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Hygrophila difformis - Wisteria

Reviews	Views	Date of last review
4	1922	Wed August 30, 2006

Recommended By	Average Price	Average Rating
100% of reviewers	$5.50	7.3

supersize	supersize	supersize

Description:

Common Name: Wisteria

Scientific name: Hygrophila difformis

Lighting: Low to Very High

CO2: Not essential

pH: Not essential

Temperature: Not essential Difficulty:] Easy

Hygrophila difformis, or Water Wisteria, is a wonderfully bright green, undemanding plant that is great for the novice and expert alike. It does not require a lot of light and is not overly picky about water conditions. In aquariums with higher light and co2 supplementation, the growth of this plant becomes quite rapid. In lower light, without co2 or fertilizer supplements, the plant will grow, simply at a slower rate. Due to its potentially rapid growth, H. difformis is well suited as a nutrient-sucking plant and can be helpful in avoiding algae when setting up a newly planted tank. It is very commonly available and rather inexpensive making it even more suitable for the new plant aquarist.

In lower light, the leaves have a tendency to become more oblong and lobate rather than finely branched. This does not indicate that the plant is unhappy; it has simply switched its growth pattern to accomodate its environment. In higher light, the leaves become pronouncedly fine and feathery.

Because of this plant's fast growth rate and size, it is not suitable for very small aquariums but works well in medium or large tanks.

This plant is versatile in that H. difformis will grow quite tall if allowed, but can also be placed in the midground and even foreground with the proper trimming and care.

To propogate this plant, simply cut the tops of the stems off with scissors. The beautiful tops may be replanted. The bottom stem which has been cut will produce new growth from where it was cut and will soon form another lovely top ploom. This plant is not overly sensitive to cutting and can be cut into many small pieces without damage. H. difformis also has a tendency to spread out runner-like extensions from near the base of the plant and can create a creeping effect.

To get a tight, thick appearance with many tops, it is possible to take one long stem of the plant and plant it horizontally in the substrate, by weighing it down with gravel. New growth will grow at intervals which can be left or cut into separate plants.

Author

echoofformless
Large Fish

Registered: September 2005
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 749

Review Date: Tue December 27, 2005

Would you recommend the profile? Yes | Price you paid?: Not Indicated | Rating: 2

Pros:	nice looking
Cons:	messy, lots of dying off

I was surprised by the poor performance of this plant. Everything I have ever read about it indicates that it grows like a weed, makes little demands on the gardener, and looks beautiful.

The truth of my experience (which I assume is an exception and not the rule) is that it dies off constantly and makes a big salad mess of browning leaves all over the place. It doesn't grow remarkably fast and just keeps falling apart. I am growing it under ideal conditions as well; all of my other plants are thriving, even some of my more delicate plants like rotala indica are lush and beautiful while my wisteria is just falling apart. I have one last shoot of the stuff in my tank that I am allowing to grow on its own. Hopefully it will grow into something that changes my mind about this plant.

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Smalltank3
Large Fish

Registered: December 2005
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 958

Review Date: Tue April 11, 2006

Would you recommend the profile? Yes | Price you paid?: $5.99 | Rating: 9

Pros:	Very Bright Green
Cons:	Somewhat messy

I love the color of wisteria. It really made my tank look a lot better. If you move it around a lot, Some of the leaves will break off. This plant grows huge roots so make enough room for where ever you plant it.

Igor The Cat
Super Fish

Registered: July 2003
Location: Seattle, Washington
Posts: 1678

Review Date: Sun June 11, 2006

Would you recommend the profile? Yes | Price you paid?: $5.00 | Rating: 9

Pros:	Good Background Plant, Good Floating Plant For Spawning
Cons:	Lots Of Pruning

I have grown this plant in many tanks, High light with CO2, Lowlight with no CO2, and in all my attemps it has grown just fine. but if you get it to grow quickly you will need to pull out the floating plantlets very frequently.

For livebearers it is an optimal plant to have floating to protect the fry, when left to float it will quickly cover the entire surface in about a 3cm layer and will block all light from lower plants so needs to be severly thinned.

This is a very good plant to cycle with as it will grow quickly and easily out compete any algae growth. it is also excelent when used to cycle a tank that is going to be heavily planted as you can let if float and not have to digg it out of the substrate when you wish to replace it with a more diffucult or sensitive species.

Overall it is a very enjoyable and useful plant

-Java

Suralle
Teenie Weenie Fish

Registered: August 2006
Posts: 4

Review Date: Wed August 30, 2006

Would you recommend the profile? Yes | Price you paid?: Not Indicated | Rating: 9

Pros:	Great description of the differences in the plant due to lighting.
Cons:	No mention of trimming the bottom leaves off prior to replant.

Great green plant, livebearers love them, especially swordtails which pick pick pick at them, but cause no visible damage. Can be grown with no CO2 in tanks that have less than 1 WPG in light, although, the wisteria seems to enjoy being in the center of the light column if this is the case. I do recommend adding a liquid nutrient fertilizer in proper weekly amounts though, because, as indicated in the profile this plant is a nutrient-hound and will do better with additional help.

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