getting plants to flower

[spottedbovine]

Hi all, I have a couple of plants that flower, dunno what they are..................does anyone know what conditions will make plants flower, please help, really want some flowers in my tank

 

[luxum]

Most plants require sufficient light and appropriate nutrients to flower, some also need a seasonal cue, for instance a cool period or a period of being emersed instead submerged, or a certain day length. Most aquatic plants will not flower underwater, the exception being anubias that sometimes will flower completely submersed. The popular explanation for this is that anubias grow so slowly they don't realize (insomuch as a plant can be said to realize anything ) that they are submerged and continue to flower. Usually if you have good light and can let some of the plant grow above the water's surface you will get some flowers, depends on the plant though.

 

[Lateral Line]

Many aquatic plants are flowering plants. Getting them to flower, means duplicating their original conditions.

What is a flower? It is a mechanism that allows plants to exchange genetic material. This means pollen from one flower needs to be transferred to another flower. True, water currents could do this, but the flowering plants evolved on dry land, they are recolonising the water environment. The flowering environment is air born. What this means is that flowers, will only appear underwater by accident. This does happen however, Crypts will "flower" underwater, if their meristem detects the light level variation which triggers flower formation.

There are several strategies in detail, but in simple terms, aquatic plants either send flowering stalks to the surface, or rely on only being underwater for part of the year.

Any surface stalk plant that is kept in suitable conditions will do exactly that. Aponogetons are probably the most reliable group to do this, they send flowering spikes to the surface with abandon. Under suitable conditions, Cabomba, Hygrophila and many of the favourite aquatic plants will produce a special "surface" leaf form often a little waterlily like, and flower spikes rise.

Plants like Swords or Crypts wait until the water level drops, they shed their underwater leaves, throw their emergent leaves, and flower like any other plant you'll find in your garden or a hedgerow.

If you want your plants to flower, find out as much about it as you can, and duplicate the conditions is the simplest advice.

If you have some specific species you are intereseted in, speak up!

 

[spottedbovine]

thanks guys,firstly to figure out what the plants are

 

[StrontiumDog]

hi,

many years ago when i was trying to breed gouramis i had one of these in my tank. it can be found here below " Lysimachia nummularia "

http/www.tropica.com/default.asp

the water level was about 5" deep and during the breeding this little feller flowered two amazing breedings in one tank.

 

[Lateral Line]

One of the most irritating things about Tropicas web site is the way they use asp. You can't link to a particular plant, the links always take you to the top page. Use the list on the right to find the plant.

 

[Dubby]

Here is the link to get to the plant Lysimachia nummularia

LL, the trick to get to the actual link is do a right click on the plant name in the panel and copy the URL.

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> LL, the trick to get to the actual link is do a right click on the plant name in the panel and copy the URL.

Okay, that gets you out of their frameset, but then you lose the menus and everything which is rather sad, there is some good stuff there.