Bladderworts (Utricularia) Growing Tips

Sun:  Full to part sun.  Most bladderworts prefer a shady nook in the outside bog garden.

Water:  Use the tray method for terrestrial and tropical bladderworts, keeping the soil wet.

Temperature:  There are 226 species of Bladderworts and they grow virtually worldwide, thus they come from varied climates. Our tropical species do best in warm greenhouses and terrariums.  The terrestrial bladderworts make wonderful, miniature, flowering ground covers in the spaces around your other carnivores and can take temperature from 40-90 degrees.

Dormancy:  No dormancy period required.

Soil: 

• Aquatic species: One cup of peat, well-mixed, into each gallon of water.
• Tropical species: Equal parts fine orchid bark, New Zealand long-fibered sphagnum, peat and perlite.
• Terrestrial Species: Two parts peat to one part sand or perlite.

Containers: Plastic containers with drainage holes work best for terrestrial and epiphytic species.  Most terrestrials also do well in un-drained containers.  If you wish to view the bladders on terrestrials, grow them in glass containers with removable black plastic sheeting of construction paper wrapped along the outside of the glass below the soil level.

Fertilizer/Feeding:  MaxSea fertilizer can also be applied, once per month on the foliage of the plants and try to avoid pouring too much of the MaxSea through the soil.