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Cabomba caroliniana var. caroliniana - Cabomba caroliniana var. caroliniana
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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5
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3998
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Mon February 12, 2007
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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Average Rating
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60% of reviewers
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$1.99
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6.0
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Description:
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Common Name: Green Cabomba, "Fanwort"
Scientific Name: Cabomba caroliniana var. caroliniana
Light: High to Very High
Co2: Not essential to growth
Level of Difficulty: Easy
This species is likely the easiest to grow among the Cabomba genus. It originated in South America but was introduced to North America, particularly the Southeastern and Western areas and is now considered Native to the United States. It is growing as nothernly as New York and Washingon state. It is considered a "noxious weed" and a "Weed of National Significance" in many states.
This plant requires bright light in order to grow well. Otherwise, the stems tend to rot, growth becomes very ragged, and the needle-like leaves begin to fall off. In adequate light, the growth of this plant produces nice, bushy topped stems with numerous leaves and relatively short internodes.
Not only can growth be unnattractive when poorly lit, but the leaves of this plant will fall off in inadequately lighting and will clog filter intakes and sponges and can be very messy.
This plant will reproduce from even very small segments which are either cut or broken off of the main stem. In the aquarium, it is best to cut the tops off of the stems and replant, and/or keep the bottom portions rooted and allow new growth to form where the plant was cut. If the bottom segments are left rooted and are topped off several times, the growth may become leggy and rooty. In this case, it is best to remove the stand and replace it with only the tops of the stems.
Growth of this plant is quite rapid when lighting is adequate, and the addition of CO2 and fertilizers can boost growth.
Due to this plant's fast growing nature, and adaptability to a wide range of conditions, it has become a problem plant in many areas and has gained repute as an invasive species. It is documented as having grown up to 50mm per day in a lake in Queensland*. It is capable of clogging waterways and altering the native ecosystem of the areas in which is invades. As with all other invasive species, do not dispose of this plant in a way that could cause it to be introduced into any body of water.
In the aquarium, C. carolininia can be helpful in combatting algal issues in newly planted tanks since it competes for nutrients in the water column.
Gouramis and other anabantoids sometimes strip the delicate leaves from the stems to make bubble nests.
This plant is best suited as a midground or back ground plant and is commonly used with staggered layers, with the shortest in front and the tallest in back. This plant is a good candidate for a Dutch style aquarium; its bright green leaves and soft texture can play well against a variety of leaf shapes and colors. It can be high-maintenance in terms of pruning and so it is perhaps easiest to keep in the background.
In the wild, and if allowed to cascade across the surface, this plant will develop small oval-shaped leaves, accompanied by small, delicate whitish flowers.
Further resources:
USDA website regarding the status of this plant, growth characteristics, and its distribution, among other pieces of information:
Click Here
Discusses Cabomba's tendency to be an invasive plant. At the bottom of the site is a short listing of other invasive species:
Click Here
* Australian website with information about this plant:
Click Here
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