At home or a bright aquarium in the apartment will never go out of style. Such things create a special atmosphere and comfort. When fish and shells live in the water, it’s wonderful, but if you add a couple of interesting ones, your pond will become extraordinary, special and irresistible. There are many colors for decoration, and water flower stands out especially well among them. In this article we will talk about planting it yourself and further caring for such a beautiful plant.
Description
Merman (Eichhornia crassipes) - native to tropical areas of South America. It is also called Eichornia excellent. The natural environment for the flower is lakes, rivers (with no strong current), ponds, swamps and even ditches.
Did you know? In America, South Asia and other countries with warm climates, it is popularly nicknamed “water plague”, since the plant develops very strongly and almost completely covers rivers due to favorable weather conditions. This is a real disaster for local residents.
From a botanical point of view, it is a monocotyledonous plant belonging to the genus Eichornia. Its petiolate leaves are up to 20 centimeters in diameter, have a rounded shape, and are collected into a rosette in such a way that the hyacinth is always afloat. This occurs due to the air at the base of the leaf. Its coating is smooth, dense and glossy. The root system of Eichornia excellent is completely immersed in the aquatic environment and grows up to 0.7 meters in length.
The stem usually reaches 10-15 centimeters in height and produces approximately 10-15 flowers. In a natural environment, it can grow up to one meter, but in an aquarium, water hyacinth will naturally be much smaller. The flowers are large in size, reaching 20-30 millimeters in diameter; the range can vary from pale pink to deep lilac. Because of the magical appearance and pleasant fragrant aroma of the inflorescences, eichornia is called beautiful. In the European climate, the plant will most likely delight you with color in the spring-summer season.
Features of the view
The species is very unusual and has many differences from other living plants. In suitable conditions, hyacinth grows incredibly quickly and covers the entire surface of the reservoir with a dense layer, which creates an obstacle for the passage of ships along the river, for hydroelectric power plants, fishing and other crafts.
Important! It is not recommended to breed Eichornia excellent in large quantities, since the plant has the ability to weave a pond/aquarium so tightly that air will not get in well, and aquatic inhabitants, be it fish or algae, will not be able to exist normally.
In some cases, the edges of eichornia leaves are tender and wavy, this gives a special aesthetic appearance to the plant. It thrives in warm and calm places. Given a suitable environment, this representative of the flora can turn into an almost constantly blooming and perennial inhabitant. Water hyacinth is beneficial for the aquarium. Thanks to its absorbent abilities, the plant remarkably purifies water, makes it clear and removes unpleasant odors. It is capable of absorbing toxic insecticides, heavy metals, fish waste products and other toxic substances. Many experienced aquarium owners advise not to purchase an expensive filter, but rather to grow eichornia. Hyacinth is also good quality, as it contains many minerals and vitamins.
Features of planting and growing
Eichornia is excellent - it is an incredibly demanding and capricious plant, so the conditions for its planting and care should be approached responsibly. Water hyacinth as an ornamental species can be grown in a pond or in an aquarium: the specifics of the process depend on the chosen conditions.
In the pond
When growing eichornia in a pond, the main task will be to create conditions that will be close to its natural ones. First of all, it is warm water, rich in organic substances and vitamins. It would be good to add humus, prepared bottom sludge or compost to it. This culture is capable of quickly decomposing substances, so it is not afraid of various harmful agents inherent in the pond. That is why you don’t have to pre-clean the pond before planting. If possible, you should choose water with a slightly alkaline reaction, but this is not the most important factor. An important condition for growing water hyacinth is the temperature of the water and the environment in general. The fact is that in its homeland the culture develops at +24-30° C. The plant loves the sun and requires constant lighting. Planting should be started in May-June so that the hyacinth has time to take root and grow before the cold weather. In addition, at this time there is the greatest amount of solar heat and light. Eichornia excellent does not tolerate temperature changes, so this indicator must be stable.
In aquarium
Keeping eichornia in an aquarium has several features. On the one hand, it is much easier to control the temperature; there are a huge number of devices and devices that heat the water in the aquarium if necessary. On the other hand, there are several difficulties in this type of cultivation. Firstly, the container should be far from small, because the plant will develop poorly and may die from lack of space. Secondly, hyacinth will need artificial light, and you need a lot of it. Experts recommend fluorescent lamps with a power of 3.2 W or more. It would also be good to rearrange the aquarium, then your pet will certainly bloom in our latitudes.
