# The wonderful world of Utricularia!!!!



## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

I've recently gotten re interested in these and ordered a few and am currently trying not to kill the surviving ones  

For those who aren't familiar with them Utricularia are a type of carnivorous plant. Most species grow fairly small and many are suitable for the viv and would pose no danger to any inhabitants. They come in Epiphytic,terrestrial, semi terrestrial/aquatic, and full aquatic forms. Here is a wiki article for more basic info...
Utricularia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here are pics stolen from the internet of what I think are some of the more impressive species. I'd love to see more vendors carry them here in the states and more choice of species also...right now the EU has a lot of the coolest stuff that is very hard to get here ;(

I'd like to see these pop up in viv pictures more often also...anyone having pics of utricularia growing in their viv or elsewhere feel free to post here, I've seen a few here so I know you are out there 

Lets start with the more blue ones...

U. biloba









U. babui










u. graminifolia "bright blue flower"









And so on...

u. dichotoma









u. fulva









u. sandersonii









u. alpina









u. campbelliana









u. Jitka









u. quelchii









u. menziesii









u. paulineae









u. simplex









u. subulata











This pretty much covers the range of colors if not the flower shapes. There are of course many species to choose from with obvious or subtle differences.

Here is a cp photo database with pics of many known Utricularia...
Utricularia photos

Here are most of the USA sources I've found so far, please feel free to add more if you know of them...

http://www.exoticplantsplus.com/orderform.htm
Carnivorous Plants for Sale | Carnivorous Plant Nursery
California Carnivores
Equilibrio Carnivorous Plants - Utricularia
eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices (search Utricularia or bladderwort)
I'm missing one but I can't find it now ;( But it only had the most common species I think so no big deal.

Here is a Utricularia info/link site...
Utricularia Links

And One of the best overseas suppliers and where I stole many pics from...
Best Carnivorous Plants Store

Like I said feel free to post your own Utricularia in or out of the viv or even more stolen pics from the internet. I left out fully aquatic Utrics since most seem to flower yellow if at all but they may be another option for our water ffeatures except for a few with traps possibly large enough to trap small tads?


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## Brotherly Monkey (Jul 20, 2010)

that u. fulva is awesome looking


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## Evan Keller (Dec 4, 2008)

Sorry I didn't see this earlier, that U. sandersonii is really cool looking, I'm thinking about trying out a carnivorous terrarium again, previously I only had pitchers in it but a change in humidity and sun exposure from my dorm room to my house must have been too much so it's time to start a new one...


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## chuckpowell (May 12, 2004)

I've never had much success going Utricularia in frog terrariums. I wrote an article on them for the old International Society for the Study of Dendrobatids Newsletter back in the early 1990's - some of the warmer growing species should work, but most of the one you've illustrated need cooler temperatures than found in our terrariums.

Best,

Chuck


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

chuckpowell said:


> I've never had much success going Utricularia in frog terrariums. I wrote an article on them for the old International Society for the Study of Dendrobatids Newsletter back in the early 1990's - some of the warmer growing species should work, but most of the one you've illustrated need cooler temperatures than found in our terrariums.
> 
> Best,
> 
> Chuck


Ya, those pics are mostly just to illustrate the color variation. Though they also happen to be most of the ones I would like to see in my vivs and would try or am currently trying  I was under the impression that most would grow in temps around the 70's at least if not actually flower? But my research so far has been more general then species specific in most cases.

These are what I've recently aquired and am attempting, though I think I killed some already while planting them. Probably should have let them fill in the pot they came in more before putting them into something else.

