Aponogeton Ulvaceus - unbelievable growth!

[Gumby7]

Wow!

I bought one of these and have been really surprised by its rate of growth.

My tank is just cycled so the plain gravel is fairly sterile. The plant has a bulb and one tiny root. I thought it would be very slow growing until the roots developed and the gravel matured - was I wrong! New leaves grow about 2" a day and then unfurl to about 1-1/4" wide by 6" long in one photoperiod!

Its now started putting out these long stems which have a node near the end and a pointed terminus. These things grow at least 4" a day! They are now about seven (7) feet long! What are they? Will they yield viable offspring? Should I chop them down before the giant comes? (just kidding).

These plants are pretty rare around here but are really nice. The ruffled or corkscrewed leaves are a nice bright lime green, which is a nice counterpoint to the dark greens and reddish browns of some of the other plants. My platties like to rest in one of the twists.

I'll try to post when the pictures get developed.

PS I don't have CO2 etc.

Gumby

[djlen]

If they flower, let them go to seed. You'll get more plantlets than you'll know what to do with.
Don't be discouraged if the parent plant goes dormant after producing the flowers,seeds and young. They often look dead, but if you leave them alone, they'll come back again.....usually.
Len

[K_S_W_I_S_S]

where did you buy yours from?? i bought mmine from walmart in the package, and i like them. and you are saying that the thing with the flower on it is 7 ft tall? i dont think i have enough room for that.

[djlen]

I've NEVER seen one grow any bigger than.....maybe 30 inches. I can't figure how you're getting growth like that. But, I don't have experience with every apon. out there.
I got mine at a LFS. For some reason I'm skeptical of buying anything that's alive from Walmart.l
Len

[K_S_W_I_S_S]

if you thought that i said that i bought them from the fish tank in walmart you misunderstood me... i meant i bought them in the package and they were dry bubls... i did buy a plant from the fish tanks there, but its not doing too well, its a rigerini sword (or something) i dont have a lfs, so i cant buy any plants i want, so walmart will have to suffice....

[RTR]

Aponogeton ulvaceus can easily have foliage up to 2-3' long and the flower spike essentially any length. Magnificent plants and the pure strain does not go dormant unless moved for me. The hybrids (which most WalMart tubers are) may or may not go dormant.

[superjohnny]

This is from when mine was "small"

http://www.johnnyanddana.com/images/Tank/tank_3.jpg

It's much bigger now. Beautiful plants for sure.

[Gumby7]

Originally posted by K_S_W_I_S_S
where did you buy yours from?? i bought mmine from walmart in the package, and i like them. and you are saying that the thing with the flower on it is 7 ft tall? i dont think i have enough room for that.

Bought mine at Big Al's LFS.

Yes the flower "stems" are 7' - they go up, across the length of the 48" tank, wrap around and come back! Unbelievable! When I had the top off I took one and easily touched the ceiling with it! The flower stems are not excessive though because they are only about 1/8 to 3/16" in diameter. The leaves on the other hand are 12-14" by about 2" wide (so far!).

I read that article and it seemed to suggest after the flower had faded cutting off the flower stem and moving it to a fishless tank so the tiny plants wouldn't get eaten. Is that correct or did I miss something? It would seem to me the seeds wouldn't develop once the stem was severed.

Has anyone raised new plants from seed produced in their tanks? If so how long did it take before they were say 4" tall plants?

Gumby

[K_S_W_I_S_S]

i think thats what it said. it doesnt sound right, but it looked like that is what it meant... i have one that is oult of the water and one that will be out tomorrow and one that is just starting (its only about an inch long) how many flower stalks do you have?