Utricularia graminifolia

There are several types of carnivorous plants: some are very visible, such as sarracenia, but there are others that are not so visible, as is the case with our protagonist. Its scientific name is Utricularia graminifolia, and it is one of those that go unnoticed with great ease.

It is typical of the regions with a temperate-cold climate of Asia, but that is very interesting since it means that it resists frost. Get to know it.

Origin and characteristics

View of the Utricularia graminifolia plant in habitat. Image – Flickr/ satish nikam

It is a perennial rhizomatous carnivorous plant native to Asia, specifically Burma, China, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Depending on the conditions of its habitat, it can be terrestrial or underwater, growing in humid soils and even in swamps at altitudes from 0 to 1500 meters above sea level.

The leaves are tussock, green in color. These can be large, up to two inches long, or small if grown as aquatic. The flowers are small, purplish in color. In its rhizomes it has stinging cells which are capable of trapping invertebrate animals to extract nitrogen and phosphorus.

What are their cares?

Image – Flickr/ DGuarch

If you want to have a copy, we recommend that you take care of it as follows:

Location:
- Outdoors: in full sun, or failing that, in an area with lots of light.
- Indoor: in a very bright area, regardless of whether it is grown in an aquarium or in an individual container.
Substrate: fine gravel, between 1 and 3mm.
Irrigation: very frequent. It is advisable to use rainwater, distilled or osmosis.
Planting or transplanting time: in spring, when the risk of frost has passed.
Hardiness: it resists frosts down to -4ºC, but for it to grow it needs a temperature between 16 and 28ºC.