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Re: Aponogeton crispus
Merle McCartney <mccartmg at wmvx-mail_lvs.dupont.com> asked about A
crispus:
> Can I pollinate from one spike to another on the same plant?
My understanding is that you need two A crispus to pollinate. Other
Aponogetons (like the lace plant) can be self-fertilized. Some can be
successfully fooled by mixing pollen from another Aponogeton species
with their own pollen.
> What's the best way to pollinate?
I've not been successful with either A crispus or madagascariensis.
The procedure is simple; transfer the pollen with a fine brush. The
flowers need to be above water. If the stems get long enough and there
are enough surrounding plants for stability, the stem will raise the
flower spike above water on its own. Laying the stem across the rim of
the tank seemed to damage the stem. Perhaps someone else can relate
their experiences.
> The flowers are butting up against the glass, which is less than
ideal, I'm sure. Will the heat from the lights (a pair of 20w
fluorescent bulbs on a 38h tank) be a problem?
Possibly. My flower bulbs tend to turn brown and die before the seeds
mature. I suspect they might require high humidity such as an enclosed
paludarium or green house or similar facility. I use MH lighting and
this tends to be a little too strong for some types of plants above
the surface. OTOH, Ludwigia and Bacopa don't mind it at all.
Alternanthera has not done well emersed for me; don't know why.
> do these plants require a resting period over the winter?
A crispus don't need to be removed from the aquarium although they
sometimes seem to go through growth phases. I tend to attribute these
to varying conditions in the tank especially crowding and nutrient
availability so I can't be sure if they do or do not have a cyclical
growth pattern. They certainly continue to be viable plants over
several years.
Steve P. in Vancouver