Description
The "eelgrass", Vallisneria spiralis, is one of the longest known, yet popular aquarium plants. This submerged plant has a wide distribution in Africa and the warmer parts of Europe and Asia. It forms dense, extended stands in lakes and rivers by its runners. The strap-shaped leaves are light to medium green, slightly transparent and about 5-15 mm wide. They vary greatly in length, one may expect a maximum length of 60 cm or more. Besides straight-leaved plants there are also forms with spirally twisted leaves. However this species is not named after such leaves but after the stalks of the female flowers that twist after flowering, as well as in other Vallisneria species. Also typical of the genus, long runners with "chains" of numerous plants arise from the leaf rosettes.
Characteristic
Undemanding grass-like plant
30-60 cm tall
Light to medium green leaves
Also recommended for initial planting
Fast propagation by runners
Category
Background
Carbon Dioxide
need
