Help with plant identification please

argnom

Guru Class Expert
May 24, 2009
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Montreal, Canada
Hi everybody,

I just got this nice looking plant at my LFS, but, unfortunately, as it is the case quite often, the employee could not give me the name of the plant or if it is in fact a true aquatic plant. Some help would be welcomed. I suspect that it is not a true aquatic plants, the stems are rather "stiff" compared to the other aquatic plants that I have seen in the past.

Thanks!
 
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Biollante

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Jun 21, 2009
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Now Gerry Can Tell Us What It Really Is

Hi,

I will look it up later, but off the top I would say Ludwigia glandulosa or some such.

Biollante
 

argnom

Guru Class Expert
May 24, 2009
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Montreal, Canada
Thanks Biollante and Gerry! :D

It's appreciated as always. So in fact, it is an aquatic plant. Yay!

Hopefully the stems will stay stiff and grow strong. I put them in a place where there's quite a bit of current. Best case scenario, they will grow strong and stiff to fight against the current. It's the main reason why I got them. The other stems I tried were too weak to withstand the flow. These were almost woody, so I though I would give them a try.

If they're like terrestrial plants, if there's current (wind in the case of terrestrial), they'll get stiff(er) and if there's no current (wind), they will not expand the energy to stiffen up and will grow all wimpy. I used to put fans in from of my young tomato plants so that the stems wouldn't break from the weight of the tomatoes before putting them outside. Hopefully, it will work.

It would seem that plants are lazy like that sometimes...

Have a good one and thanks again guys!
 

Biollante

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Jun 21, 2009
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Hi,

Upon further review, the plant stands as called. ;)

Ludwigia glandulosa, aka Cylindric Fruited Ludwigia, is a problem emergent, native to southern Illinois, Missouri, Texas and no doubt other places. I “found” some in Missouri a couple of years ago (if this turns out to be illegal I was misquoted, obviously taken out of context).

It is definite swamp plant, easily will reach a foot (30 cm) underwater, it has been reported (mistakenly I believe) that it will only remain dark red or purple under high light, it appears (to me anyway) that the colors lighten (pale red to green) when insufficient nutrients are available. It is a nutrient hog, high nitrates, high phosphate and high iron.

Ludwigia glandulosa will grow right up out of the tank if allowed (I vote for allowing) emergent it will easily grow to two feet (60 cm) and develop flowers that give it the Cylindric Fruited part of its name.

Propagation is easy, once fully and properly rooted, by lateral shoots. I suspect propagation by seed would be fairly simple.

This plant has a reputation for being difficult, I suspect it is more a matter of patience; it is a slow starter, needing time and space to form a good root structure. :)

I also noticed that it seems to do somewhat better in the lower end of it's water temperature range 68-82 F (20-28 C). It seems to like varied photo periods, 14-16 hours in the summer to maybe 6-8 in the winter.

Biollante
 

argnom

Guru Class Expert
May 24, 2009
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Montreal, Canada
Thanks you two (again). More info is always better than too little.

Biollante;53679 said:
This plant has a reputation for being difficult, I suspect it is more a matter of patience; it is a slow starter, needing time and space to form a good root structure. :)

Do you think "StimRoot" or other IBA (Indole-3-butyric acid) containing product could help? I've used IBA before on terrestrial plants with good results. Has anybody used it in the aquarium.

...and how would one use it? :confused:

Ice cubes and plop them into the substrate?
Just dose in the water column? * hopefully, the leaves won't start to grow roots :rolleyes: *
Should IBA be used just "on site", where you want roots to grow?

/Perhaps I should just start a new thread
 

Ekrindul

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Jul 9, 2010
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Euless, TX
I thought it was lobelia cardinalas based on the leaf shape being so oval, less pointed than ludwigia. I saw some at the LFS this weekend that was very purple like this, though it was a small plant and I couldn't see the stems well.
 

argnom

Guru Class Expert
May 24, 2009
109
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16
Montreal, Canada
Good observation Ekrindul, but I'm pretty sure that it is in fact Ludwigia glandulosa. The veins on the leaves (that you cannot see really well because of the poor quality of the pictures I submitted) are quite different than Lobelia cardinalis.

I have to admit that I would have like to get my hands on that one also. :p

Cheers!
 
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