Plant Profile: Utricularia gibba

The Floating Bladderwort is a carnivorous plant that thrives in North Carolina and across all continents, except for Antarctica. It develops intricate mats of intertwining, thread-like stolons that can reach lengths of about 8 to 10 inches. These stolons may either float freely or be loosely anchored in the substrate of shallow waters. The plant features traps among its leaf-like structures, designed to capture small aquatic organisms.

Its delicate, two-lipped flowers typically rise above the water's surface and can bloom at any point during the growing season. Plants that are anchored in the substrate tend to produce more flowers. Floating Bladderwort favors shallow, slow-moving waters with full to partial sunlight and can be cultivated in containers or bog gardens. However, it has the potential to become invasive.

Preferred habitats include ponds, lakes, bogs, marshes, and ditches.