Utricularia sandersonii

Description

Utricularia sandersonii is a beautiful and easy species of Bladderwort. Its flowers are the best part — they look like little bunny faces in a mix of white, pink, and purple. Underground, it has hundreds of little carnivorous traps that feed on tiny insects and other microscopic animals. The traps are some of the most complex structures in the plant kingdom! Though some Bladderworts have large traps over 1cm in diameter, Utricularia sandersonii has traps around 1mm.

As a terrestrial bladderwort, it grows on the surface of wet soil and quickly spreads with its thin, lateral stems. Utricularia sandersonii is native to South Africa and can thrive in a huge range of different environments. It grows best with moderately strong light and will flower profusely and continuously if fertilized regularly. It loves to grow in terrariums, windowsills, bogs…pretty much anywhere.

Plants are potted in 2.5”x2.5”x3.5” pots and will be a clump of leaves spreading from the center of the pot. Photo 2 is representative of the plant you will receive.

Growing Information

Climate: Adaptable to any mild climate. Temperatures between 50-90F are best. It grows well in low to high humidity as long as the soil is wet.

Light: Part Sun or at least 10W per sq ft LED light. Utricularia sandersonii can tolerate low light (but may not flower), so it is best to give moderately strong light.

Water: Distilled or Reverse Osmosis water. Keep the soil constantly wet and do not allow it to dry out. It can tolerate soggy/waterlogged conditions, but prefers just wet soil.

Soil: 50% Peat Moss: 50% Perlite/Sand. Rinse media with distilled or reverse osmosis water to remove excess salts. Never use peat moss with fertilizer.

Feeding: Feed with MaxSea fertilizer diluted to 1/4 tsp per gallon every month. Lightly spray the leaves but do not overfeed, especially in undrained containers.