Can anyone ID my Pinguicula?

[Rowangreen]

Guess who just happened to be in the region of Columbia Road Flower Market in London... thought I was safe as the only orchids there today were boring noid phals.

But the last stall had a selection of flytraps, and one solitary ping... So I got 2 for the fiver I just happened to have on me!

Then I remembered I'd been thinking of getting some Mexican pings and I'd forgotten to ask what culture it needed...

Anyone identify this so I can work out what it needs? I'm thinking Tina or moranensis, but don't think that's quite right so anyone know it?

Also will they both be OK with a bit of possibly quite hard London water until I can get hold of some distilled?

Should I try and remove dead traps and leaves?

Thanks!

[Leafmite]

As no one else replied, I vote 'no' on tap water. The cheap CP's that are sold at the big box store even say to use only distilled or rain water. That, to me, sends a strong message. Everything I read when preparing for mine, said the same. Whether it is true or not, I follow this for my bug catchers.

[Rowangreen]

Thanks!

Been doing some reading, and it seems the flytrap is especially sensitive to the water used, while the ping may be ok with tap water that's been left out a few hours. Of course, the ping is nice and wet while the flytrap is a little dry on top...

Hopefully I'll find somewhere tomorrow (possible sources include chemists, garages and aquarist shops (the latter being the cheapest apparently). Otherwise I'll be collecting the steam from my kettle!

One little interesting snippet: apparently if your freezer ices up then that ice is OK. I couldn't find more than a couple of pinches in mine though!

[stefpix]

For my Pings I use only distilled water, and water from the bottom. leave some water in the saucer. like 2 cm or something. I water when the saucer is empty

[Leafmite]

The things we do for our plants!

[camille1585]

Carnivorous plants grow in boggy, nutrient poor soils, and so they are carnivorous in order to get any nutrients to sustain themselves. So they really should be watered with pure water. You should be able to easily find distilled water in the supermarket, both here and in France I find it in the cleaning aisles, since distilled water is often used in irons, to avoids build up.

[Rowangreen]

Yep, hoping to get some distilled water at some point today! Should be possible *G* Thanks for the sugestions.

Apparently many pings grow on wet cliff faces (and I even found one picture of them growing on a tree...), in many cases limestone cliffs. So hard water isn't always going to be a problem, but other chemicals/salts etc in tap water might be. Apparently some people even pot them in medium including limestone chips. Probably depends a bit on the species though (and that flower looks like it's going to take a couple of days to open!) and I'd also have to leave the water out in the sun up to a week to get rid of chemicals...

[Wynn Dee13]

Your grocery stores don't carry distilled water in the bottled water isle? I buy my distilled water at my local grocery store and it is sold in a gallon jug in the bottled water isle. But maybe the US is different. Good luck with your new little guys. Carnivorous plants have always interested me but I have never tried to grow them. I didn't know they had such pretty flowers. I would love to see the flower when it is fully open if you have a chance. Thanks for sharing!

[littlefrog]

Possibly Pinguicula mooreiana (or some correct spelling thereof). Not an expert, but it looks like the one I grow.

Edit: moranensis... Probably. My tag is third hand, that is the closest I can get.

[Rowangreen]

Nope, no distilled water in the bottled water isle, I checked!

I will post a picture of the flower when it's opened. It's a bit further open (and taller!) today. I think those leaves are pretty ugly really, but the yellow/green really contrasts with the flower: in person it's a really an almost electric purple!

My attempts to get water...

Motorbike repair shop: didn't have it
Petrol station: closed (maybe permanently by the look of it)
Boots: assistant looked stupid, then inspired, and offered me distilled witch hazel...
Sainsburies: had 'ironing water' own brand or posh brand for just over a quid. Great, except it had perfume in. (And nothing on the water isle...)
Tesco's: nothing
Hydroponics and composting shop: didn't have it, but apparently they have their own RO unit, so might consider selling water at some point, but they'd have to think about it.
Hardware/diy store: bought a bottle of de-ionised water *G* Apparently that's OK. Had to duck under the shutter as I went out as they were closing.