My
Utricularia longifolia has been doing really well lately.
![The top layer of the living Sphagnum isn't as perky as it could be, but the U. longifolia is getting a nice, upright mature look. Utricularia longifolia.](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3902/15053354490_b7b91472f2_c.jpg) |
U. longifolia leaves can get 3 ft (90 cm) long! I can't imagine that. |
I picked this plant up at
California Carnivores when I
visited back in early June. It's been growing steadily, and has really gotten a lot larger
since I received it. Today it hit another milestone: it has begun trying to invade neighboring pots
![It totally looks like this plant is up to something. It was counting on me not noticing. Utricularia longifolia encroaching on neighboring pot.](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3921/15053466948_df63497e21_c.jpg) |
A very sneaky stolon popping out of the pot here. |
U. longifolia is famously weedy. It's a member of Utricularia section Foliosa, which includes a number of easy and showy species, like Utricularia calcyfida and Utricularia tricolor. As you can see in the picture above, U. longifolia will send out stolons and aggressively colonize neighboring pots. Apparently it can totally take over a greenhouse. I decided it was time to put my plant into an isolation unit.
![My great dream for U. longifolia is to have a nice glass container with a U. longifolia in full bloom sitting inside. Like an awesome flower arrangement. Utricularia longifolia in separate tray.](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5579/15053351890_4327c54026_c.jpg) |
Improvised U. longifolia containment strategy. |
It's not really a great fit, but I wanted to do something right away, before the stolons made their way into my Utricularia sandersonii pot.
Meantime, a neighboring pot in that tray contains some Drosera anglica CA x HI leaf cuttings that struck a couple months ago and then withered when I tried to harden them off. One has managed to not die all the way, and seems to be actually trying to live.
![I was super bummed when these cuttings wilted, so this is encouraging. Drosera anglica CA x HI leaf cutting strike.](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3868/15236952311_f92fd219aa_c.jpg) |
Surprise comeback by D. anglica leaf cutting. |
I've been hoping this guy would bounce back. Gonna be a bit touch-and-go, but maybe I'll get a new plant out of the deal!
Finally, I have a strike on one of my Drosera capensis Bainskloof leaf cuttings.
![This is now the most exciting plant in my collection. More updates as events warrant. Drosera capensis Bainskloof leaf cutting strike.](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5559/15236953781_622bdb416e_c.jpg) |
Little tiny strike. It's so small! |
It's a little one, and if there's one thing I've learned about leaf cuttings it's that keeping it in a humidity tent until it really sizes up will make things a lot easier. I'm gonna baby this guy, cause I really really want a
D. capensis Bainskloof. Incidentally, the water-float leaf cutting has not struck yet that I've seen. Fingers crossed.
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