Photo: Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Canadian waterweed
Elodea canadensis Michx.
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Height in the aquarium
medium to high
Light
low
CO₂ needs
10–25 °C
Ideal temperature
Water parameters
Understand these values- Position
- background, midground
- Propagation
- fragmentation, cuttings
- Grows emersed
- no
In the wild
Overview
Canadian waterweed is one of the most famous aquatic plants of the past, even though today it is found more in ponds than in aquariums. Native to North America, it long formed huge stands after being introduced into Europe. It looks very much like Elodea nuttallii.
- Scientific name
- Elodea canadensis Michx.
- Classification
- Alismatales › Hydrocharitaceae
- IUCN Red List
- Least concern (LC)
Natural habitat
North America
Observations (GBIF) and localities Native countries Introduced in Rivers and lakes
- Native countries
- Introduced by people
Outside its native range, in 54 countries:
An aquarium plant must never reach the wild: throwing away cuttings or emptying a tank into a stream can be enough to establish it.
Countries: Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP). Dots: GBIF observations in the native countries.
In the aquarium
Growing in the aquarium
This entry favours cool setups; its published optimal range lies below that of many tropical plants. Cuttings let you renew the stems. Check the name of the plant you buy: pond waterweeds are often sold with a rough identification, and Elodea nuttallii copes better with high temperatures.
Sources:Flowgrow GBIF POWO (Kew) · Base map: Natural Earth