Flowering Aquatic Plants

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Ludwig Venter

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I've seen a number of aquatic plants which sends out shoots to surface and flower.... are there any aquatic plants which flowers below surface??
 
Anubius has I suppose a type of flower which is submerged.
 
actually very few.
Most plants will not flower until they reach the surface or go above the surface as there is an unlimited supply of co2 up there etc.
Most 'aquatic' plants are more bog plants and so wont really flower. Hence why most are grown emersed in the shops etc. The only exception to that rule is vallis.

The only one i know of that will flower is anubias.

IMGP5832.jpg
 
this plant ive kept many times but dont know the name of flowers under water with small white flowers

water-garden-plants-submerged_Full.jpg
 
That is cabomba above, it has flowered for me too. I think some of the ludwigias will flower underwater too, and many of the crypts definitely will.
 
coll learnt the name now lol thanks
 
im pretty sure crypts wont flower underwater.

have you any proof that they do?


Most aquatic plants are only submersed naturally for part of the year and so time their flowering to the times when they are emersed (it's a bit hard to get pollinated by insects when your flower's underwater!!!).
The groups then that you really need to look at IMO are those that are constantly submersed like vallis or that produce floating flowers like Aponogeton and Nymphaea (though the lilies usually grown in tanks are a bit hard to flower AFAIK).
The only other ones are Anubias that do occasionally produce flowers underwater.
You just need to keep all of these in really good health to get them to flower AFAIK. Also increasing the amount of potassium may help, it does in many terrestrial plants.

Aponegetons are easy to get flowering, also echinodorous species. (above the water again)

For low level, you could try blyxa, anubias & saggitaria.
Lots of ferts & CO2 help as always, but it is possible without these. Just make sure everything is non-limiting
 
sorry for the bombardment of posts but have a look at some ripariums. (plants grown emersed)

Riparium stuff

CLICK HERE

something similar

CLICK HERE

A good link with many pics

CLICK HERE

as you can see, the plants flower best when grown emersed or allowed to reach and go above the surface.
 
I have managed to bully some of mine into it previously, although the flowers never lasted as long as they should have done, sometimes even less then a day before becoming mush.

You are correct in that normally most plants won't flower underwater.

Thanks for the links, some good photos there :)
 
Sure there are plants that flower under water. My Anubias nana has done this twice now. Shown from two angles.
Flowercrop1.jpg

FullFlower.jpg
 

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