What I've got so far....
Utricularia sandersonii
Utricularia calycifida 
Utricularia graminifolia 
Utricularia nephrophylla (think I killed it, had very few leaves and I think they got smashed in transplanting...may surive not sure)	
Utricularia quelchii (I think this was misidentified given the way she was growing it. It was in a small vial of water, no soil...growing like an aquatic. But quelchii is an Epiphytic Bladderwort so that doesn't seem right to me, but it was alive and a utricularia so I got it just in case it was correct or something else cool) Update: Think I killed this one too...Since it was alive in the water and presumably growing there for several months given the Ebay ad, I attempted to lay it half in and out of the water on a bed of wet sphagnum moss(partially covered by the moss) in an established water feature of a viv but it seems to have mostly disappeared now.
utricularia biloba moolooaba 1 (think its is still alive and starting to spread)
utricularia lateriflora frodshams pass, tasmania (might have killed this one already ;(

I put the first batch all in a small grow out viv and got a lot of mold growth that seemed to be killing them, and I pretty much finished some of them off in the attempt to transplant and save what was left 

These should be arriving soon...
UTRICULARIA MINUTISSIMA (white flower) - 20 SEEDS	
UTRICULARIA QUELCHII ( Ilu Tepui, Venezuela) - 15 SEEDS

Not expecting great success with seeds, but they were cheap so figured what the hell. Be awesome if I actually got some real Quelchii going for only 5 or so dollars in seeds


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## Brotherly Monkey (Jul 20, 2010)

how difficult is it to sow the seeds?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

While I haven't tried it, I've read a decent amount on it via my subscription to the ICPS.. they aren't hard to sow, many will germinate in a petri dish of shallow water, the real problem is that they have to be sown very very rapidly or the embryos dry out and die. 

I've been meaning to get a copy of Taylor's The Genus Utricularia: A Taxonomic Monograph.. but other things end up needing me to spend money on them first. 

Ed


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

I really want some of the u. campbelliana or quelchii, or any other tepui species for that matter!


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## Brotherly Monkey (Jul 20, 2010)

Do you mean the ICPS forum, or is there an actual print magazine they put out?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Brotherly Monkey said:


> Do you mean the ICPS forum, or is there an actual print magazine they put out?


There is an actual print magazine that comes out I think 4 times a year. Past issues are only available via pdf now unless you find someone with a stash of them. 

Ed


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## Brotherly Monkey (Jul 20, 2010)

Ed said:


> There is an actual print magazine that comes out I think 4 times a year. Past issues are only available via pdf now unless you find someone with a stash of them.
> 
> Ed



sha-nizzle


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## RSS (May 21, 2010)

The plant being passed around as U. quechii is likely U. tricolor, there is a huge post about it here Utricularia id plz... - Terra Forums Carnivorous Plant Discussions. As of yet it has not been Ided, assuming you got some of that plant.

Some Utric's will grow completely aquatic even though they are listed as otherwise, and some straight aquatics will grow emersed in high enough humidity. I have U. gibba growing emersed for instance.

And some photo's, not stolen 

Utricularia graminifolia









Utricularia nephrophylla flower









Utricularia calycifida


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Brotherly Monkey said:


> sha-nizzle


If you are a member the cd with all of the back issues is I believe $10 plus shipping and handling.. 

Ed


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## RSS (May 21, 2010)

More random U. graminifolia photo's, some are rated M for Mature.


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## NathanB (Jan 21, 2008)

thats really awesome ^^


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## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

I have Always LOVED Utricularia calycifida


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## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

Great job RSS. Are your australe breeding on top of the Utricularia?
Also, in photo 1 in the second set (below the pleurothallid and a little in the background)
there are a couple of little stems of the utricularia with tiny leaflets. Are these new leaves or the traps? Thanks.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

RSS said:


> The plant being passed around as U. quechii is likely U. tricolor, there is a huge post about it here Utricularia id plz... - Terra Forums Carnivorous Plant Discussions. As of yet it has not been Ided, assuming you got some of that plant.
> 
> Some Utric's will grow completely aquatic even though they are listed as otherwise, and some straight aquatics will grow emersed in high enough humidity. I have U. gibba growing emersed for instance.
> 
> ...


Welcome to the Board RSS...I do believe I have some of your U. graminifolia, and sandersonii, and calycifidia, some small ferns also  ...I keep killing nephrophylla for some reason though...it just does not survive transplanting well for me. I've been considering biding on those orchids but I think I already blew my plant money for awhile on some Porroglossum rodrigoi, Cleisocentron	merillianum, and Microsorum steerii. I've really gotta learn to love cheaper plants 

I didn't pick up any of the live quelchii. If it was the guy who had the make offer feature enabled I think I said $10 or something LOL...he of course turned it down. I did get some seeds of that and some other stuff from that foreign guy who supposedly represents bestcarnivores.com before I learned seeds that old weren't likely to be viable I think...of course nothing has sprouted. Lesson learned ;( 

I'd order some plants direct from them and even pay for the photo sanitary thing but they make you fax crap to them and all...I'm lazy, to much of hassle for me right now...but if you ever feel like jumping through their hoops I might go in on an order with you sometime if you are interested and I have the money.

