Aquatic Plants

[DiscusKeeper403]

Hey,

Well my buddy from work brought in some of what we think to be Lugwiga from his friends garden. We have got some people bringing in stuff like this every now and then all stating they found it outside water in gardens and such. The other day I was at a plant nursery and I spotted some fern, not sure if it was aquatic or not.

Can anyone give me a list of aquatic plants that can somtimes or usally are sold as non aquatic at gardening stores? (I can't get aquatic plants the government won't allow it)

Sceintific names would be great (but not needed)

Thank you!

Connor.

Also, pretty much any plants that are sold as both would be great also, because I may be able to get special orders of some sort!

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

No one??

 

[nry]

I am guessing that you want plants that can grow emerged or submerged. There are a number of these but there are also some plants who have varieties that grow underwater and others that grow above water. Ludwigia is one of these, and I think lobelia is another, you can't put any ludwigia underwater only some of them.

Why can't you get aquatic plants? Is their some law preventing them incase they get released into native water courses?

 

[lljdma06]

These are typical non-aquatics that are often sold as aquatics. They can be maintained from as little as weeks to nearly a year in the aquarium depending on the circumstances. They do not, however, replace true-aquatics and you will eventually have to replace the plants when they show signs of decay. I really don't recommend them for the home aquarium as their gradual decomposition can wreak havoc on your aquarium water.

Caladium bicolor (called caladium)
Acorus gramineus (Japanese rush)
Chlorophytum laxum (Pongol swordplant)
Hemigraphis colorata (Crimson Ivy, purple waffle)
Dracaena sanderiana (Striped dragon plant, other solid varieties exist)
Ophiopogon japonicus (fountain plant)
Ophiopogon japonicus var giganteum and var kyoto and var Variegatus (Variations on the fountain plant)
Syngonium podophyllum (Stardust ivy)
Iresine lindenii (A variety of foxtail)
Chlorophytum comosum (Spider plant)
Maranta leuconeura (Prayer plant)
Selaginella martensii and willdenowii (Two types of large terrestrial moss)
Trichomanes javanicum (Borneo fern)

There are a lot more, but I don't know the scientific names for them. I've grown most of these in my garden in South Florida and most of them are shade-loving plants that thrive with a lot of moisture in the soil, but they they are not aquatic plants. Some, however, may survive months in an aquarium, as they are from habitats that routinely flood in certain seasons.

There are a few stemplants I've seen as both terrestrial and aquatic plants. Here is this list

Hydrocotyle leucocephala (All three of this genus can be grown as bog plants)
Hydrocotyle sibthorpoides
Hydrocotyle verticillata
Lysimachia nummularia (Bogs and ditches)

In addition, many of the species of stemplants commonly available in the trade can grow above the water. This growth, known as emersed growth, will often display an, at times, radically different leaf shape from the aquatic growth. Many stemplants flower from their emersed growth.

Finally, there are several species of cryptocorynes that readily adapt to bog conditions and vis versa, but I'm not familiar with specific species. Crypts often shed leaves to adapt to a different environment, terrestrial included, and several varieities need to be above ground to flower.

I am also wondering why aquatic plants can't be sold in your neck of the woods, but I can understand. Many states in the US ban certain types of aquatic plants because they are extremely adaptable and are able, when disposed of, to infiltrate native waterways and outcompete native aquatic plants.

llj

 

[George Farmer]

That's the best post I've seen in a long time, llj.

 

[lljdma06]

That's the best post I've seen in a long time, llj.

This is what I do on a Saturday night instead of going out like every other normal person.

Thanks anyways.

llj

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

I am guessing that you want plants that can grow emerged or submerged. There are a number of these but there are also some plants who have varieties that grow underwater and others that grow above water. Ludwigia is one of these, and I think lobelia is another, you can't put any ludwigia underwater only some of them.

Why can't you get aquatic plants? Is their some law preventing them incase they get released into native water courses?

Yes Nry,

There is a band on importing aquatic plants so there very hard to get, thats why i'm trying to by-pass the system so I can import them as non-aquatic plants so they would have to be plants that could last outside water for a little.

Thank you so much llj! I'll try to see if my local plant nursery can get any of those in!

 

[zig]

Lots of grass plants you can buy for ponds at the local garden centre can be used for aquariums, I usually see Eleocharis species plants where I live, these are grown emersed of course and will probably go through a transition period when put under water, usually cheap for the amount you get. Lots of pond plants are marginal from the edges of rivers lakes etc so will grow in and out of water.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Lots of grass plants you can buy for ponds at the local garden centre can be used for aquariums, I usually see Eleocharis species plants where I live, these are grown emersed of course and will probably go through a transition period when put under water, usually cheap for the amount you get. Lots of pond plants are marginal from the edges of rivers lakes etc so will grow in and out of water.

Thanks zig! Another species to look into!