Aponogeton Ulvaceus

Aponogeton Ulvaceus – Sea Lettuce Herb

The Aponogeton Ulvaceus is found in the central and northern waters of Madagascar. The plant, unlike many other Aponogeton species, can be found in both still and flowing water, sunny and shady areas.

This is a fairly easy rosette plant that will look great in the background of a large aquarium. The Aponogeton Ulvaceus has (when it lives in the right conditions) beautiful bright green, wavy and twisted leaves, which have a shiny and transparent appearance. This plant will grow new leaves fairly quickly, which can reach a length of up to 50cm. In low light, the plant will send its leaves upwards, which will create longer petioles.

The bulb of the plant should be placed (carefully) for a maximum of 1/3 in the (nutrient) soil, so that the part from which the plant grows protrudes above the (nutrient) soil. This is to prevent the bulb from rotting. If you only have gravel or sand, we recommend that you place plant nutrition in tablet form, under the Aponogeton Ulvaceus, in the soil.

When planting, consider the size of the Aponogeton Ulvaceus. Provide a place where there is enough space for the plant to grow solitary.

CO2 is not a requirement, but adding plant food will make this plant stronger and stimulate growth & flowering.

It is important that the water values ​​in your aquarium remain stable, if the water values ​​fluctuate too much the plant can rot or melt.

When the plant comes into bloom, it will grow one or more stems from the bulb towards the water surface, on which white flowers develop.

The Aponogeton Ulvaceus reproduces by means of a rootstock, also called a rhizome, which usually goes horizontally through the soil. Here, with a bit of luck, a new plant grows.

The plant species 'Aponogeton' is a plant that has a rest period every now and then. Growth will come to a standstill and the plant can lose its leaves. It is good for the plant to dim the light during this period. There are people who temporarily place the plant in another aquarium, without lighting, but because the plant does not like to be moved, you can better choose to add (extra) floating plants to the aquarium to create more shade. When the plant has 'rested', growth will continue again.

Location of this aquarium plant: back zone
Maximum leaf length: 60 cm
Temperature: 18-32ºC (low in resting period)
pH: 4.5-7.5
KH: 2-15
Light: a lot – very much (little during rest period)
Origin: Madagascar, Africa
Dutch name: Sea lettuce herb, Aarfontein herb