The bladderwort is not only a beautiful sight, but also very undemanding, to the delight of all gardeners. What location it prefers and how to care for it, you will learn here.
The bladderwort belongs to the genus of the same name, which includes about ten different species of the plant. These are mainly native to northern Asia and North America. In domestic gardens, the most common species is Physocarpus opulifolius. Especially the variety Diabolo, also known as Devil’s Bush, is popular with its dark foliage. The pretty, pale pink flowers show the bladder spar from May, depending on the variety.
By the way, the bladderwort is not only something for the human eye – bees and other insects also like to visit the flowers because they find food there.
Planting bladderwort: location and procedure.
Bladderwort is a very undemanding plant and can handle many locations. You can plant it almost anywhere in your garden. A sunny to semi-shady spot with well-drained, nutrient-rich soil is best. Bladderwort tolerates both acidic and alkaline soils.
The best time to plant it is in the fall or spring. The main thing is to choose a frost-free day.
- Dig a planting hole about twice the size of the plant’s pot ball.
- If necessary, mix the excavated soil with a little sand for more permeability. If you want to enrich it with additional nutrients, you can also mix in humus.
- Place the plant upright in the center of the hole and fill in the excavated soil.
- Tread the soil well and water the plant.
- Tip: You can also cultivate the bladderwort in a tub or pot. In this case, you should get a planter with drainage holes and put a layer of drainage material at the very bottom. For example, coarse clay shards, pebbles or expanded clay are suitable for this. If you keep the bladderwort in a pot, you will have to water more often than in the bed. Simply test with your finger whether the upper centimeters of the soil have dried out – if so, you should water.
Caring for bladderwort: the right way to do it
The bladderwort is one of the easiest plants to care for and is therefore very popular with amateur gardeners. It hardly needs any attention:
- You only need to water the bladderwort if it stays dry for a long time. Excess water must be able to drain off well, otherwise waterlogging will form.
- If you have nutrient-rich soil in your garden, you rarely need to add fertilizer. It is usually sufficient to work some compost into the soil around the bladderwort in the spring.
- You can propagate the bladderwort via cuttings. To do this, simply cut off a strong shoot about 10 to 15 centimeters long in early summer, remove the lower leaves and place it in a plant pot with growing soil. Then place it under a glass cover or in a mini-greenhouse – this keeps the humidity constantly high. A bright, sunny place is best for the next few weeks. Next spring you can move the young plant outside.
