Bladderworts

North-American Bladderworts:

1. amethystina, australis, biflora, cornuta, fibrosa, fimbriata (simulans), floridana, foliosa, geminiscapa, gibba, inflata, intermedia, macrohiza (vulgaris), minor, ochroleuca, olivacea, purpurea, radiata, resupinata, simulans (fimbriata), vulgaris (macrohiza)

Temperate Bladderworts:

1. aurea, caerulea, capensis, dichotoma, hookeri, lateriflora, monanthos, nova-zealandiae, racemosa, violacea

Tropical Bladderworts:

1. alpina, amethystina, calcifida, dusenii, endresii, foliosa, humboldtii, hydrocarpa, inflexa, jamesoniana, leptoplectra, livida, lloydii, longifolia, nelumbifolia, obtusa, praelonga, praetermissa, prehensillis, pubescens, pusilla, reniformis, sandersoni, scandens, simulans, spiralis, stellaris, subulata, tricolor, ulginosa, unifolia

Tuberous Bladderworts 

1. menziesii

Family Lentibulariaceae, same as Pinguicula .
Also known as Bladderworts, these plants aren't really grown to watch them trap insects, but for their beautiful flowers.  This is the most wide-spread of genus of carnivorous clants.  There are 4 species : Tropical, Temperate, North American, and Tuberous. Within those exist a possible total of three more sub-groups :aquatic, terrestrial, and epiphytic species. Aquatics grow free floating in the water, sometimes attached to the ground below.  Terrestrials grow in wet, acidic soils, and Epiphites grow on the surface of moss-covered objects. 
There is a small sac underwater ( ie: Bladder ) connected to the plants' roots. The trap acts faster than a venus fly trap in terms of trapping insects.  When an aquatic insect or extremely small fish swims in front, the water is removed from the underwater sac, sucking in the insect.  These plants were not found to be carnivorous at first, due to their discreet nature of underground traps.  
Following are some guidelines which I have read about. 

Growing Media:

Terrestrial plants can be planted in pure sphagnum (dead prefered, so it won't overgrow the plants), or mixtures of Peat moss & perlite/vermiculite.  Grow them in water-logged containers.

Aquatic species can grow in water in any container (about 6-8" of water), and it helps to have a few inches of thick medium at the bottom of the pot for any roots to hold onto. It's very important for the medium to be acidic. If it is not, add a LIGHT mixture of soil acidifier, or mix in some peat moss/sphagnum. 

Epiphytic plants can also be grown in pure sphagnum or mixtures of peat moss and perlite/vermiculite when in containers.  Some containers can be wooden or stone for the plant to take hold. 

Water & Humidity:

Terrestrial plants, as said above, can be grown in water-logged soil.

Aquatic plants need acidic water (acidic is better than neutral)

Epiphytic plant are best when watered often, and kept with high humidity

Asexual Reproduction:

Terrestrials : Take a small group of the soil with plants, divide, and repot.

Aquatics : Cut host plant in a few pieces, 3" long and replace in the water.

 

Epiphytics : Just divide the host plant up, and repot. 

 

Sexual Reproduction:

Some of the bladderworts are self-seeding, other than that I don't know too much about these plants. I do know my U. livida spreads like a weed. 

Last update 04/13/00

Since 2/22/2000