Reproduction
Propagation of water hyacinth is quite possible and easy to do. Experienced botanists say that this process is very similar to the reproduction of the well-known plant. The plant develops daughter shoots. This means that Eichornia is able to reproduce. This procedure occurs at an incredibly fast pace - more than 100 new plants can appear within a month. As soon as the daughter shoot has several leaves, it can be safely removed from the main hyacinth.
Did you know? Eichornia is excellent - an almost universal flower, suitable not only for water purification and. In countries with a suitable climate, hyacinth has recently begun to be grown on a large scale for consumption as a salad and for the production of organic fuel.
This flower can reproduce and. True, there is one thing: the whole point is that in order to fully ripen the grains and prepare them for planting, a temperature of +35 ° C is required, so this method is possible, but requires artificial heating at home. Seeds are a longer lasting and less effective type. 
Care
When caring for the crop, it is worth maintaining the desired temperature (from +24° C). In the region of +10-20° C, the plant may not bloom, but it will “live”. Eichornia needs about 14 hours of daylight.
When growing at home, water hyacinth also requires frequent pruning. Especially do not forget about this in an aquarium, otherwise the fish will not get along with this plant.
Important! To prevent excessive proliferation of eichornia, as soon as the plant begins to send out horizontal shoots, they must be removed. Thisneed todo with gloves, because hyacinth juice if it comes into contact with the skin can cause allergies and irritation.
Dead petioles of leaves are also trimmed in the summer. The need for this becomes clearly visible, because they turn lethargic and acquire a dark, unnatural color. The plant is afraid of drafts, so it must be protected in this sense. In order to protect hyacinth, it is worth planting marsh or. Many vertically growing representatives of the aquatic world are suitable for this purpose, with the only exception being water lilies.
If Eichornia excellent reproduces too quickly, then its bushes need to be constantly thinned out so that there is some distance between them. If you notice that the plant has become a little “lifeless,” provide it with additional light and oxygen as soon as possible. 
Hyacinth is a floating aquatic flower. The scientific name of this plant is “Eichornia”. Homeland is the USA. This representative of the flora can be found in the swampy areas of the Amazon. Now Water Hyacinth is distributed throughout the world.
The flower grows in the tropics, lakes and rivers. It is growing rapidly, which greatly interferes with shipping. Therefore, the unofficial name of the plant is “ water plague».
The flower takes root well in decorative ponds, artificial ponds and, with good care, large aquariums. The plant actively grows in reservoirs rich in organic matter.
Description and photo of the plant
Water Hyacinth is a herbaceous, beautifully flowering perennial. This representative of the flora stays on the surface of the water with the help of swollen petioles containing oxygen.
The petioles consist of tissue with a honeycomb structure. Leaf-shaped floats perfectly withstand the emerald lush rosette. Peduncles extend from its center. The leaves of the plant are oval-shaped, dense, wrinkled. The veins are arranged in an arcuate manner. The root system of the flower is fibrous. Can reach 0.5 meters in length.
Below you can see photos of water hyacinth.
Bloom
The plant blooms throughout the summer. Each flower blooms for no more than 48 hours. But due to their large number, flowering is abundant and long lasting. Particularly bright and beautiful flowering is observed in warm, non-rainy weather.
After flowering, the peduncle goes under water. If the summer was very cold and the temperature did not rise above 22°C, then a huge cap of dense emerald foliage grows over the water surface.
Planting and caring for flowers
When planting a plant in a pond, it is necessary to take into account that the water is fortified with a large amount of organic substances.
Important! The active growth of rosettes depends on the amount of micronutrients in the water.
Trimming
During the entire summer period, no special care is required for this plant. From time to time, black old petioles of leaves are cut off. They can be easily broken off from the mother flower without using force.
Important! You cannot plant Eichornia together with water lilies. Due to the strong growth of Water Hyacinth, the water lilies will not have enough space and may die.
Reproduction
For its amazing ability to reproduce quickly, professional gardeners call this plant a “double champion.” The procedure is similar to strawberry propagation.
