Utricularia sandersonii is a very easy to keep water hose. Native to South Africa, it grows on wet rocks. It is very vigorous and can delight the collector with small white flowers in spring and autumn.
The leaves of the water hose are inconspicuously small and spread quickly on the surface similar to moss.
Utricularia sandersonii is quite easy to care for and therefore best suited for water hose beginners.
Name: Waterhose
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Botanical name: Utricularia sandersonii
Pot size: 9cm
Home: South Africa
Care:The water tube should always be in water and never dry out. As with almost all carnivorous plants, you should only water it with rainwater or distilled water.
It is not hardy. In South Africa it knows temperatures between 20 and 35°C, but can also cope with down to 5°C.
It should be overwintered in a bright and humid place or kept indoors all year round.
Important: Do not fertilise!
General:
Water hoses are found almost everywhere in the world. There are even swimming species that go hunting in the water. What distinguishes them from other carnivores is that their prey is not caught by the leaves, but by the roots, which form small, blister-like traps. These traps are very ingenious. They have a kind of valve that is sealed by gel. The bladder is under tension while the outer feeler bristles jerk open the valves of the bladder when touched. As the bladder walls bulge, the prey is sucked inside at lightning speed by negative pressure. It then closes again and the prey is trapped and slowly digested.
