Any plant peeps that can help identify?
- Thread starter Buffy1977
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The plants at the lower front, the green on the left and the reddish/brown on the right, are "sword" plants, species of Echinodorus. The lower left green leaf plant(s) is/are Echinodorus grisebachii, likely the variety usually referred to as E. bleherae but this is not a distinct species. The species of the reddish leaf sword I am not certain of, as there are a number of hybrid and cultivar plants, but it is in the genus Echinodorus. All of these are heavy feeders and will greatly benefit from substrate tabs (you may already be using these, they are in very good condition, but with substrate tabs they will stay like this for years.
The red stem-like growth is an inflorescence, or commonly called a flower spike. It will grow to the surface and then either continue up above the surface into the air or along the surface, depending. In the aquarium where any of these sword species are growing permanently submersed, flowers do not appear but adventitious plants (daughter plantlets) will, two of them from each node along the inflorescence. You can leave these attached or once they have several leaves and some good white roots, separate them and plant them in the substrate. Once the adventitious plants have leaves and roots, they are then taking all their nutrition from the water, not along the inflorescence from the parent plant.
Flowers would appear from each node if the plant was growing emersed, i.e., out of the water as in a marsh or bog. In South America, these plants grow emersed during the dry season and many will be submersed during the wet season. The only species that does flower when grown permanently submersed is Echinodorus major, though this flowering is apparently sporadic. I have had my plant flower three or four times over a period of 10 years. None of the plants here are that species.
The red stem-like growth is an inflorescence, or commonly called a flower spike. It will grow to the surface and then either continue up above the surface into the air or along the surface, depending. In the aquarium where any of these sword species are growing permanently submersed, flowers do not appear but adventitious plants (daughter plantlets) will, two of them from each node along the inflorescence. You can leave these attached or once they have several leaves and some good white roots, separate them and plant them in the substrate. Once the adventitious plants have leaves and roots, they are then taking all their nutrition from the water, not along the inflorescence from the parent plant.
Flowers would appear from each node if the plant was growing emersed, i.e., out of the water as in a marsh or bog. In South America, these plants grow emersed during the dry season and many will be submersed during the wet season. The only species that does flower when grown permanently submersed is Echinodorus major, though this flowering is apparently sporadic. I have had my plant flower three or four times over a period of 10 years. None of the plants here are that species.
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Wow that’s some knowledge there. Thank you so much. Yes, I use root tabs. I have another question if ok. I’ll post a pic
Certainly, and thank you.
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Just that I thought it was a flower, but it looks like it’s growing roots.
Those are the adventitious plants that will develop from each node as I explained previously. You won't see flowers from any of these species. Your substrate tabs are benefiting these plants as I mentioned, hence the inflorescences.
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Thank you
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