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Utricularia

The bladderworts are among the most numerous and widespread carnivorous plants, encompassing the ranks of truly weedy plants to expert-level orchid-like gems. Underground or underwater suction traps and bright, often flashy flowers make this a unique group. Bladderworts are sold as 1-2 inch diameter plugs or divisions.

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U. sandersonii blue.jpg

U. sandersonii "Blue"- $10

This form of "Angry Bunny" produces broader leaves and  is somewhat more reluctant to flower, with larger blooms bearing broader lower lips shaded in almost solid baby blue save for yellow and green rings near the throat.

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U. praelonga -$11

This South American species is rather unique in simultaneously developing two distinctly different types of leaves, one set an elongate ovular ground-hugging type that will blanket the soil, and the other (often produced along the edges of the pot here, interestingly), a tall, grass-like blade up to 6" or more tall. Exposure to strong seasonal changes supposedly should trigger development of stalks that sport several moderately sized, lemon-yellow flowers. 

U. calycifida.jpg

U. calycifida -$14

A terrestrial species with broad, rounded leaves up to 3 inches across that may range from solid green to strikingly patterned in red or purple bleeding veins. Self-pollinating flowers are produced on a tall, sturdy stalk and colored in patterned violet and lavender with yellow highlights on the expanded palate.

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U. livida -$12

This is one of the classic South African forms of the species, producing mats of small, elongate ovular leaves that cover the soil surface and will grow in anything from mildly moist to slightly submerged conditions. Flower stalks will sport at any one time from one to a half dozen slipper-shaped blooms, the upper lip tiny and the lower colored half-white, half-lavender (though lower light may produce seemingly all-white flowers). Once established it often blooms profusely, dozens of stalks with hundreds of blooms possible even from a small pot.

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U. geoffrayi "Gunung Tahan, Malaysia" -$15

Frequently distributed as the much rarer U. minutissima, this tropical Asian species develops mats of tiny grass-like leaves across the surface of the soil, and thin stalks bearing one to several exceedingly small but intricately colored flowers that sport short spurs and two broad lower lobes in shades of purple, yellow, and white. An easy terrestrial species, though may flower best in seasonal environments or changes in moisture levels.

U. sandersonii blue SG.jpg

U. sandersonii "Blue" SG -$14

A seed-grown form of this common species, sporting a unique appearance that IMO shows possibility of the original "blue" form being of hybrid origin. Plants develop mats of variably shaped but usually fat oblong leaves across the soil surface, tolerating moderate moisture to flooding. In winter, short, wiry stalks will sport one to several blooms with broad lower lips and a an upper lip that, unlike the two-lobed shape of the common versions, is nearly completely fused, only sporting the characteristic double blue lines to show the original shape. Color is otherwise overall blue-lavender  with white and green bands near the flower center. 

TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE

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U. microcalyx -$15

This terrestrial African bladderwort is quite an easy grower overall like many of its similar relatives, producing carpets of grass-like tiny leaves on wet soils an sending up short stalks with, as the name suggests, very small but intricately patterned flowers. The blooms are similar to its relatives U. livida and sandersonii, with a small upper lip and broad flaring lower lip shaded light bluish patterned with triangular lavender-blue markings underneath a white halo and similar dark purplish semi-circle, and a green line right near the throat.

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U. nelumbifolia -$35

One of the many spectacular giant "Orchid" bladderworts from South America, this species is particularly famous for inhabiting the water-filled urns of bromeliads and other epiphytic plants, forming loose clumps of stolons covered in large bladder traps and tall, peltate umbrella-like leaves within the pools and spreading stolons that reach up and out into new territories (give it lots of space or it'll colonize other pots). Slight variations in seasonal conditions may result in very tall stalks that will sport one to several big, bright purple/white/yellow flowers that can sometimes be self-pollinated and produce strange papery seeds with already-green baby plants within.
Available plants are small plugs containing actively branching stolons, may or may not have leaves present due to the spreading nature of the plant. TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE

U. livida Mexico flower.jpg

U. livida "Mexico" -$16
The far less common but (in my opinion) far nicer, showier version of this species from the western portion of its range, small oblong leaves will carpet the growing container while tall stalks produce one to several flared skirt-like blooms with lavender-and-white coloration. Multiple stalks at once make for an impressive show.
Plugs will be approx. 1" diameter.

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