Native Plant Species

I currently have semi-native aquariums because my fish are natives but my plants are non-natives (South American species). In an effort to create truly native aquariums I'm looking for ideas from experienced aquarists on species (found in U.S.) that can be easily obtained but aren't listed on the federal or North Carolina invasive or noxious weeds lists.

 

Even though my education background is in Plant and Soil Sciences, my knowledge of aquatic species is minimal, so all experienced advice is welcome.

Edited by Freshwater13, 15 February 2015 - 11:26 AM.

The first thing that comes to my mind is Vallisneria... lots of vals are native to the southeastern U.S.

 

There are others that are relatively easy to find in the wild... depending on how far south you are willing to go... I was just in Florida recently and saw some really nice looking red ludwigia sort fo things.

 

And gerald can tell you about some sags (cant remember the real name) that he has had some luck with...

 

And I think I looked up some micro-sword things and mentioned them here in the Native Plant sub-forum before...

Hornwort is fairly hard to kill.

Yes, Hornwort and Val. americana; also Sagittaria graminea, Elodea canadensis & nutalli, Najas guadalupensis, Ludwigia palustris, Ricciocarpus,  Cabomba caroliniana, Myriophyllum heterophyllum, Utricularia (dont know the species - there's several in NC).  Dont bother with Podostemum ceratophyllum; many have tried it and almost nobody succeds long-term.

After reading all the suggestions and doing some more looking online I really like the looks of Sagittaria graminea, Echinodorus tenellus, Helanthium tenellum, Ludwigia repens, and Vallisneria americana. I was unable to find pH and temp. requirements for Sagittaria graminea, and Helanthium tenellum. I'm assuming the will be okay in an aquarium with a temp. of 68^oF-70^oF and a pH of 7.8

Lobelia cardinalis, Bacopa Caroliniana, Echinodorus radicans (Including Marble Queen Sword), Willow Moss, many kinds of Hairgrass, as well as some more I am sure I am forgetting, are all great US native aquarium plants.

Frogbit I think was one laura used to recommend.

Why is Podostemum ceratophyllum so difficult to grow in an aquarium? From what I've read it's supposedly a fast growing plant and does good in gravel and sand substrate. Maybe temperature is the issue.

I suspect podostemum's major requirements are strong flow and sunlight. I think I have maybe had about as much luck as anyone has, considering I have gotten it to die back (like it always does) and then start to come back. I've had it grow an inch or two before getting covered in algae or picked on by fish and eventually dying off. At the time I also had metal halide lights and the stuff was growing directly in front of a maxi jet circulation pump.

Currently I have a cluster of Bolbitis growing in the same spot that, as best I can tell, is a great substitute. Likes similar conditions, at a glance even looks similar. My only beef with it is that it is stiff enough to stand up in the flow and be a huge current-break.

You can buy Lobelia cardinalis at Petsmart in bags. They come in the ice gel stuff and cost about $10 for a bag of like 30 babies. I've had mine for like 4 months and I've got more than what I know to do with now, and some are like 6" tall. I'm intentionally raising cuttings emersed now so I can plant them in my pond when it warms up.

I love hornwort. I have it in all my freshwater tanks. Grows like crazy with relatively easy lighting [cool white shop lamps]. Pull it out and throw away the excess, you're cleaning your tank. Better than water changes.   Legal in Ma. don't know about NC.

Hornwort is legal and native in NC.  Much of NC has very soft water, in which hornwort growth is weak.  It does better for me in tanks with some added hardness.  I use Guppy-grass Najas guadalupensis (also a NC native) the same way in soft water.  (Najas also prefers added hardness, but tolerates soft water better than hornwort does).  My tap water is 1-2 dGH.

Hornwort is legal and native in NC.  Much of NC has very soft water, in which hornwort growth is weak.  It does better for me in tanks with some added hardness. 

 

Good point. My H2O is hard. No doubt why it does so well for me.

Interestingly, it's not easy to find wild here. I always thought it was just out competed by the numerous invasives. May have more to do with our surface water not being as hard as the well water [with added minerals] I get from the town.

I hate the stuff. Had a ton of it and have gradually replaced it. Doesn't seem to work too well in a medium light environment, which is going to be most non-CO2 tanks. The stuff shed everywhere, and since its rootless it had a tendency of popping up out of the substrate. It really made a mess.

 

Vals need hard water. I have one tank that is hard and one that is soft and in the hard water tank the stuff is growing uncontrollably- over 24" with flowers- and in the soft water it is still 3" tall. Like Elodea, they make use of carbon from dissolved calcium carbonate in the water column and will decline or show poor growth if the water is soft.