Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Utricularia subulata bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Awl-shaped Bladderwort, Zigzag Bladderwort (Utricularia subulata).

More about utricularia subulata

About Utricularia subulata

Utricularia subulata · also called Awl-shaped Bladderwort, Zigzag Bladderwort · flowering

The Awl-shaped Bladderwort is a tiny terrestrial carnivorous plant with a near-cosmopolitan warm-temperate to tropical range. Almost leafless above ground, it traps microscopic prey in minute underground bladders and sends up wiry, zigzag stems of small yellow flowers. It thrives in permanently wet, peaty, nutrient-poor soil with bright light, often appearing as a welcome weed in bog pots.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Poor flowering: Too little light produces foliage but few of the characteristic yellow flowers; give it bright light to full sun.

The reasons utricularia subulata isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming utricularia subulata traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding utricularia subulata a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get utricularia subulata to flower

Maximise sun. Give utricularia subulata the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for utricularia subulata and get the feeding right with the utricularia subulata fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Utricularia subulata flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full utricularia subulata care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Utricularia subulata blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my utricularia subulata flower?

Utricularia subulata blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make utricularia subulata bloom?

Give utricularia subulata the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does utricularia subulata normally bloom?