Plant of the Week – Bladderwort

This week Eagleson Landscape is leaving Indiana and becoming the Indiana Jones of plants, so let’s go on an adventure together.  Our crazy interesting Plant of the Week is found on every continent around the world, except Antarctica, but can you really blame it for avoiding that kind of cold?  The Bladderwort, aptly named for its bladder-like sacs, has so many adaptations it will make your smartphone envious.  Like a submarine this plant can float to the surface or submerge itself with the its air sac structures.  These air sacs are some of the most advanced structures in the entire plant kingdom!  Not only do they allow the bladderwort to float to the surface to flower and pollinate, they also allow it to eat.  That’s right, this plant is carnivorous and uses the air sacs to vacuum up small organisms, even small fish.  To truly get a scope of how amazing these structures are, check out this video: Click here

A close up of the air sac structures of the bladderwort
A close up of the air sac structures of the bladderwort

Bladderwort also can attach itself to the banks of ponds, and are so good at survival they become invasive.  Plants are amazing and the more you read about them the more impressive they become.  What an amazing world we live in!  Thanks to Go Botany for taking these amazing photos. Check out their website here: https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/species/utricularia/radiata/ 

Sam Eagleson