Photo: Yercaud-elango, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Floating aponogeton
Aponogeton natans (L.) Engl. & K.Krause
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Height in the aquarium
medium to high
Light
low
CO₂ needs
20–31 °C
Ideal temperature
Water parameters
Understand these values- Position
- background, midground
- Propagation
- seeds
- Grows emersed
- no
In the wild
Overview
An aponogeton from South Asia that grows in ponds, marshes, rice fields and the still waters of Kerala's backwaters. As its name says (natans, "swimming"), it bears oval floating leaves on long petioles as well as submerged leaves.
It regrows each year from a small tuber. Its single white to pink flower spike rises above the water.
- Scientific name
- Aponogeton natans (L.) Engl. & K.Krause
- Classification
- Alismatales › Aponogetonaceae
- IUCN Red List
- Least concern (LC)
Natural habitat
India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar: ponds, marshes and rice fields
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
Easy, it grows quickly from the tuber under medium light. The floating leaves shade the tank: trim them to keep light for the other plants.
After a few months of growth it often goes dormant and loses its leaves; leave the tuber in place, or keep it a few weeks somewhere cool before replanting it.
Sources:Flowgrow GBIF POWO (Kew) Wikipédia (en) : Aponogeton natans · Base map: Natural Earth