The flower produces daughter shoots. In 30 days the mother plant produces more than 100 new copies Eichornia. Therefore, it is generally accepted that reproduction occurs in geometric progression.
The increase in mass in this representative of the flora occurs with decreasing daylight hours. The flower also reproduces by seeds. But for the seeds to fully ripen, a stable temperature above 36°C is required. Therefore, in most regions of the Russian Federation, this method of reproduction is impossible.
After flowering, the fruit with seeds breaks and the seeds fall into the water. At high temperatures, the seeds begin to grow strongly. If there is a lack of heat, they rot.
Important! You need to know that when growing Eichornia in decorative ponds with living flora, excessive reproduction of this representative of the flora leads to a change in the incoming light. The oxygen level in the water changes, which leads to the death of living creatures. Therefore, artificial aeration of water should be provided for the flora.
Temperature
Active growth of the plant occurs at a temperature of 25-27°C. The flowering period begins at temperatures above 28°C. If the temperature drops below 22°C, flowering stops. This temperature holds well in the USA and Asia.
It is difficult to achieve full flowering in the northern and central parts of the Russian Federation. Therefore, the plant is recommended for growing in the south of the Russian Federation, Belarus and Ukraine. The closer the plant is to the south, the more abundantly it blooms.
Lighting
The plant needs more than 14 hours of daylight. With a lack of sun the flower will begin to wither and drop leaves.
Therefore, if it is not possible to provide such a lighting mode, the flower is illuminated artificially. Fluorescent lamps are perfect for this.
How to preserve in winter?
After the end of the summer period and a drop in temperature, it is recommended to move this representative of the flora to a warm, windless, well-lit room. It is recommended to use basins or large aquariums as wintering containers.
To fill the container you need use water from a pond where the plant was located. River silt is added to it, thanks to which the plant quickly adapts to new conditions and takes root easily. For a full winter, the plant must be provided with:
- Stable temperature above 20°C.
- Water temperature 20°C.
- Artificial and daylight lighting for 13-15 hours a day.
- Adequate oxygen.
- Elimination of drafts and direct wind.
- When evaporating, add water to the container.
When wintering, containers with plants are placed as far as possible further away from heating devices. The air must be humidified with water from a spray bottle. It is important to ensure that this representative of the flora is constantly in the water. It is prohibited to cover containers with cellophane or other objects. Otherwise, the plant will have nothing to breathe and will die.
It is forbidden to install the plant in a dark cellar, closet or basement. To prevent the leaves from rotting while in water, the plant is placed on a ring float.
With its help, the root system of the flower will be completely immersed in water. And the leaves will be on the surface, not in contact with water.
Some gardeners recommend keeping Eichornia in a moistened substrate or sea sand. At the same time, you should not keep the plant in metal containers, as they begin to rust severely if they come into constant contact with water.
In the video, an expert explains how Water Hyacinth overwinters best.
Benefits and harms
This representative of the flora is considered the best living water filter. It easily processes harmful chemicals that enter the pond. Therefore, in the summer in the Russian Federation it is used to purify water in rivers, lakes and artificial reservoirs.
The powerful root system of the flower covers a large area. She's like a pump, extracts gasoline, traces of oils, phosphates, phenols, metal oxides, various insecticides.
Diseases
A plant gets sick only from improper care or improper wintering. If the flower begins to wither, it needs to be provided oxygen flow and increase the period of artificial illumination. Organic substances, trace elements, silt and humus should be added to the water.
Eichornia is a beautiful flowering plant. Requires high temperatures above 25°C, sun and artificial lighting. Propagated by seeds and daughter shoots. Prefers fortified water with a lot of organic substances.
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An amazing plant - water hyacinth, known among gardeners as eichornia or “green plague”, is often used as an aquarium culture. In addition, it feels great in natural or artificial reservoirs. In warm water, eichornia grows quickly and blooms beautifully. More recently, the plant was a curiosity for our climate. But the fragrant flowers of the most delicate shades, juicy bright leaves simply captivated connoisseurs of beauty. The decorative properties of hyacinth were appreciated by gardeners. In addition, the plant is an excellent natural water filter.
Description of hyacinth
Eichornia is an unusually beautiful plant. On the surface of the water it creates dense rosettes consisting of bright green leaves. The petioles thicken towards the base and form many cavities filled with air.
