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Aerial roots

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17 Aug 2018
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Wondering what stem plants members know of that are less likely to put out aerial roots and loose leaves from the lower half of the stem? Bacopa is one I’m having good success with. And I’ve also done well with hornwort in the past too, though I’m not so keen on the look. Imagine that other true aquatic plants like Elodea are likely to be the same... but again their looks don’t really do it for me. Looking to get rid of my hygrophila too because they need too much maintenance but I want to ensure I have something fast growing too if possible. Bacopa isn’t a massively fast grower... what about Najas?
 
Actually the "worst" to do aerial roots submerged, are Ludwigia's, Rotala's, Hygrophila's and Alternanthera's - and Limnophila sometimes. Most other stems are not very prone to do them. Usually the stem is much more likely to do aerial roots when growing horizontal as if growing vertical. Especially stems reaching surface will do the aerial roots. The aerial roots can quite easily be cut off, though, and this will not harm the plant. I always do this in show-tanks!!
The "loosing of lower leaves" are a combined result of age and decreased flow and light to lower parts, as plants grow bigger and more dense. This must be administered by trimming accordingly to the specific stem-plant.
Be aware, that any leaf do have a "life-time" ........meaning anything from months to years, depending on species and parametres in the tank. Many stem-plants have short-lived leaves, whereas ex. Anubias have very long-lived ones - but they don't live forever. It is therefore necessary to "re-juvenile" your plants in the process of trimming, be it by new branches or re-planting tops (=youngest parts) on stem-plants, or removal of older leaves to encourage growth of new ones in rosette-plants.
 
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