Utricularia asplundii (Shipped Bare-Root)

Utricularia asplundii is one of the orchid flowered bladderworts from section Orchidioides, and it is one you almost never see offered. It comes from the wet Andean cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador, where it grows in moss on tree trunks and on the forest floor, sitting on small tubers that store water to carry it through dry spells.

Where alpina puts up a handful of big white blooms, this species goes for quantity. A happy plant sends up long flower stalks that arch and drape over the side of the pot, each one carrying a spray of up to nine creamy flowers. This is one of the parents behind the alpina x asplundii hybrid, and seeing the straight species in bloom shows you exactly where that hybrid gets its charm.

Like all epiphytic bladderworts, this one traps prey underground with tiny bladder traps hidden in the moss around its roots, catching microscopic soil life instead of insects on leaves. It grows naturally on mossy trees and banks in the wild, so recreating that setup at home is the whole game.

Quick Care Guide: Epiphytic Utricularia

Media: pure long fiber sphagnum moss with a little perlite mix. These roots want moss to run through.

Moisture: keep the moss constantly damp, not soggy. Do not let it dry out, even briefly.

Light: bright indirect light. Some morning sun is fine, but avoid harsh midday exposure.

Humidity: high humidity helps a lot. A terrarium or greenhouse setup will outperform an open windowsill.

Water: distilled or rainwater only, same as every other carnivorous plant in the collection.

Note: Shipped bare-root. Pot and media sold separately, see my pre-filled sphagnum moss pots if you want a ready to go home for it.