Getting Longifolia to Bloom

[Swagalotus]

Anyone know how to get utricularia longifolia to grow? Mine has grow from a single leaf to a massive bush in four months, but no flowers. Do they usually flower at a specific time a year/ do they need a variation in photoperiod or watering? Many thanks!

 

[hcarlton]

Seasonal typically, mine is flowering now. They do best experiencing a change in temperature or day length.

 

[Swagalotus]

Darnit. Gotta up the light and the temp then, I want me some nice flowerss

 

[theplantman]

Mine's stubborn, too and I wonder if perhaps a cool temp drop might work? I may be keeping it far too consistently warm.

 

[Swagalotus]

[MENTION=8071]theplantman[/MENTION] That might be the cause. Mine has been in my lowland terrarium every since I got it with no temp fluctuation at all. I'm going to move it to my cooler ceph tank and see if that does the trick.

 

[bluemax]

The particular form I grow, a dark purple flower I gather, has been doing well for me for several years now. I have given it changing photo periods, temperatures and dryness. So far I have had no success with getting it to bloom but as we approach spring I am hoping for success again. I am told that some clones are possibly easier to bloom but I don't really know. Certainly other, probably more utric-accomplished than I, growers have been successful.

 

[RL7836]

I had no success flowering either U. longifolia or U. reniformis in my basement under lights (whether I changed photoperiod or not). However moving both species to an east-facing window here in the Northeast in autumn provided the conditions for both to flower in the spring. The last U. reniformis on the windowsill flowered all summer.

I don't know what specific conditions acted as catalysts but as you'd expect, the plants received a dose of seasonal temp & photoperiod changes.

 

[tommyr]

Still waiting for mine to bloom also. Had it a year now. Makes leaves just fine.

 

[bluemax]

I had no success flowering either U. longifolia or U. reniformis in my basement under lights (whether I changed photoperiod or not). However moving both species to an east-facing window here in the Northeast in autumn provided the conditions for both to flower in the spring. The last U. reniformis on the windowsill flowered all summer.

I don't know what specific conditions acted as catalysts but as you'd expect, the plants received a dose of seasonal temp & photoperiod changes.

'Useful information. Mine has been in the garage window for months now so I have my fingers crossed. I just saw a plant of the same clone with dried flowers on it so I know it can be done! Would you happen to have any photos? I could use some inspiration.

 

[RL7836]

Would you happen to have any photos? I could use some inspiration.

Sure, there's a bunch of pics in my growlist (bottom section) for you to sort through. This one is probably my fave:**

Besides being attractive (imho), I like this pic because it shows both a newly unfurling flower, four blooms of various ages & a growing seedpod of a previously-pollinated flower - all on the same stalk.

The only times I haven't had U. longifolia & U. reniformis flower in my window was when the plants were either thoroughly & excessively potbound or when they were not mature / large enough to have the energy to make a flower.

** LOL - All of my pics over the years have been posted using Photobucket. Apparently Adobe Flash is an integral part of their website. I cannot even copy the img url to repost one of my pics ever since I evicted Flash from my computer. Here's the pic freshly uploaded via Flickr (which apparently doesn't use Flash - thankfully).

While searching my files for the pic, I came across an older / saved web pic of Fernando showing a U. longifolia in habitat, clearly demonstrating the origins of it's name ...

 

[bluemax]

Thanks, amigo! Inspiration received.