Re: Roots from internodes

[Naomi Mizumoto <naomizu at pacbell_net>]

Some plants are just that way... I had Cardamine lyrata, which is 
absolutely the worst. Got rid of it. I think most Hydrocotyle plants are 
probably just as bad. With some plants, it doesn't happen as much; if they 
are planted a little bit crooked, some of the lower nodes might get roots. 
Most stem plants *will* start growing roots at nearly every node when they 
reach the surface and proceed to grow horizontally (bend).

My Bacopa monnieri and Rotala indica are nice in that they rarely exhibit 
this annoying behavior of growing roots in random places. This is, of 
course, as long as they're not bending over at the surface of the water. 
Lobelia cardinalis also tends to grow roots at every node, *unless* the 
stem happens to be at a perfect right angle with the floor. But as long as 
the plant is growing in a very compact manner, it hides the roots well enough.

I think it's just the nature of some plants. If you don't like it, but 
otherwise enjoy the look of the plant, you can see if there isn't another 
species that could substitute it. Or you could trim off the extra roots 
when you do your regular prunings. Maybe with some species, lighting could 
affect this behavior, but with others, it's just the plant.

-Naomi


>With most of my stem plants, the roots are growing from internodes.
>
>Here's my plant list:
>Lysimachia Nummulariav (Pondpenny) - the worst
>Giant Hygrophilia - 2nd to worst
>Cabomba caroliniana (not as bad)
>Bacopa caroliniana (none at all)
>
>They start to grow a few days after I plant them. They are all rooting in the
>substrate fine.
>
>I use 1-3mm gravel, 3" in the front, 4" in the back, 1" layer of Laterite on
>the bottom. I cut off the stem right below a node and take off enough 
>leaves to
>bury them about 1-2" deep so they don't get uprooted easily.
>
>I heard that planting ~3" horizontally in the gravel works. I haven't tried
>this yet because the worst ones have not grown tall enough to trim. Also,
>someone suggested that, because the roots don't grow near the top, the 
>cause is
>a lack of light penetration to the bottom of the aquarium. I thought that was
>definitely it, but to my surprise, the Pondpenny is starting to grow roots at
>the top. The Giant Hygro has a woody stem, so I just cut off the bottom and
>replant them. What causes this, and how do you prevent it? It's becoming 
>an eye
>sore.
>
>Thanks!
>Katie