Bladderwort
ExplorePlants
Bladderwort
Utricularia L.
Bladderwort is a unique underwater plant that catches tiny insects and small aquatic creatures in its bladders. It has no roots and floats freely in water, using its bladders as traps for food.
Habitat: Aquatic
Appearance
The Bladderwort is a rootless plant, often submerged or floating, with delicate green stems and finely divided leaves. Its small, often bright yellow or purple flowers emerge on slender stalks above the water, while tiny, balloon-like bladders dot its submerged parts.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderLamialesFamilyLentibulariaceaeGenusUtricularia
Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
Be the first to snap!
Interesting facts
Bladderwort traps are among the most complex mechanical structures found in the plant kingdom.
Scientists once thought bladderworts were just simple algae because of their rootless, basic form.
Some bladderwort species can live entirely on land, thriving in wet, boggy soils!
Tiny air bubbles inside bladderwort traps help keep the plant buoyant and floating in water.
Special abilities
Ability
Vacuum Snatcher
Bladderwort can quickly suck in tiny prey like water fleas using specialized bladders, making it a lightning-fast hunter.
Ability
Free Floater
Bladderwort has no true roots, allowing many species to drift freely in water or colonize very wet, boggy soils.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 5-50 cm
- Spread
- 10-100 cm
- Flower Size
- 0.5-2 cm
- Bloom Season
- Late spring to fall
- Edible
- No
- Toxicity
- None
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Pollination Method
- Insect
Ecological connections
pollinates
honey bee
Apis mellifera
Visits flowers for nectar, aiding reproduction.
eaten by
water flea
Daphnia pulex
Tiny aquatic crustacean caught in vacuum traps.
symbiotic with
feathery bog-moss
Sphagnum fallax
Often shares acidic bog habitats, intertwined.
Traits
Deciduous
Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
Rapid Growing
Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
Ancient Lineage
This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years.
Carnivorous Plant
Carnivorous plants are predatory flowering plants that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans.
Aquatic
Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
Also known as
Utricularia
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Avoid touching or disturbing bladderwort in its natural habitat to protect its delicate ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is Bladderwort?
5-50 cm
How wide does Bladderwort spread?
10-100 cm
How big are the flowers on Bladderwort?
0.5-2 cm
When does Bladderwort bloom?
Late spring to fall
Is Bladderwort edible?
No
Is Bladderwort toxic?
None
What is Bladderwort's lifecycle?
Perennial
How is Bladderwort pollinated?
Insect
Snap Map
Zoom in to split clusters and explore where this object has been snapped.
Loading map…
Recent Snaps
Recent snaps will appear here as new observations are added.