Water hyacinth grows in a pond, on graceful thin stems, if the elements are calm. In a seething state, the plant forms a fairly spreading rosette on short thick cuttings.
Eichornia has long roots. In dry or shallow ponds they can reach the muddy bottom. Having taken root in the ground, water hyacinth provides itself with additional nutrition.
Culture is rightfully considered an adornment of the landscape. It is especially beautiful during the flowering period. You just can’t take your eyes off the bright spectacle. Flowers are collected in rosettes of 5-12 pieces. In appearance, they are a little reminiscent of orchids. Flowers can delight you with beautiful blue, lilac or yellow shades.
The plant needs certain conditions. In this case, it will delight the owner with its beautiful blooms several times during the season.
"Planting" a plant
Even a novice gardener can grow a strong and beautiful water hyacinth. “Planting” and care will not require much effort. After all, the plant can withstand almost any conditions.
- The rosette of the plant must be placed in an aquarium with warm water. It is advisable to provide plenty of light.
- If the conditions are unsuitable, then when a new leaf appears, the old one will die.
- In a favorable climate, the plant will begin to develop. The roots will grow, the leaves will not die. Around May, a new rosette forms.
- You can transfer water hyacinth to the pond in June, when the weather is warm. The “boarding” process is very simple. The tropical beauty is simply lowered into the pond.
sunlight
If you provide a plant such as water hyacinth with proper care, it will delight you with beautiful flowering. It is not difficult to create comfortable conditions for culture.
First of all, remember that Eichornia loves sunlight. Therefore, it is better for her to choose illuminated areas in fresh, warm bodies of water. Although the plant can exist perfectly even in a shady area. However, for beautiful flowering it simply needs an abundance of sun.
At the same time, try to avoid drafts. The plant simply cannot tolerate them. And he might even die.
Temperature
We should not forget that the historical homeland of the plant is Brazil and South America, which have a hot climate. Therefore, eichornia feels most comfortable in warm conditions.
In order for the plant to fully and correctly develop, it is recommended to listen to the opinions of experts:
- For full development of the plant, a temperature of at least 22 °C is required. Taking this into account, planting of water hyacinth occurs in June.
- The optimal temperature for a heat-loving plant is 25-27 °C. And during flowering - 28-29 °C.
- The plant does not tolerate temperature changes.
- When it gets cold, hyacinth should be placed in an aquarium with water and moved to a warm room.
- In winter, the plant can withstand temperatures of at least 15 °C.
Features of cultivation
Despite the exotic nature of the plant, caring for the crop is quite simple. The most important thing is to provide eichornia with conditions that are as close to natural as possible.
In order for a plant to fully develop, it is necessary to provide it with the right environment. The culture needs water enriched with organic components. In such an environment, it will pleasantly surprise you with its graceful flowering.
Excellent additives for culture can be:
- mullein infusion or compost;
- purified bottom sludge;
- humus;
- complex fertilizers intended for aquarium plants.
By ensuring the supply of necessary nutrients, you will notice how the fertilizer affects the growth of the rosettes.
Eichornia thrives in slightly alkaline waters. She is not afraid of harmful impurities that can be destructive for other plants.
Branched powerful roots straighten out under water. They are capable of covering fairly large volumes. At the same time, water hyacinth is often called a “filter”. After all, the roots, like a pump, absorb not only organic matter. They absorb metal oxides, phosphates, insecticides, traces of phenols and oils. After a while, the pond cleans up perfectly.
Due to this property, the culture is widely used for filtering naturally polluted water bodies.
Wintering the plant
As soon as the air temperature begins to decrease, the plant must be moved to a warm room. Eichornia can overwinter:
- in the pelvis;
- aquarium;
- suitable transparent container.
The vessel should be filled with the same water in which the culture developed in the summer. It is recommended to add a little sludge to the container. This will allow the plant to take root and overwinter comfortably.
To prevent water hyacinth from dying at home, you should consider the following points:
- The plant no longer needs high temperatures. But you still need to provide heat. Optimal values are 20 °C.
- Hyacinth rosettes are very sensitive to lack of light. It is recommended to install a backlight above the container. This will allow you to get through the winter normally. Eichornia should receive light at least 14 hours a day.
