New to planting

[Sisserydoo]

So I bought a bunch of what I assume is wisteria, basically because it was just $2.99. It was floating in a tank of all kinds of junk, but I matched it up to their tubes of plants, and I'm 90% sure it's wisteria.

It is in a bunch, twist tied together, without any roots. There's about 5 or 6 stems. I do see some little white baby roots at some of the points where the leaves meet the stem.

What is my best bet for getting this to grow. Should I stick the ends in the gravel? Should I trim the ends first? If I attached it to something with fishing line, will it attach to it?

Thanks for you help!

 

[jetajockey]

You can stick it in the gravel if you want, it will grow some roots but not any real intense root structure like a sword or crypt would. It can be left floating as well.

I would trim off any dead or sickly looking pieces. I don't know if it'll attach, it might eventually.

 

[BBradbury]

Water wisteria

So I bought a bunch of what I assume is wisteria, basically because it was just $2.99. It was floating in a tank of all kinds of junk, but I matched it up to their tubes of plants, and I'm 90% sure it's wisteria.

It is in a bunch, twist tied together, without any roots. There's about 5 or 6 stems. I do see some little white baby roots at some of the points where the leaves meet the stem.

What is my best bet for getting this to grow. Should I stick the ends in the gravel? Should I trim the ends first? If I attached it to something with fishing line, will it attach to it?

Thanks for you help!

Good morning Siss...

If you have low light, less than a watt of light per gallon of tank volume, like me, then the best way to grow this plant is to float it attached to a long piece of driftwood. Water wisteria grows separate roots from individual sections on the plant. If you can get the plant directly under the light source, it grows horizontally across the surface of the tank.

If you have strong light, you can grow it planted, but don't try to grow it planted in low light. The lower branches don't get enough light and die. So, you have a tall plant with top leaves only, not pretty.

Attached are a couple of pics of a 45 G with Water wisteria floated with Java fern in low light. Sorry for the not so clear pics. The plants are directly under a 32 watt T12, so there's enough light for good growth. The Water wisteria grows very thick if you have low light and can float it.

Just a thought.

B

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Hi there,

IMO water wisteria can grow floating or rooted into the substrate. Mine is rooted into the substrate and so far it is a very fast and big grower. It'll grow even in low-light, just a little slower.

It should look a little leafy, like lettuce, and have somewhat thick stalks with little white roots coming out. That's how mine looked when I first got em.

 

[Sisserydoo]

Yes, that is how mine looks. Some leaves are typical looking leaves, some are really frilly like in a bag of spring mix lettuce from the grocery store. It has little white roots here and there. I guess I will just float it until I decide to do something else with it. Would it hurt to cut off the bottoms of the stems? They're brown and ugly!

Thanks for all the advice

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Not really. I do that with mine so that way new roots can grow in.

 

[ashleynicole]

Mine is growing great planted in lowlight. I have it in all 3 of my tanks.

 

[ashleynicole]

Not to mention, the seachem root tabs really helped mine grow an extensive root system. When I pulled it up to replant it I was impressed with the amount if roots.

 

[ashleynicole]

Just to show how good it does planted

 

[Sisserydoo]

Thanks for the info! It does look nice planted, I will probably plant it eventually. Lately I've been very busy, and should probably be doing homework rather than messing with my tanks, so I'll let it float for a while.

 

[Sisserydoo]

So do you trim it to keep it nice and low like that?

 

[ashleynicole]

So do you trim it to keep it nice and low like that?

Well so far that is how it has grown in. I broke them all in half when I first got them because they were long and scrawny looking. I bunched them together and trimmed some leaves off the bottom before I planted them. I took some trimmings out of my 5 gallon tanks and added them to this tank as well because they are closer to the light in the 5 gallon tanks and grow like crazy in there.