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Beginner\'s aquatic CP

trashcan

O:-)
I was just wondering which of the aquatic CPs are generally considered good for beginners. I doubt there's a magic "this is the easiest plant," but just a rough idea. Thanks

Patrick
 
Utricularia Gibba is a great beginners CP. It will thrive in just a cup of water in a windowsill. Aldovanada is fairly easy in my opinion also. Since they are AQUATIC CP's, the only thing you ever have to worry about with any of them is sunlight.
 
I would recommend Utricularia macrorhiza. Mine has survived 3 seasons in a plastic dishpan which freezes rock solid from December to April in Upstae NY. I grow it in full sun (but we have many cloudy days here - 45% available sun) and I use a cover made from an opened plastic grocery bag, cut open and spread on the waters surface. In habitat the plant is clothed in algae, with copious duckweed on the surface, in approx.8 inches of water. This screens the plant, but I keep algae and duckweed at a minimum, so the plastic screen is a substitute. Under these conditions the plant flourishes.
I will trade in the spring for other Utricularia or CP not in my collection. Email me if you have interest.
 
I would recommend U. gibba as a good species to begin with, because it can tolerate freezing and high temperatures and requires little space.

Last summer my gibba dried out for 2 or 3 days in the scorching Southern Ca sun. I thought it was dead because the plant looked like a dried sponge. I watered it anyways and the plant grew out of the soil and dried parts.

Note: U.gibba is a tropical plant and has no dormancy.
It is a weed in many places(Florida, US, Australia etc.) for good reasons. The plants grow at amazing speeds and can become invasive.

I wouldn't recommend U.macrorhiza as a specie to begin with because the plants require a dormancy period and get huge. You would need a children's wading pool to grow the plant.
 
U.gibba all the way. Just place it in a container of water and sprinkle some peat into the water (to add some acidity). Very cool plant, great flowers!
smile.gif
 
Alright well, there ya go I guess, Gibba has alot of support, for good reasons. I never did anything special with mine, it was just "there" and just "grew". And grew and grew and grew...LOL. Good luck and happy hunting.
 
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