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| Accessory Aquatic Plants |
As the plant extends
itself, the growth at the older end of the chain becomes yellow. It has
to be controlled by pinching off the old growth and keeping only a foot
or so of the plant at the new end of the chain.
Cahomba-Also known as Washington Grass, Fanwort, Water-Shield. It probably was a sprig of this plant that the man at the pet
store threw in free when you bought goldfish. A good oxygenator, and
the fish eat parts of the tender foliage. Other virtues are the lacy appearance of the fanlike leaves and the fact that a piece of any needed
size can be pulled from the growing mass and dropped into bowl or
aquarium. Cabomba propagates principally by branching. Aquarium
sprigs are usually 5 to 6 inches long, but left alone with plenty of room,
stems grow several feet in a season.
caroliniana-Grows wild in ponds from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, the form usually sold or given away with goldfish.
roseafolia-Similar but with a reddish cast to stems and undersides
of leaves.
Ludwigia-Also called Swamp Loosestrife. Basically a marsh grower,
but this does quite well as a partially submerged aquatic if planted
in shallow water at the edge of a pool where it can break the surface
with its upper foliage. It grows from about 6 inches to 2 to 3 feet and
bears round, glossy green leaves. It sends roots out horizontally, and
new growths spring from them. To keep the plant under control, trim
off the new end of the chain. When the old plant exhausts itself, propagate by planting a few cuttings in a 2-inch pot of wet soil with a top
layer of sand. Keep the soil saturated. By the time the cuttings rot, they
will have produced small new growths, which can then be set out where
desired. If allowed to develop in strong sunlight, the leaves will take
on a copperish tinge, bright red on the undersides. Grows wild at the
edge of streams throughout North America, but the wild form is inferior to a cultivated South American form, which is the variety most
dealers have.
Mares-Tail- (Hippuris vulgaris). A spikelike plant which grows
from 6 to 8 inches to 2 to 3 feet, with groups of narrow, pointed leaves
arranged around the stem in whorls. It grows wild in pools, ponds, and
backwater throughout the northern part of the United States and is easy
to find and transplant. It used to be a leading favorite with water gardeners, but has fallen off in popularity in recent years, probably because
the plant thrusts itself above the water surface in dense patches if not
kept trimmed. It is a fine oxygenator, and a little pruning now and then
easily keeps it under control.
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