Water hyacinth is a herbaceous plant that can multiply rapidly. It grows in nature in decorative reservoirs - ponds, lakes, rivers and large aquariums. It does not require special care, so even inexperienced lovers grow it. In addition to attractiveness, water hyacinth performs useful functions: the root system of a flower absorbs toxic substances, thereby purifying water bodies.
Botanical Description
The scientific name for water hyacinth is eichhornia (Eichhornia crassipes). The plant comes from the tropical regions of South America. Gathering in the outlet, the leaves float on the surface of the water, because there is air at the base of the peduncle. The bud of the plant blooms only for one day, and then in its place a seed box is formed. After flowering, the green stem with leaves dries. The color scheme varies from pale pink to purple-blue.
Did you know? It is not recommended to grow water hyacinth in large quantities due to too rapid growth. A flower can cover the entire body of water without letting in air, so the people got the name "Water Plague".
A characteristic feature of water hyacinth:
- leaves are rounded up to 20 cm in diameter;
- the root system grows to 0.7 m in length;
- the stem reaches 10-15 cm in height;
- the stem gives about 10-15 flowers;
- flowers in diameter can grow up to 20-30 mm.
Features of planting and growing
The cultivation and planting of water hyacinth must be approached very seriously, since the plant is capricious. Water should be fortified with organic matter. Some gardeners add humus, compost, various top dressings, river sludge, and mullein. Landing is performed at the end of spring, when a stable air temperature is maintained.
In the pond
To grow a plant in a pond, it is necessary to provide it with normal conditions, similar to the climate of the subtropics. Due to the fact that eichornia can quickly decompose various substances, the pond can not be cleaned before planting.It is best to choose slightly alkaline water, but the main condition is constant lighting and temperature.
In aquarium
When the air temperature begins to drop, you can transfer the cultivation of hyacinth to home conditions.
However, some rules must be observed:
- For an aquarium, it is better to take pond water or tap water, but let it settle.
- The required amount of water should be stored for the whole season.
- It is advisable to put soil from the pond at the bottom of the aquarium.
- The aquarium should be made of transparent glass or plastic.
- Add mineral supplements to maintain aquarium flora.
- Put a constant backlight.
- Stick to room temperature.
Video: water hyacinth in an aquarium
Plant care
A water flower grows well if you provide it with the necessary conditions. In addition, the plant is not adapted to drafts, so it is better to plant it with other species of aquatic inhabitants. Water lilies are an exception, since hyacinth with their growth can destroy them.
Important! The slow development of rosettes and the whitish color of leaves of water hyacinth indicates an insufficient amount of nutrients in the reservoir.
In order for the cottage to gain a chic look, where Eichornia beautifully spreads on the surface of the reservoir and pleases the owners, it is necessary to ensure constant exposure to sunlight. Otherwise, the plant will not bloom.
Temperature
At home, the flower is used to living in a hot climate, therefore, for intensive growth, it needs a temperature of at least + 24 ° C. In this regard, the plant grows better in the southern part of the hemisphere. Active flowering occurs at a temperature of + 28 ° C, and when it falls, the beautiful process stops. However, flower viability is not lost even in the region of + 10 ... + 20 ° С.
Lighting
The plant is demanding for light, which should be at least 14 hours a day. If the sun is not enough, then the hyacinth will begin to dry out and lose leaves. If the conditions do not allow to provide the flower with light, you can use fluorescent lamps for artificial lighting.
Pruning
Due to the fact that water hyacinth multiplies very quickly, it is imperative to trim it. Especially this procedure must be performed when growing in an aquarium where fish live. Otherwise, there will simply be no room for living things, and they will perish. To avoid this, you need to constantly trim the resulting horizontal shoots.
Important! The trimming procedure is performed with rubber gloves, since hyacinth juice is toxic. Contact with skin may cause an allergic reaction or irritation.
In the summer, dead leaf petioles are removed. You can identify them against the background of others by dark color and lethargy. If this is not done, then the reservoir will quickly become clogged. You should also thin out eichornia from time to time, since under favorable conditions, proliferation occurs very quickly.
How to propagate water hyacinth
Under natural conditions, hyacinth reproduces without any difficulty. In artificial conditions, this process also does not cause any difficulties.
Scions
Many botanists claim that the process of reproduction of this plant is the same as that of strawberries. Antennae grow from the center of the outlet, at the end of which new flowers form from 4–8 leaves.Young shoots must be carefully separated from the mother bush in early summer, so that the plant has time to grow stronger by the arrival of autumn. The process of transplanting to a new place does not cause any particular difficulties, the main thing is to observe safety measures.
Seeds
Reproduction of water hyacinth by seeds is a rather troublesome matter, as the aging process occurs at a temperature of + 35 ° С. In nature, everything is much simpler, after flowering, ripened seeds fall into the water. In a warm environment, they quickly germinate, and new young specimens form. In cold water, they begin to deteriorate quickly and become unviable.
How Eichornia hibernates
With decreasing air temperature, water hyacinth should be transferred to a warm, well-lit place where there are no winds. Tanks are best filled with water from a native reservoir. In addition, you need to add river sludge, thanks to which the plant easily adapts to new conditions. Water temperature should not exceed + 20 ° С. The plant in the winter should be provided with sufficient oxygen.A container with hyacinth should be placed in a certain distance from the heating system. In case of evaporation, add the required amount of water. Air is usually humidified with a spray gun. In no case do not cover the vessels with cellophane or any other objects, as the plant will have nothing to breathe.
Some gardeners keep hyacinth in apartments in wet sand. You can not put the plant in metal containers, because in constant contact with water, they begin to rust.Did you know? Eichornia — universal flower, which is used not only for decoration. The plant is grown for consumption.
Video: how winter hyacinth hibernates
When water hyacinth blooms in nature
Water hyacinth blooms throughout the summer. However, the flowering of each flower lasts only 48 hours, and after that it just goes under water. Due to the fact that there are a lot of them, the process does not stop, and a bright and beautiful sight is constantly visible above the water. If the summer is cold, then there is little flowering, and in return green foliage grows.Water hyacinth is a beautiful flower that is not very whimsical to care for, but demanding on light and temperature. However, this nuance does not prevent many people from using the plant to create gorgeous landscapes in their country house or in the aquarium. The most important thing is to monitor the growth of flowers so as not to harm other inhabitants of the reservoirs.