Monochoria vaginalis

Monochoria vaginalis

General information: Common in the Top End where it grows on the floodplains. Used in Asia as a vegetable where the stems and flowers are cooked and eaten. An annual plant that grows from seed each year. Small specimens are useful in the aquarium.

Cultivation notes : Cultivated from seed each year. Just let one or two plants set seed and you will have plenty of seed to use in the warmer months. Comes up in ponds once the water goes over 28 deg, grows well in water with hardness about 50ppm, alkalinity (KH) about 60ppm and under natural light that is 70% shaded. In the aquarium it will probably require bright light.

Distribution : Native to Japan, China, SE Asia, New Guinea and Australia where it is found in NT, WA and Qld.

Selling details : Sold as a single plant with all substrate washed from roots.

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