Carnivorous Plants native to the UK

You may be surprised to hear that there are many carnivorous plants native to the UK. These are Sundews, Butterworts and Bladderworts and in the past all were found in Cambridgeshire.

 

Sundews: there are 3 different species found here

Drosera rotundifolia is the species pictured. found throughout the UK and especially in Scotland (the picture was taken on Mull) and flowers June to August and found throughout UK, this has small round leaves as it's name suggest and is mainly found on mountain bogs. D.anglica is also found on mull but is more commonly found  in the east of Scotland and the rest of the northern UK. D.longifolia is our other native sundew and is found in still found in the fenland of Norfolk

 

Butterworts: there are 3 different species

Pinguicula vulgaris is still found on bogs, fens, wet heaths and moors all through UK Up to 15 cm across it has a purple flower which is not shown in the photograph of it. Flowers May to July. P.grandiflora is found in simlar habitats to P.vulgaris  but larger in size and with larger flowers but is only found in Cornwell. P. lusitanica is found in bogs and wet heaths in the western part of the UK. This species is a little bit smaller than P. vulgaris and is the only species of our native species to winter as leaf-rosetes.

 

Bladderworts: There are 3 different species

Utricularia vulgaris is found submerged in still quite deep fresh water. there are no roots holding it down in the water and instead it gets it's nutrients from bladders that trap insects (hence bladderwort). This species is the largest  this yellow flowers appearing from June to August. This species can still be found locally at Wicken Fen.

U.intermedia likes more peaty water than U. vulgaris and is as the name suggests the middle sized bladderwort. Like U.vulgaris it has yellow flower. U.minor like similar conditions as U. intermedia and is the smallest species. flowering from June till September it's flowers are also yellow.