Alternanthera Sedentary (Alternanthera Sessilis)

Alternanthera Sedentary (Alternanthera Sessilis)
Alternanthera Sedentary (Alternanthera Sessilis)

Video: Alternanthera Sedentary (Alternanthera Sessilis)

Video: Alternanthera Sedentary (Alternanthera Sessilis)
Video: АЛЬТЕРНАНТЕРА СЕССИЛИС ( Alternanthera sessilis ) 2024, March
Anonim

The sedentary alternantera (Sessile joyweed, Dwarf copperleaf) is a relatively undemanding long-stemmed plant, very popular due to its beautiful leaves color - from pink-green to purple-red. It grows well both in a deep aquarium and in a humid greenhouse. It grows evenly under water throughout the year.

Alternantera feels good at water temperatures from 22 to 28 ° C. In colder water, its growth slows down sharply. The hardness and active reaction of water do not significantly affect the state of the plant, however, soft water with a slightly acidic reaction is more preferable. In it, the alternantera develops somewhat faster. It is necessary to change up to 1/5 of the volume of water 3-4 times a month.

Alternanthera sessilis, photo aquarium plants. Photo by Hai Le
Alternanthera sessilis, photo aquarium plants. Photo by Hai Le

The lighting should be bright enough. The color of the leaves depends on its intensity - the brighter the lighting, the more red tones prevail in it. Both natural and artificial lighting are suitable for alternantera. For artificial lighting, a combination of incandescent and fluorescent lamps is preferred. Fluorescent lamps of the type LD should not be used, since the spectrum of the light emitted by them does not quite suit the plant.

The root system of the alternantera is poorly developed, therefore, the nature of the soil does not play a significant role for it. You can use any substrate, but in coarse sand the roots of the plant develop better. Silt should be moderate or light. The thickness of the soil layer in the aquarium can be any, even a two-centimeter layer of sand is quite enough for the satisfactory growth of the alternantera.

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The sedentary alternantera propagates very easily by cuttings. Long stems that reach the surface of the water must be shortened by removing the top, which is planted directly into the ground, deepening the lower whorl of the leaves. After a few days, the plant will develop roots. Long stems can be divided into several parts, and each cutting should have 3-4 whorls of leaves. It can be planted immediately in the ground, without leaving it on the surface of the water and without waiting for roots to appear in the leaf axils. Cuttings left to float grow worse than those planted in the ground.

Sedentary Alternanthera (Alternanthera sessilis), photo photograph aquarium plants. By Joby Joseph
Sedentary Alternanthera (Alternanthera sessilis), photo photograph aquarium plants. By Joby Joseph

In a humid greenhouse, the sessile alternantera grows noticeably faster, but to a significant extent loses its attractiveness. It is necessary to gradually transfer plants from an underwater form to an aboveground one. When planted in a shallow aquarium, the plant easily forms aerial shoots that can be detached and planted in flooded or very moist soil. In the greenhouse for this plant, you can use garden soil, a significant part of which is sand and peat. The temperature of the water (soil) and air should be within the range of 26-30 ° C, the lighting is very bright. A terrestrial-raised Alternantera tolerates flooding very easily.

The plant can be planted almost painlessly in the soil of a deep aquarium, where it will continue to grow after a short time.

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