Are you finally getting some flowering from your U. Gram...I think I remember reading it wasn't being very nice to you in that department?


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## RSS (May 21, 2010)

Manuran said:


> Great job RSS. Are your australe breeding on top of the Utricularia?
> Also, in photo 1 in the second set (below the pleurothallid and a little in the background)
> there are a couple of little stems of the utricularia with tiny leaflets. Are these new leaves or the traps? Thanks.


Yes the australes are breeding in the Utric, and I've never seen ANY babies 

The tiny runners are leaflets there, bladders "generally" don't form on the airborn runners, they start forming when more moisture is present.


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## RSS (May 21, 2010)

Dendro Dave said:


> Welcome to the Board RSS...I do believe I have some of your U. graminifolia, and sandersonii, and calycifidia, some small ferns also  ...I keep killing nephrophylla for some reason though...it just does not survive transplanting well for me. I've been considering biding on those orchids but I think I already blew my plant money for awhile on some Porroglossum rodrigoi, Cleisocentron	merillianum, and Microsorum steerii. I've really gotta learn to love cheaper plants
> 
> I didn't pick up any of the live quelchii. If it was the guy who had the make offer feature enabled I think I said $10 or something LOL...he of course turned it down. I did get some seeds of that and some other stuff from that foreign guy who supposedly represents bestcarnivores.com before I learned seeds that old weren't likely to be viable I think...of course nothing has sprouted. Lesson learned ;(
> 
> ...


I've had alot of success with U. nephrophylla in lower light levels than med to high.

I've never tried a Porroglossum, I'll need to add that to the list.

Sprouting Utric seeds is nothing I would wish on people, you sometimes have to keep them for years before they sprout. If you still have them I would not give up on them.

Until I get ALOT more growing space I'm not ordering from oversea's, it would need to be a massive order to get me to go through that mess again.

That stalk is my first and only one, its about an inch longer than the photo now and growing! I've been growing UG for 4+ years and could carpet my kitchen with the amount I've grown over the years.


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## Brotherly Monkey (Jul 20, 2010)

boabab95 said:


> I have Always LOVED Utricularia calycifida



how large is a full sized plant?


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Anyone on here grow U. campbelliana, quelchii, or menziesii? If so, I'm very interested in aquiring some!


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## Brotherly Monkey (Jul 20, 2010)

bussardnr said:


> thats really awesome ^^


co-signed~!!!


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## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

RSS said:


> Yes the australes are breeding in the Utric, and I've never seen ANY babies
> 
> The tiny runners are leaflets there, bladders "generally" don't form on the airborn runners, they start forming when more moisture is present.


Too bad on the australe. The parents are good hunters!

Thanks for the info. I've been growing an epiphytic utricularia for a few years now. I have the original little plant/leaf that was given to me. I've noticed the runners with the little leaflets on them, but I have never had any other leaves pop up. Only this month I've had about 5 individual leaves sprout up among the runners that take up a 10"X10" area. I've always wondered what I was looking at. With your info as well as the 5 leaves, I finally have a good idea.

Here's a poor picture of a few leaves. They are a little over an inch long. 
Thanks again.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

RSS said:


> I've had alot of success with U. nephrophylla in lower light levels than med to high.
> 
> I've never tried a Porroglossum, I'll need to add that to the list.
> 
> ...


LoL cool....ya I threw the seeds in different spots in 1 or 2 vivs...so they aren't going anywhere. I guess if they are still viable, in the right conditions and so inclined...they'll grow 

I think some of my problem with nephrophylla and maybe why some of my others have struggled or been slow growing is my soil...I don't think it was sandy enough. I was having a terrible time finding sand, or more accurately I was to lazy to drive into Tulsa where I knew I could find it  I finally found some small bags in walmart's fake flower section. Still think I need more though the last batch of soil I made up still isn't 50/50 or all that close probably. Mostly sphagnum, peat, coco, some sand, and some ground up tree fern scraps.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

JoshH said:


> Anyone on here grow U. campbelliana, quelchii, or menziesii? If so, I'm very interested in aquiring some!


