Photo: Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Physostegia purpurea
(Walter) S.F.Blake
—
Height in the aquarium
medium to high
Light
medium
CO₂ needs
22–24 °C
Ideal temperature
Water parameters
Understand these values- Position
- midground, foreground
- Propagation
- runners, cuttings, separating offshoots
- Grows emersed
- yes
In the wild
Overview
Underwater this marsh plant from the southeastern United States forms a small rosette of long-stalked, elongated leaves. Its emersed form is much taller and can bear spikes of reddish-purple flowers. The difference between the two forms therefore matters when you receive a land-grown plant.
- Scientific name
- Physostegia purpurea (Walter) S.F.Blake
- Classification
- Lamiales › Lamiaceae
- IUCN Red List
- Not evaluated (NE)
Natural habitat
North America
Observations (GBIF) and localities Native countries Rivers and lakes
- Native countries
- Introduced by people
No introduction reported outside its native range.
Countries: Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP). Dots: GBIF observations in the native countries.
In the aquarium
Growing in the aquarium
It can be grown underwater but rarely is. Medium to strong light is given for this slow-growing entry. Division and separating young plants are used to propagate it. Do not expect, in a submerged aquarium, the tall flowering outline seen on a bank: the aquatic foliage stays more compact.
Sources:Flowgrow GBIF POWO (Kew) · Base map: Natural Earth