- The plant needs warm water. The liquid temperature should be around 20 °C.
- Provide the crop with access to fresh air. However, do not forget that it does not tolerate drafts.
- Monitor moisture levels carefully. Evaporation of water can lead to the death of the plant. Therefore, you should periodically add water.
- To protect hyacinth from “hunger”, it is recommended to add a little fertilizer. Use special compounds for aquarium plants.
Water hyacinth can be a wonderful decoration for a pond. It will delight you with a special, magnificent sight during flowering. However, owners should be aware of a significant drawback of the plant. Under favorable conditions, it can multiply rapidly. Covering a pond with a “thick blanket”, the culture can lead to the death of many pond inhabitants. Therefore, the plant should be thinned out periodically.
Description of eichornia or water hyacinth, its properties, growing conditions, care, reproduction, as well as an overview of the main difficulties when breeding in an aquatic environment.
The content of the article:
Eichornia is better known in our country under the designation water hyacinth. In science, its name in Latin sounds like Eichhornia crassipes. The plant is part of the Pontederiaceae family, where it is separated into a separate genus with the same name Eichorniaceae. The tropical part of the American continent is considered the birthplace of water hyacinth, but eichornia is also found in Africa and the countries of the Asian region.
Despite the fact that the plant is widespread in the Amazon basin in South America, it is not found at all in the tributaries of this river, which are already located in the temperate climate zone. But this does not prevent us from growing eichornia in artificial reservoirs, aquariums and winter gardens, where a plant with beautiful flowers in delicate tones of purple, white or blue will always be a welcome guest.
Curious facts about Eichornia
- Water plague. In its natural habitat, water hyacinth often becomes a serious problem for the population and also poses a threat to the fauna and flora of the region. This is due to the fact that the plant, in conditions of a constant warm environment, grows without measure, covering a large area of reservoir with a dense layer in the shortest possible time. Because of this feature, residents of those regions where eichornia is rampant began to call the plant water plague.
- Water purification. This amazing property was discovered by accident. One of the amateur flower growers, before going on vacation, decided to throw away the eichornia and threw it into a container with a soapy, stagnant liquid. Imagine his surprise when, upon returning from vacation, it was discovered that the plant not only did not die, but also actively grew, making the water absolutely transparent! To make sure that eichornia is actively ridding water of dirt, you can conduct a simple experiment at home by putting a cloudy liquid with soap, soil or something else into a jar and leaving the plant in it for a couple of days.
Description of Eichornia
Water hyacinth is a herbaceous and perennial plant with leathery, shiny leaves that form a rosette. The petioles are long with a significant thickening towards the base, and they consist of porous spongy tissue that retains air and allows the eichornia to remain above the surface of the water. The fibrous root system reaches a length of 55–65 cm, and the flowers are zygomorphic - with one axis for symmetry. In addition, they have a simple perianth structure that acquires a lilac, pink, white or blue tint.
The life cycle of the flower lasts only 1 day, and then it sinks below the surface of the water with the holding peduncle. In warm tropical climates, vegetative propagation occurs extremely intensively, resulting in the creation of a durable layer that prevents the movement of boats and ships on the water. In addition, the intensity of putrefactive processes increases significantly, which leads to the death of some species of animals, fish and plants.
Features of Eichornia
The plant received its second name due to the similarity in appearance with the decorative flower growing in gardens - hyacinth. But there is no direct relationship between them, and Eichornia acts as an exclusively aquatic plant that feels comfortable in warm reservoirs with a rich organic world.
In its natural habitat, eichhornia blooms continuously throughout the many years of its life. The flowers are held on water due to special swellings on each of the petioles, which consist of air-filled tissue with a structure like a honeycomb.
In fact, the characteristic swellings on the cuttings act as floats that support the eichornia rosette, which has a rather magnificent shape. When water hyacinth grows alone, the swellings can be spherical in appearance and quite large in size. If the plant gathers in large colonies, then the size of the swellings decreases, and when rooting occurs, they completely shrink as unnecessary.
Specifics of growing eichornia in ponds
For the development of eichornia, it is necessary to provide only one single condition - an aquatic environment, which must contain organic elements in large quantities. Therefore, it is important to add a lot of humus, humus or compost to provide the flower with everything it needs.
