Purple Bladderwort Utricularia purpurea
- Phonetic Spelling
- yoo-trik-u-LAR-ee-uh pur-PUR-ee-uh
- Description
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Purple Bladderwort is a short-lived carnivorous perennial native to wet sites, ponds, ditches, and slow-moving water in eastern Canada and the U.S.A. and the coastal areas of NC.
Purple Bladderwort is a submersed aquatic plant that is rootless and free-floating. The stems can be up to 3 feet long with floating leaves produced in whorls of five to seven. The leaves are branched into numerous slender segments and appear lacy. The bladders are small and roughly spherical and are attached at the tips of the leaf segments. The flowers are purple or lavender 1/3 to 1/2 inch long and are on stalks that emerge several inches above the water.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Utricularia
- Species:
- purpurea
- Family:
- Lentibulariaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Canada, central and eastern U.S.A.
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant attracts birds, flies, butterflies, and moths.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Heat tolerant.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 8 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Carnivorous
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Water Plant
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Frequent Standing Water
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit displays from July to October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Lipped
- Flower Petals:
- 2-3 rays/petals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Racemes of 1-5 snapdragon-like purple flowers atop naked reddish stems from May to September. 1/3 to ½ inch long, the lower lip is 3-lobed, white at the base with a spot of yellow in the center. The upper lobe is as wide but shorter. A curved spur is present below the lower lip that is yellowish to white.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves occur in whorls of 5 to 7 with bladders at the tips of leaves. They are branched into slender segments giving it a lacy look. Greenish to brown in color.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- The stems are submerged and can grow 3 feet long
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Pond
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Water Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Songbirds
