How to make Utricularia bloom?

[jht-union]

Hi,

I just wanted to know how to make utricularia flower? This year with all the long strands of U. Inflata i have, none flower, in fact they didn't made those floating whorls that allows the, to float and release the flowestalk.
Is the same thing with terrestrial utrics such as U. Longifolia, U. Grammifolia and U. Juncea, they don't flower for me, whatcould be the case?

I am curious as to why these plants don't flower that much if they are supposedly appreciated for their flowers. U. Bisquamata does flowers for me often but the flowers are very tiny.

U. Gramnifolia and U. Longifolia are growing inside a terrarium almost to the water level in LM, i also allowed the top to dry a little, humidity is very high. U. Gramnifolia I also have outisd in the greenhouse growing well in peat moss and spreading like crazy as well as U. Juncea and U. Bisquamata. Oh U. Sandersonii is also growing inside the terrarium.
I do occasional floodings to the terrarium and in the pot outside in the greenhouse.
So what are the factors that determine Flowering in Utricularia both terrestrial and aquatic?

Thank you.

 

[rattler]

constant conditions? mine seemed to flower with temp swings when i was growing them in the kitchen.......less so in the basement where its more constant.....some species are more inclined to flower than others and some longifolia clones are known to be very difficult to flower while other clones flower readily....

 

[Brie]

I dont have experience with any you listed except for longifolia.. But my longifolia, calycifida, livida and sandersonni all went bonkers when I moved them from my grow rack, to a cooler window sill where they only get filtered light.. They all almost immediately flowered and have been going non stop since(i moved em late winter).. so I think its a combo of them prefering less intense light, and feeling a shift of season..

 

[swords]

You can try black magic and voodoo curses but these plants are resilient non-bloomers. I did finally get my U. longifolia and U. nephrophylla to bloom by extending the light hours by 1/2 an hour and I will be extending it a bit more now since I remember I haven't adjusted it since. They do seem to appreciate a sense of changing seasons, the ones I have in a plastic shoebox under a constant 12/12 light cycle still haven't bloomed in all the years I've had them but they seem to grow OK.

 

[amphirion]

my experience tells me that U. graminifolia only flowers once when the plant reaches overcrowded critical mass.

 

[RL7836]

Sometimes I think asking for the secrets of the universe would be easier to answer ... LOL. As others have stated, some of the possible catalysts (separate or together):

- seasonal photoperiod
- seasonal temperature change
- seasonal flooding (&/or dry period)
- rootbound pot
- minimum size pot (may need larger root mass)
- different light intensity

It's a puzzle for us to unlock with each species & definitely not the same triggers for each species. As Brie noted, I also grew U. longifolia for many years before finally doing some research & sticking it on my windowsill in the fall. They've flowered each spring since (each clone I had) as did a U. praelonga.

I've still got a number of Orchidioides species that still haven't shared any flowers yet - even though they've had full pots of roots & tubers for over a year. Some others are now blooming for me as they come out of a rest period. I'm planning to play with photoperiod & watering to try & mimic some seasonality ...

When in doubt, try to figure out how they grow in their native environment. Good luck in your quest - when you unlock some of the secrets - remember to share with your buddies here on TF! Also - to keep your spirits up, always grow a few 'easier' species (like U. livida & U. sandersonii "white").

 

[jimscott]

It's a puzzle for us to unlock with each species & definitely not the same triggers for each species. As Brie noted, I also grew U. longifolia for many years before finally doing some research & sticking it on my windowsill in the fall. They've flowered each spring since (each clone I had) as did a U. praelonga.

2 years ago it flowered on the window sill. Last year it flowered outside. This year the colony died out. Go figure...

 

[jht-union]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

I am trying to make some changes to the terrarium such as high humidity in the day and low at night. i was doing low humidity in the day and high at night and cold temps at night, then i change it to hot and high humidity days and cold nights and my Tillandsia fuego is currently flowering. Now just to change it I switch from high humidity and hot to low humidity and relatively cold in the night.

Hopefully that will help, all other plants in the terrarium such as nepenthes, cephalotus, droseras, tillandsias seem to be doing ok as well as the utrics....i just need them to flower! u. Bisquamata is currently the only flowering both outdoors and indoors.

Will to figure out what is best for my conditions in order for them to flower.