How to Grow Utricularia quelchii

Utricularia quelchii is a unique plant among unique plants. This plant is a member of the bladderwort family, an unusual group of carnivorous plants that use suction to capture their prey. What makes U. quelchii even more special are its epiphytic growing habits. Where most bladderworts are found floating in bogs or shallowly rooted in marshy areas, U. quelchii grows among decaying material on the floor of fog forests. It is arguably the most challenging bladderwort to grow successfully in captivity -- but that's a large part of the appeal of this plant to gardeners who keep carnivorous plants.

Long-fibered sphagnum moss
Perlite
Chopped sphagnum
4-inch pot
Zip-top plastic bag
Fluorescent grow light

Instructions

- 1
  Mix long-fibered sphagnum moss with perlite at a rate of 2 parts moss to 3 parts perlite. Fill a 4-inch pot with the mixture and water it until it is very wet. Cover the surface of the growing medium with chopped sphagnum moss.
- 2
  Sprinkle U. quelchii seeds on the surface of the chopped sphagnum. Place the pot inside a zip-top plastic bag and seal it tightly. Place the bagged pot in a location that is warm but not in direct sun. Encourage quicker germination by placing the pot near a fluorescent grow light but not so close that the seedlings scorch.
- 3
  Remove the bag when the seeds germinate. Mist the seedlings regularly with pure water, keeping the soil surface wet at all times. Increase humidity by placing U. quelchii in a terrarium or under a plastic cover if the plants are drying out despite frequent mistings.
- 4
  Propagate additional U. quelchii by taking stem cuttings or digging small tubers. Place the cuttings in the same medium used to germinate the seedlings and treat in the same manner.

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