Utricularia Calycifida

[Jonathan F.]

Hi there,

 

Is this Utricularia Calycifida? As I got it at Christmas this year but it as done nothing at all,If someone can ID it and give me a bit of info that would be great..

 

Thanks Jonathan

 

 

 

[Sebulon]

Doesn't look like calycifida to me.

 

Unless it has been grown in way too dark conditions, then it might be. Even small leaves of U. calycifida have the red veins in strong light.

[Jonathan F.]

Doesn't look like calycifida to me.

Unless it has been grown in way too dark conditions, then it might be. Even small leaves of U. calycifida have the red veins in strong light.

It grows in a south facing window in my bedroom,but it has done nothing since Christmas. I got the plant off eBay (the big friendly giant)the man did send out two plants because I did not think it was worth the money, as he was selling it as a big plant? What do you think? Edited February 12, 2016 by Jonathan F.

[fischermans]

Could be Calycifida but is never a big plant. Better by from growers you know in person. ;-)

[Jonathan F.]

Could be Calycifida but is never a big plant. Better by from growers you know in person. ;-)

I have had one or two Utricularia off him before,so I should have learned from the first time.

[Sebulon]

Maybe he plucked those plantlets from the tray. Would explain the shape of the leaves.

[Jonathan F.]

Maybe he plucked those plantlets from the tray. Would explain the shape of the leaves.

Would they grow into adult plants??? Or is it better to get another plant?

[Sebulon]

Would they grow into adult plants??? Or is it better to get another plant?

Yes don't worry, they'll start growing normally at some point.

[HugoMorse]

Hi Jonathan,

 

Yes, it is Utricularia Calycifida Asenath Waite and I was the seller. I rarely post on the forums, but feel free to look up my posts and you will see I am very experienced grower (who introduced every one on how to grow VFT's from flower stalks: http://www.cpukforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=27604). I grow mine in a net pot in an Ikea vase on a South / South East facing window where it gets sun all day. It flowers prusely every year. I find, in these conditions - in particular due to the net pots, the leaves on this and my utric's grown this way are small. In the net pots, they also tend to grow along the sides at the bottom where it is wettest and, possibly, the most humid. When I had the plant in a much bigger Ikea vase, without any net pot, the leaves grew much bigger, to a size that you are probably used too. There were plenty of stolens in the portions I sent you and the leaves in the photo you have taken are nice and healthy. I do not know how much light you get, but it is worth separating the portion to try elsewhere (or in a net pot). The cold weather will kill it though, so keep that in mind.

 

Calycifida for me has flowered after only a few months of starting a new portion, so you should find flower stalks growing this summer. I have a busy weekend but will try and find some photo's to upload.

 

By the way, I did not sell it as a big plant. I listed it as a starter portion.

Edited February 19, 2016 by HugoMorse

[Jonathan F.]

Hi Jonathan,

 

Yes, it is Utricularia Calycifida Asenath Waite and I was the seller. I rarely post on the forums, but feel free to look up my posts and you will see I am very experienced grower (who introduced every one on how to grow VFT's from flower stalks: http://www.cpukforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=27604). I grow mine in a net pot in an Ikea vase on a South / South East facing window where it gets sun all day. It flowers prusely every year. I find, in these conditions - in particular due to the net pots, the leaves on this and my utric's grown this way are small. In the net pots, they also tend to grow along the sides at the bottom where it is wettest and, possibly, the most humid. When I had the plant in a much bigger Ikea vase, without any net pot, the leaves grew much bigger, to a size that you are probably used too. There were plenty of stolens in the portions I sent you and the leaves in the photo you have taken are nice and healthy. I do not know how much light you get, but it is worth separating the portion to try elsewhere (or in a net pot). The cold weather will kill it though, so keep that in mind.

 

Calycifida for me has flowered after only a few months of starting a new portion, so you should find flower stalks growing this summer. I have a busy weekend but will try and find some photo's to upload.

 

By the way, I did not sell it as a big plant. I listed it as a starter portion.

Hi thanks for that, I have it growing in a south facing window with my lowland Nepenthe's year round. But I have been told to keep it out of the sun which will burn the leave's,like my other plant I had which only lasted about a week.

[HugoMorse]

Hi Jonathan,

 

I used to grow them in a terrarium under a Envirolite 125w Blue and Reflector for lighting that was probably a foot above the plants. The leaves did get some burn, but it did not harm the plant. That was a very long time ago. Here are two photo's from 2008 that I found:

 

 

Here is a photo from when I grew them in a large Ikea vase on the south to south-east window allowing as much sun as possible through double glazing and the vase. These photo's are August 2013:

 

 

 

I do not have any new photo's but do have photo's of one of my asplundii's grown in the current format, in a net pot inside a square Ikea vase on the windowsill. You'll recognise the moss!

 

 

 

 

I moved to smaller vase's simply so I could grow more. The problem is, my cats treat it like a salad and eat any spikes that emerge and leaves too! They have preferences too!

On my windowsill I grow:

alpina (has not flowered yet, but has really strong stolons, it will be a while before it is pot bound)
asplundii (flowers constantly, the one in my bathroom has been in bloom for well at least two months now - seems to bloom even in Winter, not many spikes (the cat's really love eating this one - spikes and leaves, which is why I grow two))
bisquamata Betty's Bay (flowers profusely every year)
calycifida 'Asenath Waite' (flowers profusely every year until the cat's get to it - spikes especially and then the leaves)
calycifida 'Lavinia Whateley'(flowers profusely every year until the cat's get to it - spikes especially and then the leaves)
nelumbifolia (has not flowered yet, but has really strong stolons and is pot bound now, so hoping after four years) this one gets left alone
nephrophylla (flowers every year, not many spikes (the cat's really love eating these spikes))
sandersonii (flowers profusely every year) this gets a very rare chomp, it is mostly left alone even the flowers
sandersonii (blue flower) (in full bloom at the moment) this gets a very rare chomp, it is mostly left alone even the flowers

Edited February 23, 2016 by HugoMorse

[HugoMorse]

My advice to grow it is the same as my post in 2009: http://www.cpukforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=33270

 

The best way to grow calycifida is in pure sphagnum moss, wet, allowing the water to almost evaporate before refilling. Put it in a large vase, loose, and it will grow rampant that way and allow full sun on the windowsill.

 

And do not have cats!