Echinodorus grandiflorus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Echinodorus grandiflorus |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Echinodorus
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| Species: |
grandiflorus
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Echinodorus grandiflorus is a type of plant that grows in water. It is part of the Alismataceae family, also known as the water plantain family.
This plant naturally grows in several places. You can find it in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, and Venezuela in South America. It also grows in Florida in the United States.
Contents
What Does Echinodorus grandiflorus Look Like?
This plant has different kinds of leaves.
Leaves Above Water
The leaves that grow out of the water are called emerse leaves. They stand up straight and have long stems, about 80 to 120 centimeters (31 to 47 inches) long. The main part of the leaf, called the blade, is usually oval or egg-shaped. It can be 15 to 26 cm (6 to 10 inches) long and 7 to 15 cm (3 to 6 inches) wide. These leaves have 7 to 13 clear veins. Sometimes, the veins are dark reddish-brown. The leaf blade might also have reddish-brown spots.
Leaves Under Water
The leaves that stay under the water are called submersed leaves. They have shorter stems. Their blades are also oval or egg-shaped.
Stems and Flowers
The main stem of the plant grows straight up. It can be very tall, from 90 to 150 cm (35 to 59 inches) long. This stem holds the plant's inflorescence, which is a cluster of flowers. The inflorescence looks like a wide branch. It has 5 to 12 groups of flowers, with each group holding 6 to 12 individual flowers.
The flowers themselves are white. They are about 3 to 4 cm (1 to 1.5 inches) wide. Each flower has small leaf-like parts called sepals, which are about 4 to 6 mm long. Inside, there are usually 24 stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen.
Fruits
After the flowers bloom, the plant produces a round fruit. This fruit has small, prickly parts. Inside are tiny seeds called achenes. Each achene is about 3 mm long and 1 mm wide. They have 3 to 5 ribs and usually 3 small glands in a row.
Growing Echinodorus grandiflorus
If you want to grow this plant, it needs a good environment.
Ideal Growing Conditions
- Soil: It prefers a deep, rich soil or mud. In the wild, it often grows in sticky mud along rivers.
- Light: It needs plenty of light to grow well.
- Temperature: This plant can handle warm temperatures, from subtropical to tropical climates.
- Water: It seems to grow best in water that is soft to hard.
- Nutrients: Giving it extra iron and carbon dioxide (CO2) can help it grow stronger.
Blooming and Size
Echinodorus grandiflorus seems to bloom best in cooler water. It also prefers "short-day conditions," meaning it blooms when the days are shorter.
This plant grows very large and strong. Because of its size, it is usually too big for a regular home aquarium. Its leaves quickly grow out of the water.
Hybrids
Sometimes, this plant can mix with other similar plants, like E. longiscapus. When they mix, they create "hybrids" that have features from both parent plants.
Availability
This specific plant is not often found for sale. Many plants sold under this name are actually a different species called Echinodorus palaefolius.