Ya me too....only quelchii is likely to be had without a small miracle or overseas order it seems. Even then there doesn't seem to be much of the real thing going around.


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## RSS (May 21, 2010)

Brotherly Monkey said:


> how large is a full sized plant?


That pot/cup is 2" across, the largest leaf I've gotted was about 1.5" or so. Now...the flower stalks can get 2-3 feet high, with the 1st flower about 8-12" up then they just keep flowering until they hit my "roof".



JoshH said:


> Anyone on here grow U. campbelliana, quelchii, or menziesii? If so, I'm very interested in aquiring some!


Good luck getting any of these in the states. There are a few people with the real U. quelchii but unless you have experience with other Utric's I would avoid it until there is enough supply in the states to replace it if you killed it.



Manuran said:


> Too bad on the australe. The parents are good hunters!
> 
> Thanks for the info. I've been growing an epiphytic utricularia for a few years now. I have the original little plant/leaf that was given to me. I've noticed the runners with the little leaflets on them, but I have never had any other leaves pop up. Only this month I've had about 5 individual leaves sprout up among the runners that take up a 10"X10" area. I've always wondered what I was looking at. With your info as well as the 5 leaves, I finally have a good idea.
> 
> ...


Looks like a runner to me, happen to know the species?



Dendro Dave said:


> LoL cool....ya I threw the seeds in different spots in 1 or 2 vivs...so they aren't going anywhere. I guess if they are still viable, in the right conditions and so inclined...they'll grow
> 
> I think some of my problem with nephrophylla and maybe why some of my others have struggled or been slow growing is my soil...I don't think it was sandy enough. I was having a terrible time finding sand, or more accurately I was to lazy to drive into Tulsa where I knew I could find it  I finally found some small bags in walmart's fake flower section. Still think I need more though the last batch of soil I made up still isn't 50/50 or all that close probably. Mostly sphagnum, peat, coco, some sand, and some ground up tree fern scraps.


The best place I found for sand is oddly enough hardware stores. Quikrete in the cement section makes a medium sand that is about perfect.

This stuff QUIKRETE® - Sand - Commercial Grade and its like $3-5 for 50 pounds.


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## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

Looks like a runner to me, happen to know the species?


Sorry, I don't. I know this doesn't help much. But it has a purple colored flower with a yellow throat and it is between 1.5" and 2" across. It looked like there was a second flower following the first, but that one didn't make it.


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## RSS (May 21, 2010)

Manuran said:


> Looks like a runner to me, happen to know the species?
> 
> 
> Sorry, I don't. I know this doesn't help much. But it has a purple colored flower with a yellow throat and it is between 1.5" and 2" across. It looked like there was a second flower following the first, but that one didn't make it.


This would be my first guess Utricularia longifolia photos, happen to look like that flower?


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

Has anyone here ever tried _U. humboldtii_?


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## RSS (May 21, 2010)

skylsdale said:


> Has anyone here ever tried _U. humboldtii_?


I've been growing it for about 1-2 years now. Still waiting on runners from the main plant.

You can trade for U. humboldtii if you look around for it.


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## Brotherly Monkey (Jul 20, 2010)

RSS said:


> That pot/cup is 2" across, the largest leaf I've gotted was about 1.5" or so. Now...the flower stalks can get 2-3 feet high, with the 1st flower about 8-12" up then they just keep flowering until they hit my "roof".



do the stalks vine, or would you need 2-3 feet of solid space for it flower properly?


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## RSS (May 21, 2010)

Brotherly Monkey said:


> do the stalks vine, or would you need 2-3 feet of solid space for it flower properly?


2-3 feet for it to be all natural, now I got about 2-3 flowers out of 12" of space. The more head room the more flowers. The plant will grow just fine even if the stalk is hitting the roof.

They are not "that" hard to flower so cutting the longer stalks is not that painful.


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