# Utricularia



## MissMorbus (Jul 14, 2007)

My Utric. graminifolia (bladderwort) is in bloom. This is the first time it's bloomed for me, so I'm really excited. It's so tiny, I had a hard time getting the focus right. The camera just skipped right over it! To give you an idea of the size, that huge white blob in the first picture is a standard sized plastic plant label. 

I love the soft blue color.


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## Marco (Jul 14, 2007)

nice blue


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## Heather (Jul 14, 2007)

neat-o!!


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## SlipperFan (Jul 14, 2007)

Tiny but cute!


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## NYEric (Jul 14, 2007)

Very delicate looking, congrats.


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## Rick (Jul 14, 2007)

That's just too cool:clap:


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## likespaphs (Jul 15, 2007)

neat!
is that the only utric you grow?


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## MissMorbus (Jul 15, 2007)

Thanks for the compliments everyone! They are tiny, but beautiful, and amazingly easy to grow. I have mine sitting in a south facing window. They are in little pots (actually half sized clear dixie type cups with holes in the bottom) on my windowsill. I just put the pots in a saucer of distilled water, and I refill the saucer when it's dry. That's it. I've read that you should put pond water in their saucers every now and then so they can eat micro organisms, but I haven't done that yet. 



likespaphs said:


> neat!
> is that the only utric you grow?



Nope, I also grow livida, warburgii, and dichotoma. The livida is also in bloom, but the spike got so long that's its bent over. It's probably about 12 inches long, so it's laying over a couple of other utric pots. I'm afraid to move it to get a picture because I'm afraid it might break off. I haven't figured out how I would stake a plant so tiny. I guess I could use a cocktail straw, but how in the world would I tie it to the straw?  I'm also afraid the straw would damage the bladders in the soil.


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## likespaphs (Jul 15, 2007)

cool! i've got livida, calycifera (?), and sandersonii. 
do you have a fan on them? all mine get good air circulation and the inflorescences stand, pretty much, straight up.
i'd say don't worry if you break a few bladders. i think that they make so many that a few won't really hurt it. though, i could be wrong....
are all your's terrestrials or do you grow any of the aquatic species? mine are all terrestrials.


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## Heather (Jul 15, 2007)

I want some of these. Yes, Brian, that WAS a hint! oke:
Incidentall, since I repotted it, the Drosera I got recently doesn't seem to be doing so well. However, I think the Aussie Gold mix I got to put it in is pretty good for it.


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## likespaphs (Jul 15, 2007)

they seem to grow great for me in straight peat moss sitting in r.o. water in bright light (i had to take them out of the growth chamber so they're in the greenhouse now).
when you gonna be down here? i'll start a few up for you... you ain't gettin' the calycifera, though...


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## eOrchids (Jul 18, 2007)

The only Utric I have is U. calycifida (and I have plenty of them) which is in spaghnum moss.


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## MissMorbus (Jul 18, 2007)

likespaphs said:


> cool! i've got livida, calycifera (?), and sandersonii.
> do you have a fan on them? all mine get good air circulation and the inflorescences stand, pretty much, straight up.
> i'd say don't worry if you break a few bladders. i think that they make so many that a few won't really hurt it. though, i could be wrong....
> are all your's terrestrials or do you grow any of the aquatic species? mine are all terrestrials.



No, I don't have a fan on them but it would be really hard to get one near them. I really wonder if it's had to do with light. It's been dark and rainy nearly everyday for the past month, so I wonder if it was trying to grow towards the light. Fortunately the weather is getting sunnier now, so maybe it will fix the problem. 

I have mine growing in an equal part peat/perlite mix, and they are happy. 

Heather - They are neat little plants, and I hope you are able to get a few.


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## NYEric (Jul 19, 2007)

Now I have to google this and see if I want to grow some. I hate you all!


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## eOrchids (Jul 19, 2007)

NYEric said:


> Now I have to google this and see if I want to grow some. I hate you all!



YESSS!!! Our plan worked!!! :evil:


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## NYEric (Jul 20, 2007)

I have to find a source for some small aquatic ones. Any suggestions?


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## MissMorbus (Jul 20, 2007)

NYEric said:


> I have to find a source for some small aquatic ones. Any suggestions?



California Carnivores
Sarracenia Northwest

Both of these vendors have one, but they are different ones, so that makes two. 

