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Species library › Utricularia › Utricularia spiralis
Carnivorous Little published: much of this is inferred from related species

Utricularia spiralis

A medium to large, probably perennial terrestrial bladderwort from tropical Africa, where it grows in swamps and marshes on peaty or sandy soil from sea level to about 1,860 m. Its traps work in wet soil, catching tiny organisms. Grow it like other tropical terrestrial bladderworts: constantly wet, bright light and warm temperatures.

Utricularia spiralis
Photo: Herbarium of the University of Coimbra (COI) , CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At home, aim for
Day Warm-growingTargets in Plantistry
Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry
Humidity Ordinary room humidityBand in Plantistry
Light Full sunDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
No rest periodGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

Swamps and marshes with peaty or sandy soils across tropical Africa. These are open wetlands where the soil stays waterlogged at least through the rainy season.

Sea level to about 1,860 m; most GBIF records with an elevation are lowland, below about 600 m.

Sierra LeoneGuineaLiberiaCôte d'IvoireGhanaBeninChadGabonEquatorial GuineaDemocratic Republic of the CongoAngolaZambiaMalawiBurundiTanzania

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates
✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it
✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light
✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it
✓ Substrate and airflow
✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY 4.0 licence, unmodified.