot your butterwort as soon as possible after receipt (if shipped bare root) and move it to a spot close to your grow light but not directly under it. Move the plant to under the grow light after a few days.

Butterworts may be slightly wilted after shipping but will recover with light and water.

Potting medium

Use chopped long-fiber sphagnum for best results; chop with scissors or pulse in a food processor.

Do not use standard potting soil or fertilizer.

The medium must be thoroughly moistened before potting: soak the sphagnum in a bowl of appropriate water (see Water below) for 30 minutes, then squeeze out the excess.

Pots

Plastic pots are preferred. Never use terra cotta or anything that may leach minerals into the medium. Butterworts have shallow root systems so choose a pot that is not too tall. Small shallow trays with drainage holes also work well. Keep the pot/tray sitting in a dish or larger tray.

Water & humidity

Use distilled, rain, or RO water only. You can also use a ZeroWater pitcher, but regularly test the TDS and replace the filter as needed.

Keep the medium moist and don't let it dry out completely.

Tap water will kill butterworts. Even a small amount of chlorine is harmful.

Terrariums and regular misting are unecessary, the typical indoor environment provides sufficient humidity for butterworts.

Sunlight

Grow butterworts indoors under full-spectrum LED grow lights, preferably a foot or so from an east-facing window for some extra natural lighting "oomph". Inexpensive grow light options available online are suitable, and you can even get grow lights with adjustable arms that clamp to the table. You'll also need a timer to control the lighting schedule. 10 - 12 hours "on" in a 24-hour period during the active growing season is recommended.

Winter dormancy

Butterworts are not as picky about dormancy as other North American carnivorous plants but they still require a period of reduced growth during the winter months. Reducing the photo period to 4-6 hours "on" in a 24-hour period during winter is sufficient, or you can adjust the timer to "follow the sun" when growing near a window to make the process easier.

Feeding

Butterworts generally do not need to be fed manually. They'll catch plenty of gnats and other small household insects on their own.

Pests

Butterworts aren't typically bothered by pests but can be susceptible to aphids or mealybugs if kept near infected plants. These pests can be controlled by very carefully dabbing them off with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol (keep the alcohol away from the sticky leaves) and by gently submerging the plant in distilled water. Butterworts can also develop moldy areas on the leaves (presents as white fluff) if insect debris is not removed regularly; this is not usually harmful to the plant but can be unsightly. You can flood the plant or spray with distilled water to remove any mold (see maintenance section below). Treat fungus gnats by sprinkling a very sparing amount of mosquito bits on the medium surface.

Maintenance

Butterworts are relatively low-maintenance plants. Regularly remove dead leaves. They also benefit from occasional (once a month or two during the warm growing season) flooding to remove insect debris; place the plant in a container taller than the pot, carefully and gradually pour distilled water over the leaves (washing off debris in the process) until it's just barely submerged, then remove from the container after 30 minutes. You can also remove debris by gently stream-spraying the leaves with distilled water.