Growing Japanese Cress (Cardamine Lyrata) In The Aquarium

Natural habitats this species are swamps, floodplains, wetlands in Japan, China, Korea and Russia (Siberia).

The plant has creeping rhizome with vertical, poorly branching stems on its nodes. The stems have pale green and rounded leaves with sinuate margins and long leaf stems. The root system is poorly developed and white and thin roots develop also in nodes of the plant.

This species should be planted in the middle or on the sides of the aquarium in groups of 3-4 pieces. We can also arrange in on porous decorative elements (e.g. roots) or we can use it as floating plant. It grows horizontally and it forms dense groups.

Its stems can be brittle, its leaves can be fine and rare and the plant grows slowly when lighting in aquarium is too low and water temperature is too high. This is delicate plant but it grows quickly and it needs systematic cutting. It is sensitive to chemicals, strong water flow. It is also gnawing by herbivorous fish. We don't need additional fertilization.

This is spermatophyte species and it can bloom under the water surface (fine and white flowers). In aquarium we reproduce it vegetatively – by dividing the rhizome.