- Temperature. Since the plant’s homeland is in areas with subtropical and tropical climates, for a comfortable climate it is necessary to ensure high temperatures in the range of 22–27 degrees, and at the flowering stage even up to 30–32 degrees. If the heat indicators are insufficient, then beautiful large flowers in delicate shades that are pleasing to the eye may not appear, although the plant develops well and is rapidly gaining in size. Water hyacinths are planted in our countries at the end of May or at the beginning of June, when the water in temperate latitudes has already warmed up sufficiently and the likelihood of night frosts will be reduced to zero.
- Lighting. In addition to high temperatures, sources of bright light are necessary for comfortable development. Typically, several LB standard fluorescent lamps are used for these purposes. You need to choose those whose power will be in the range of 3–3.5 W per 10 square centimeters. Install the lamps at a distance of approximately 30 centimeters above the surface of the water. It is better to refrain from purchasing ordinary incandescent lamps, since they will have to be placed close to the plants, and this can cause burns to their leaves. If you try to place the lamps further to eliminate the possibility of damage to the sheets, you will have to increase their power, which will ultimately still lead to undesirable consequences. Therefore, fluorescent lamps remain the only optimal option, and they are used to create a 14-hour daylight hours. In the summer, if you provide direct sunlight, it is not difficult to grow water hyacinth, but in the autumn months there will be little natural light, and this will slow down the development of the plant and may even lead to its death. In winter, to preserve the eichornia, you need to move it inside a ring-shaped foam float. Moreover, it is important to pay attention to the fact that the roots must remain in the water, but the leaves must already lie on the surface of the float in order to remain dry. If you ignore this recommendation, the leaf petioles will begin to rot under the influence of moisture accumulated in them. Directly under the water hyacinth, approximately 5–6 cm from it, place a pot, inside of which silted soil is left. This arrangement will allow the roots to grow and take shelter, which will allow the plant to survive the winter even in a simple aquarium. For wintering, ordinary room lighting and a water temperature of 23–25 degrees are suitable.
- Fertilizer. Eichornia is extremely demanding on the availability of nutrients in the aquatic environment, therefore there is a direct connection between the intensity of plant development and the concentration of organic residues. The root system has a branched structure, which includes the formation of a large number of adventitious rhizomes. Accordingly, a whole network is formed under the surface of the water, spreading over a large area and consuming all available organic matter. In this regard, attempts to grow eichornia in a clean reservoir will not lead to success, since development will be extremely slow, and in some cases the plant may even die. It is allowed to feed water hyacinth with any type of organic matter, including fresh manure. Here the only limitation is the aesthetic appearance of the reservoir and the smell of its water. Therefore, it is considered optimal to use fertilizers for aquarium or ordinary indoor plants. Despite the fact that eichornia is a rather exotic guest in temperate latitudes, planting and growing this crop is not at all difficult. The main thing is to provide her with the necessary nutrition, as well as temperature and lighting.
Period and conditions of flowering of water hyacinth
In its natural environment, Eichornia primarily grows in water bodies of the tropics and subtropics of South America and Asia, where the air temperature usually does not fall below 25–26 degrees Celsius. Such conditions allow water hyacinth to bloom all year round without stopping.
In the temperate zone, such an atmosphere can only be provided artificially, so water hyacinth begins to bloom in open reservoirs only in the summer, when the air warms up to a temperature of 28 and above. When the temperature drops below 22 degrees, flowering stops.
If the summer months are cold, then flowers do not appear, but above the surface of the water, eichornia forms a beautiful green cap of leaves of bright, rich tones.
Propagation of water hyacinth
The easiest way to propagate eichornia is vegetative. In this case, the young rosettes are separated from the mother plant. It should be taken into account that the intensity of the mass gained by water hyacinth is directly related to the length of daylight hours; the shorter it is, the faster the growth occurs. When trying to use this moment in collecting young rosettes, we must not forget that reproduction leads to a decrease in the illuminated area in the reservoir and a drop in oxygen levels, which can cause damage to other vegetation, as well as some species of mollusks, fish and various amphibians.
In their natural habitats, Eichornia is also propagated by seeds. But for the countries of the former CIS, this method is not applicable due to the fact that the plant needs to be provided with a high air temperature - at least 35 degrees.
