About

Utricularia juncea is a small to medium-sized, probably perennial carnivorous plant in the family Lentibulariaceae. It grows as a terrestrial species in marshes, swamps and shallow pools at lower altitudes and is native to the Americas. Plants form low wetland growth and send up flowering stems in summer. Flowering occurs from June to September.

About the genus

Utricularia, commonly and collectively called the bladderworts, is a genus of carnivorous plants consisting of approximately 233 species. They occur in freshwater and wet soil as terrestrial or aquatic species across every continent except Antarctica. Utricularia are cultivated for their flowers, which are often compared with those of snapdragons and orchids, especially amongst carnivorous plant enthusiasts.

Wikipedia contributors, "Utricularia", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Utricularia

In the garden

Utricularia juncea is a carnivorous marsh species in the Lentibulariaceae, native to the Americas and first described by Martin Vahl in 1804. It typically grows terrestrially in marshes, swamps and shallow pools at lower altitudes, occupying consistently saturated ground rather than dry soil. To cultivate Utricularia juncea, keep the root zone constantly wet: plant into a peat-sand or low-nutrient bog mix set in a shallow pot or tray and place that at the water’s edge or on a pond shelf so the substrate remains waterlogged. It performs where the substrate never dries out and where seasonal water levels mimic shallow pool conditions; avoid allowing the compost to dry between waterings. In a UK context it suits bog gardens, pond margins, shallow wildlife pools and waterlogged hollows where wet substrate is permanent or regularly replenished. Expect aerial flowering stems to appear in summer, with blooms from June to September that make the plants easier to spot among marsh vegetation.