Re: U. menziesii -Reply

Rogan Roth (ROTH@gate2.cc.unp.ac.za)
Fri, 10 Mar 1995 10:33:12 +200

Dear Christopher,

Thanks for your advice. Just a note on the cultivation of U.
prehensilis which grows naturally not far from where I live. I
am always very surprised to read of all the trouble people seem
to have in persuading U. prehensilis to flower. I grow my plants
under approximately 40% shade cloth with regular overhead
misting. The 100mm (4 inch) plastic pots I grow them in are
plunged to approx. 4/5 of their depth into a container of rain
water. After a short period of time the stolons grow out the
bottom of the pot and colonise the submerged space around the
pot. Here they form the biggest bladders, up to 4mm (1/8 inch)
in diameter and if Daphnia (water fleas) are present the trapping
action can be observed (needs some patience though!).

My plants flower regularly and profusely every year. The climate
is very mild in this part of South Africa so my plants remain
outdoors in similar conditions the year through. I often grow
several species of Xyris together with U. prehensilis as the
rigid flower stems of the Xyris make excellent, natural supports
for the climbing inflorescences of the Utricularia. A word of
caution though: many Xyris species produce abundant seed, the
seedlings of which may become a considerable nuisance in the
collection.

I hope this is of some help to you.

Cheers for now.

Best regards
Rogan Roth.

(ROTH@GATE2.CC.UNP.AC.ZA)