Utricularia purpurea
Utricularia purpurea
Ease to Grow: Easy.
Dormancy: No.
Native Range: Southeastern USA.
Zones: 7-11 (6-12).
Utricularia purpurea, the Eastern Purple Bladderwort, is a large, perennial, temperate aquatic bladderwort with bright purple summer flowers. It grows suspended in the boggy waters with no roots. Its leaves are finely divided, and occur in whorls of 5 to 7 along the stem. The leaves are covered with numerous small ovoid bladders about 1/16", which turn dark from devouring infusoria, including mosquitoes. It prefers dark, tea colored, boggy waters rich in tannins. It does best in full sun, growing under and among emergent aquatic plants, such as water lilies, frogbit and pickerel weed. Its flowers reaching above the water in mid summer. If temperatures fall below 45 °F (7°C), it forms turions (winter buds), which settle to the bottom, and help it survive cooler temperatures. This is a wonderful plant for indoor and outdoor growing.
Plants shipped as a 2-4+" sprig with one or more growing tips. In it's dormant season, it will be shipped as a dormant turion.
Photo from honda-e.com.
Length: 18+".
Plant Type: Perennial, temperate.
Soil: Bog Water.
Light: Bright to partial bright indoors, partial sun outdoors.
Use: Grows well indoors and greenhouse. Great for helping to control mosquitoes.
