Has anyone ever kept water Hyacinth sucessfully indoors over winter? I have some that I'd like to keep going so I can have it ready in the spring and not have to wait for the nursery's to finally offer. Thanks.
Water Hyacinth
Started by
Guest_Ken_*
, Nov 18 2011 09:18 AM
9 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_nativeplanter_*
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Posted 18 November 2011 - 09:25 AM
Water hyacinth is not a native plant and is terribly invasive in many parts of the country. Being as this is a Native Plants subforum...
#3
Guest_EricaWieser_*
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Posted 18 November 2011 - 11:13 AM
The advantage to using native plants is they're better at tolerating winter than a plant that came from a warmer climate. If you switched from water hyacinth to a native plant, you could lessen your work load by not having to bring the plants in overwinter. It might save you some time and effort. 
I've tried to put together a list of floating native plants for you:
Floating plants native to North America:
Ceratophyllum demersum, AKA 'hornwort'
Azolla AKA 'fairy moss' or 'water fern'
Utricularia, AKA 'bladderwort'
Lemna, AKA 'duckweed' (both giant and common)
Wolffia borealis, AKA 'northern watermeal'
Ricciocarpus natans, AKA 'purple fringed riccia'
Limnobium spongia, AKA 'frogbit'
I'm no plant expert, so that's definitely not all the species. Maybe some other people can help add to the list.
I've tried to put together a list of floating native plants for you: Floating plants native to North America:
Ceratophyllum demersum, AKA 'hornwort'
Azolla AKA 'fairy moss' or 'water fern'
Utricularia, AKA 'bladderwort'
Lemna, AKA 'duckweed' (both giant and common)
Wolffia borealis, AKA 'northern watermeal'
Ricciocarpus natans, AKA 'purple fringed riccia'
Limnobium spongia, AKA 'frogbit'
I'm no plant expert, so that's definitely not all the species. Maybe some other people can help add to the list.
#4
Guest_Ken_*
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Posted 19 November 2011 - 09:38 AM
My sincere apologies.... I had forgotten Hyacinth was an introduced plant. It is the only non native I have. Wanted the root system to hide fry. Thanks for the input.
#5
Guest_EricaWieser_*
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Posted 19 November 2011 - 10:12 AM
That's okay, the root system is really useful for fry. You might also like Myriophyllum pinnatum, which has very fine leaves and a structure that is just like water hyacinth's roots. It's native, and actually endangered in some states, so if you could get some from a fellow aquarist and propagate it in the aquarium it would be nice to have more.
Water hyacinth roots: http://www.thatpetpl...t-structure.jpg
Myriophyllum pinnatum: http://www.floridaaq...innatum_000.jpg
It's like having water hyacinth roots growing up from the ground, colored green. ^_^
Water hyacinth roots: http://www.thatpetpl...t-structure.jpg
Myriophyllum pinnatum: http://www.floridaaq...innatum_000.jpg
It's like having water hyacinth roots growing up from the ground, colored green. ^_^
Edited by EricaWieser, 19 November 2011 - 10:13 AM.
#6
Guest_Orval3_*
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Posted 19 December 2011 - 04:40 AM
I over winter here is USA and I am in zone 6. Fall here is in Sept around the 21st. In August I plant my water hyacinths in dirt in a tub with no holes. I leave them outside until about the first frost. I make sure to keep water in the tubs. Then I move them inside my basement under a shop light. I do not feed them because it will kill them. I have them in the basement about 7 months. Then they look really rough after that long. Some look almost dead in fact. Then in Late April or early May I take the tubs outside and put it in a heated tub with an aquarium heater in it. I put an old window over the top of the tub. After a few weeks when they start purking up I carefully pull them out of the dirt and let them float. I take the tub out. This works for me.
#7
Guest_rickwrench_*
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Posted 21 December 2011 - 02:43 AM
Native Hydrocotyle sp. make excellent floaters, with excellent root and runner systems providing plenty of cover for fry. I have H. ranunculoides in one of my tanks and also my pond, originally sourced from a neighbor's boat trailer...
One of my favorite floating plants, and looks very nice in a rimless open top tank.
Here's some floating in a newly setup work tank:
A month later, and it's a dense, fry friendly mat, sheltering flagfish grazing on duckweed:
Check the USDA site to make sure you aren't collecting an endangered plant in your state.
Rick
One of my favorite floating plants, and looks very nice in a rimless open top tank.
Here's some floating in a newly setup work tank:
A month later, and it's a dense, fry friendly mat, sheltering flagfish grazing on duckweed:
Check the USDA site to make sure you aren't collecting an endangered plant in your state.
Rick
#8
Guest_natureman187_*
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Posted 21 December 2011 - 11:37 PM
Very nice Rick!
#9
Guest_Irate Mormon_*
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Posted 13 January 2012 - 12:24 AM
WH has its uses, but one shouldn't plan on long-term propagation.
#10
Guest_VicC_*
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Posted 14 January 2012 - 09:59 AM
My Water Lettuce is doing fine indoors for its second winter.
(Yes - invasive, but not this far north.)
I'll check out the other plants in this thread. Thanks.
(Yes - invasive, but not this far north.)
I'll check out the other plants in this thread. Thanks.
Edited by VicC, 14 January 2012 - 10:00 AM.
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