Limnophila chinensis

Limnophila chinensis

General information: The form in the NT is more common near and on top of sandstone escarpment areas as well as places where there is low nutrient levels. It is often found with Eriocaulon setaceum another difficult to culture plant.

Cultivation notes : One of the more difficult native plants to culture. Recommend bright light and plenty of CO2 as well as a temperature of 27 to 30 deg C. It is a very attractive plant with pale green whorls of thin leaves. It is common where there is very soft water with leaf mulch substrates. A substrate with added peat moss seems to help with the cultivation of this plant. Propagation is from seed or cuttings. A version from Asia is grown in the NT as an Asian vegetable and sold at the local markets as buffalo spinach. It has a minty smell when you crush the leaves. In the aquarium it seems to melt when over fertilised. Probably something to do with its adapting to low nutrient environments.

Distribution : Found from southern India and China to Australia where it is found in the NT and WA. Grows on top of sandstone escarpment country and along creeks and watercourses but rarely on the floodplain.

Selling details : sold by bunch of cut stems tied at the base.

Reference: Cowie, Short, Osterkamp Madsen (2000) "Floodplain Flora, a flora of the floodplain of the Northern Territory, Australia"