How does water hyacinth overwinter?
In the autumn, the air temperature already drops quite significantly for such a heat-loving plant as eichornia, so you should first think about creating all the necessary conditions for its wintering. It will not survive in a natural reservoir, so you will need to move the water hyacinth to a warm room with a good level of light. You can use a basin, an aquarium, etc. as a storage container during the dormant period. Take the water for the plant that it was in during the summer. For rooting, sludge is added to the bottom.
In the winter months, Eichornia no longer needs excessively high temperatures; it is enough for the air and water to be warmed up to 20 degrees Celsius. All this is not difficult to organize, but you should also think about a sufficient level of illumination, since sockets perceive the lack of light extremely negatively, you need to use fluorescent lamps to ensure a 14-hour day.
For normal wintering, water hyacinth will also need oxygen in sufficient quantities, but you need to take into account that the plant does not like drafts and may die if due attention is not paid to this point. In addition, we must not forget about feeding, since Eichornia actively feeds all year round, a forced “hunger strike” will negatively affect its condition. To support water hyacinth, you can periodically feed it small amounts of fertilizer intended for aquarium plants.
The use of eichornia in landscape design
When decorating open reservoirs with water hyacinth, you need to take into account some points. As already mentioned, the plant is afraid of drafts, so if possible you need to protect it from them. For this purpose, you can plant marsh irises, cattails or other vertically growing plants along the edge of the reservoir.
Some landscape designers are trying to combine eichornia and water lilies, as their combination looks quite impressive. But you need to take into account that in the company of such an aggressive neighbor, other plant species do not feel well and may die. Eichornia rosettes over time quickly cover the entire surface, preventing the penetration of sunlight and consuming oxygen from the water in huge quantities, which causes the death of fish, shells and other aquatic life. Therefore, you need to worry about additional aeration so that underwater inhabitants do not suffer from the beauty of the flowering plant.
The main pests and diseases of Eichornia
Water hyacinth is not predisposed to any particular diseases and problems with its condition are always the result of improper care. The plant itself is very strong and aggressive, so even pests common to other species are not afraid of it. Some problems have only been seen with weevil exposure.
Based on this, some countries on the African continent, where eichornia grows immensely and causes a lot of inconvenience, even at one time decided to specially propagate the weevil beetle so that it would reduce the population of water hyacinth. Unfortunately, this experiment failed miserably, which allows us to say with confidence that there are simply no particularly dangerous pests that could destroy the plant in nature.
Difficulties encountered when growing eichornia:
- The appearance of brown spots usually indicates a lack of moisture in the air or the presence of drafts. In this case, it is enough to eliminate the cause so that the beautiful appearance is restored.
- In some cases, the formation of brown spotting may be a consequence of incipient putrefactive processes. But, as a rule, this phenomenon is preceded by rotting of the cuttings, which is difficult not to notice. Here you will have to make, for example, special float rings from foam plastic that will hold the leaves above the surface, while the roots will remain submerged in the water.
Artificial ponds with plants floating on the surface look especially attractive. Are there crops that can be grown both in an aquarium in an apartment and outdoors, for example, in a pond? There are such plants, and one of them is Eichornia, a water hyacinth native to South America.
The culture appeared on the Russian market relatively recently, while in the countries of Asia, Africa and the southern United States it is widespread. Growing in the wild, water hyacinth chooses lakes and slow-flowing rivers as its habitat. There it is capable of forming impassable thickets, very quickly “spreading” across the surface of the water.
For such fertility, Eichornia was nicknamed “water plague”; quite often it creates a lot of inconvenience for local residents, complicating the movement of surface transport, threatening animal and fish populations, not to mention the fact that the crop quickly absorbs all the plants located in the neighborhood.
Description of the species, photos, characteristics and flowering time of water hyacinth
Eichornia thick-legged or water hyacinth belongs to the class Monocots of the Pontederiaceae family. You can find mention of this plant under the names “beautiful eichornia” or “excellent”.
This is a perennial herbaceous plant with shiny leathery leaves up to 20 cm long, having a round or elliptical shape. They are assembled into a rosette, inside which a “cushion” of air is formed, due to which the water hyacinth floats on the water.
