plant id

[anzai]

what is the plant and how to get that effect?



same fer this picture ... what plants are those on the left and right?

thanx ...

[budak]

That's Rotala "green" - true id disputed but thought to be variety of Rotala indica (which is normally red).... unlike indica, which grows straight up until it hits the surface, Rotala green has a very strong tendency to branch out and grow laterally even at mid-or low levels, as long as the light is sufficient (2.5 wpg or more).... and will form very lush turfs.

In the second picture, it looks like Rotala green as well, with some R wallichi at the back..... Amano blasts the lights (probably MH) and CO2 (with adequate fert), so they easily become so thick and lush..... some pruning to shape the plants is needed too..... A similar, but smaller and finer leafed plant is Rotala "Nanjenshan" from Taiwan

What I like about these aquascape examples is the powerful effect of using just 2-3 species amassed in large clumps.... it's actually more "natural" too, as this is what you will find in actual habitats.

A similar, but smaller and finer leafed plant is Rotala "Nanjenshan" from Taiwan.

[gchoo]

Yupe its rotala rotundifolia green...

[anzai]

so basically this plant is a stem plant which doesnt grow tall?

i was thinking of using this layered effect to "dress" up my driftwood to make a "rain tree" ...

i wonder if it can actually grow like moss or riccia ... no roots and attached to driftwood easily ...

[budak]

I didn't say it won't grow tall.... stem plants can grow almost indefinitely as long as every part of the stem gets enough light.

It will NOT attach to wood, the roots must be rooted in substrate. But it's possible to arrange some wood in a tree trunk style and plant the rotala behind or amidst the wood base and let it form a "cascade" looking like a tree canopy. With very bright light and ample CO2 of course.

[ckll]

I thought it looks like didiplis diandra

[budak]

yah, they are very similar (and belong to the same plant family too, that's why).... but DD produces deep red tips (the Rotala green remains green) under bright light, and the leaf tips are longer and sharper.

[gchoo]

Its the way you trim the plants that eventually det that effect... You can go to Sam Yick there to view it...

[ckll]

It appears that the way the leaves appear make me think it's DD because there are 2 leaves per node (rotala too), and the arrangement of leaves between 2 nodes for DD are more perpendicular.

Rotala leaves (at least the red version) dont appear to be perpendicularly arranged. Unless the green version has different leaf characteristics

[Green Baron]

These stem plants look very nice but they grow very fast and you need to spend a lot of time maintaining them.

It is actually not difficult to achieve such look but very tough to maintain them that way. You have to keep trinning and replanting them ! Some of the forumer here re-plant their stem plants every 2 weeks !

[Green Baron]

[quote:30a38ac880="budak"]
What I like about these aquascape examples is the powerful effect of using just 2-3 species amassed in large clumps.... it's actually more "natural" too, as this is what you will find in actual habitats. [/quote:30a38ac880]

Agree. Properly laid out tank with 2-3 plant species and lots of space usually looks good, with Zen like effect.

However, most people like to tweak here and there and try different plants and layouts, so unless you have lots of space and a few tanks to play with, this minimalist style will turn into a rojak style in no time

[anzai]

i see i see ...
very very enlightening ...

i have misunderstood budak ... my apologies ...
i would think that this plant would be quite nice in a forest theme ...

or "a tree in the middle of the serengeti (how u spell it? )" theme ...
________________
i have observed some charateristics of amano's tanks are :
few plant types
one or two fish species ...

anyone would care to correct me?

[ckll]

[quote:c93edddb="ckll"]It appears that the way the leaves appear make me think it's DD because there are 2 leaves per node (rotala too), and the arrangement of leaves between 2 nodes for DD are more perpendicular.

Rotala leaves (at least the red version) dont appear to be perpendicularly arranged. Unless the green version has different leaf characteristics [/quote:c93edddb]

Was at KS yesterday evening, and saw a pot of rotala indica red in tank. It DID look very much like the plant in the pics above, except it was red. The leaf orientation is somewhat perpendicular too. And shorter than DD.

Guess you are right, budak.

[juggler]

I managed to get some layered look too using Ludwigia brevipes.

[Green Baron]

[quote:8d3fe180c0="juggler"]I managed to get some layered look too using Ludwigia brevipes.[/quote:8d3fe180c0]
How different is L. brevipes from L. acruata ? Any reason why you chose L. brevipes over L. acruata ?

[Simon]

[quote:9e555a0e3a="Gan CW"][quote:9e555a0e3a="juggler"]I managed to get some layered look too using Ludwigia brevipes.[/quote:9e555a0e3a]
How different is L. brevipes from L. acruata ? Any reason why you chose L. brevipes over L. acruata ?[/quote:9e555a0e3a]

the brevipes has broader leave blades then the acruata, acruata leave blade is like narrow, slender... seen in many places, hobbyist and lfs commonly misID these 2 plants.