Date: Mon, 17 May 1999 08:13:56 -0700 From: "Andrew Marshall" <andrewm@olywa.net> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1702$foo@default> Subject: U. Minor
HI Hawk, HI folks,
As a matter of fact, I used to grow U. minor quite well until I lost it
in the freeze. (all my glass aquariums, and most of plastic were burst)
>
> I was wondering if anybody grows Utricularia minor.
> In the wild it seems to like semi-aquatic conditions, growing among
> waterlogged mosses.
Yes, that is how I found it. It was entwined amongst roots and sphagnum
strands, in the water filled depressions on a floating sphagnum bog.
Totally aquatic at the time we found it, I know that the previous year, by
August the place was bone dry. I do not know where it goes in the late
summer. I only assume it returns every year (am I suggesting Utricularia
migrate?) and would be dry again in August.
>
>I haven't tried it but suppose it ought to grow just fine--if you keep it
>cool.
>In its native mountain or high latitude habitat of typically shallow water
>(meadows, fens, bogs) it rarely sees temperatures above 60 F.
>
Except in Summer. I kept it in moss filled trays, or in trays amongst
the inverted pots that my Nepenthes stand on. It does well in both places
if kept cool.
> I've tried growing it in very wet Sphagnum, but without great results.
>
>Perhaps too acidic, check the ph.
>
> On the other hand, it doesn't like growing in open water: it survives, but
> it has a very weak appearence.
It isn't the most robust looking plant anyway.
>
>Yes, often it is found as an epiphyte upon itself or other aquatic
vegetation
>(often with U. intermedia, U. ochroleuca/U. macrorhiza). Usually if you
find
>an open body of water in the Western US it will be on the edges somewhere.
If
>you find a fen/bog look for the Drosera anglica and then the U. minor at
the
>base of these plants.
>
Yes. that is often how we found it. Which brings to mind an observation
for which I seek comment if any one has any to make.
I notice that in many of my bog trips, I will find a species that if
standing in water grows very muich larger then we expect, and if growing on
'dry' land as we say it is supposed to, it is much smaller, with all the
expected gradations in between. For instance...
D. rotundifolia (could also be D. intermedia and D. capillaris) I have seen
growing in all sorts of places, but always they seem to get larger as they
get nearer the water, and will assume "giant" size once they get in deep.
Not just longer stems or flower scapes, but the whole plant really explodes.
These plants seem to retain this feature even if removed and grown a few
seasons on 'dry' land next to thier smaller cousins. I have also seen this
with S. flava and S. puspurea venosa and S. purpurea purpurea. I have not
been able to induce giantism in plants how ever even though I have taken the
smaller cousins and placed them in water. Doesn't seem to work that way.
Thoughts? comments?
>More questions?...try CPS of the West Volume II: California, Oregon,
>Washington.
I very strongly reccomend to any one interested in cp at all to get this
book. It is by far one of the more helpful in understanding the smaller
details about the native species. I wouldn't go afield with out it.
Best wishes and good growing
Andrew
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