The roots of the crop can reach 60 cm in length. If the depth of the reservoir where eichornia grows is less than 50 cm, then the plant will not float, but will take root in the muddy soil.
The stems of the plant reach 10-15 cm in length, and on each of them about 12-15 buds are formed, from which flowers bloom with a diameter of 2-3 cm. They come in different shades: white, pink, blue or lilac. Their lifespan is only one day, after which they disappear under water.
For water hyacinth to bloom, a temperature of at least +28 degrees is required. When the indicator drops to + 22, flowering stops. In cold summers, buds will not appear at all, and only a lush “cap” of green foliage will float on the surface of the water.
Features of growing water hyacinth in a pond
Eichornia is planted in late spring or early summer, when the temperature ranges from +24 to +30 and the pond warms up well.
For normal growth and development, it is necessary to pre-fertilize the soil using the following compositions:
- humus;
- purified bottom sludge;
- mullein or compost;
- complex fertilizer.
These compositions are also suitable for periodic feeding of plantings. The growth of a crop directly depends on the amount of nutrients in the aquatic environment.
Important! When working with water hyacinth, you only need to wear gloves, since the juice of this plant is poisonous.
Growing water hyacinth in an aquarium
Water hyacinth Eichornia can be grown not only in a pond, but also in an aquarium.
To grow a crop in a home pond, you need:
- Maintain optimal water quality. The temperature should be at least 25 degrees, acidity from 6 to 6.8 pH, and hardness less than 6 units.
- Equip the tank with lamps. Daylight hours for water hyacinth should last at least 12 hours. It is important to remember that longer lighting will cause the plantings to actively grow and there will be a need for frequent thinning.
- Adjust the water filtration and aeration system. If the necessary equipment is not installed in the aquarium, its contents will quickly “bloom” and emit an unpleasant odor.
- Plant nutrition. Fertilizers intended for aquarium crops will need to be applied year-round. Liquid formulations for indoor flowers are also suitable for water hyacinth.
- Thinning. To prevent water hyacinth from blocking the access of light and air to an artificial reservoir, it should not be allowed to grow strongly over the surface and periodically remove “extra” plants from the reservoir.
Important! Eichornia can only be planted in large aquariums, since if there is not enough space, the plant will develop poorly and quickly die.
Eichornia propagation methods
Water hyacinth can reproduce both vegetatively and by seed.
In the first case, to increase the number of plantings, you will need to do the following:
When the plants take root and are strong enough, you can move them to their permanent habitat.
It is almost impossible to propagate water hyacinth by seeds in the Russian climate. The fact is that for the planting material to ripen, an air temperature of at least +35 degrees will be required.
How does water hyacinth overwinter?
The heat-loving airhornia will not tolerate temperatures below 0 degrees. To preserve the plantings until next season, you will need to move them to a warm environment. Storage in winter can be done in an aquarium or other transparent container, at the bottom of which sand or silt will be placed.
To successfully winter water hyacinth, you must follow the following rules:
- maintain the water temperature in the quarantine tank at the same level as in the flower’s permanent habitat;
- place fertilized soil at the bottom of the container so that the roots of the plant can be properly nourished;
- feed the plant regularly.
It is advisable to organize lighting for plantings for 12 hours a day. But if this is not possible, it is enough to place a container with water hyacinths on the windowsill on the south side of the house. And after consistently warm weather sets in, it can be moved to its native pond, where it will quickly grow a mass of leaves and throw out a flower stalk by the end of summer.
In winter, Eichornia should be moved to a warm place.
On a note. If the region where eichornia grows has a mild and not frosty winter, it will overwinter well in a greenhouse, placed in an ordinary water barrel.
The use of water hyacinth in landscape design
As mentioned above, eichornia is used to decorate outdoor ponds or large aquariums.
In the first case, it would be a good idea to place the plantings near a small waterfall or stream, which will provide an influx of oxygen into the aquatic environment. This will benefit the culture and allow it to grow faster.
In aquariums, water hyacinth is used as an accent; it looks advantageous in combination with large shells, oddly shaped stones and various decorative elements.
The main thing is to constantly control the growth of eichornia and not let it grow too much, filling all the space, then it will please the eye for many years and will not harm the inhabitants of the reservoir.
We offer you to watch a video in which the author of the Eichornia plant talks about it.
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