California Carnivores has an actual shop in California, so I've heard you can email or call them and inquire about particular plants if you can't find what you are looking for on their website. Who knows, they might know of somewhere you can get aquatics if they don't have any.


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## MissMorbus (Jul 20, 2007)

likespaphs said:


> are all your's terrestrials or do you grow any of the aquatic species? mine are all terrestrials.



Oops. I just realized I forgot to answer your question. 

I only grow terrestrials. It seems like a lot of aquatic species need to grow outdoors, and in Louisiana that only means one thing....mosquitoes.

Plus, I have a German Shepherd that would end up in the pond/tank/grow area. She loves water, and I can see her jumping in to splash around and finding these long stringy plants that make neato dog toys. :evil:


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## NYEric (Jul 20, 2007)

Thanx. Since I grow hydro anyway It should work out.


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## likespaphs (Jul 20, 2007)

um, don't mean to be silly, but you realize that the aquatic ones don't take any media and grow directly in water, right?
i've often wondered if i grew utrics in with my plants, as they've very small and i don't think they'd interfere, if they'd eat fungus gnat larvae...


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## NYEric (Jul 21, 2007)

That shouldn't be a problem w/ the 9 trays of circulating water I have in my livingroom.


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## TheLorax (Aug 15, 2007)

Utricularia gibba is what would be referred to as an affixed aquatic meaning if you choose to try to grow this plant from CA Carnivores, you might want to try doing so in an opaque 3 gallon shallow container (I have used deep cat litter pans) with around 2" of wet sphagnum moss topped with another inch of very well rinsed sand. The layer of sand keeps the water clear. Fill with rain water/distilled water/RO water to only an inch or so over the sand. Gently stick the end of your plant into your medium. If you try to grow this plant in too deep of water or as an aquatic, it will never bloom. If you can add some pond water, great. Do not add mosquito dunks, the traps like the larvae. U. gibba is one of the easiest aquatic utrics to grow but they don't like algae. 

At Sarracenia Northwest, they photographed what appears to me to be U. macrorhiza. 
http://www.cobraplant.com/temperateplants/utricularia-vulgaris.html
They mention a random selection of utrics being sent out and all of those mentioned should work ok for you providing they aren't in fast moving water. All three are indigenous to the US and all three are suspended aquatics meaning they don't need to be "grounded" and will flower for you free floating. The suspended aquatic utrics are a little bit trickier to grow because they are finicky about water chemistry and can not compete with any algae.

All of the utrics mentioned above are temperate species. In the fall when the outer air temps begin to drop, they sink to the bottom of the ponds after having died back to small turions formed in late summer. In the spring they float back up and begin active growth. They need a dormancy or they will burn themselves out. If you don't have an artificial pond in which to grow utrics, you can bring their "home" into your unheated garage for a dormancy period. 

Based on my experiences with fungus gnats, they damage terrestrial utrics particularly the smaller ones. I took care of fungus gnats with a product called Gnatrol which I think I bought online.


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## rdlsreno (Aug 15, 2007)

Very interesting flower!

Ramon


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## NYEric (Aug 15, 2007)

Thanx for the info.


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## TheLorax (Aug 15, 2007)

So will you be trying to grow any aquatic utrics? The gibba reproduces rapidly and flowers profusely when provided with the proper environment and within no time at all you would have a nice conversation piece of a burst of yellow sunshine from the container.


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## NYEric (Aug 15, 2007)

Working on the [gasp!] Paph species collection now!


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## TheLorax (Aug 16, 2007)

Me too. I have one cyp on the way this fall and two cyps on the way next spring. That will be a grand total of three cyps. Does this constitue working on a collection? Just kidding, I know I'm behind the eight ball compared to everyone else here but I'd like to end up with a collection of about 4-5 different species of cyps someday.


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## NYEric (Aug 16, 2007)

Not really behind the ball. I only have the 9 reginae seedlings from this summer. I'm trying not to spread myself any thinner as I'm involved in so many hobbies; but I might eventually get to Utriculriae.


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## TheLorax (Aug 16, 2007)

I keep forgetting I have about 10 mottled leaf Paphs here. Couldn't tell you what I have without looking at the plant tags though. I guess I am a collector of slippers after all!

I, too, don't like to spread myself too thin.


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## NYEric (Aug 16, 2007)

You will be assimilated!


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