Lagenandra nairii
Lagenandra nairii grows naturally in the western part of the Indian peninsula, Kerala. It can be found in the shade of trees along riverbanks. With the onset of the rainy season, the plant is completely submerged and remains submerged until the river enters its course. It is mainly grown in ponds and artificial lakes, but may also be kept in an aquarium. The plant is easy to care for and can be kept by aquarist beginners.
Lagenandra nairii has ovate leaves. The leaf blade is 8-16 cm long and 5-8 cm wide. The leaf colour is green at the top and light green at the bottom. The leaf tip is pointed. Leaves have long petioles, measuring 3-28 cm. The rhizome is creeping, about 2 cm long. The growth rate is low.
Planting shrubs Lagenandra nairii should be in the middle ground or in the foreground, if the aquarium is large. It is not afraid of shade at all and can grow normally in the shade of other, higher plant species. Do not bury the roots completely in the ground when planting Lagénandra naira shrubs as they can rot. Place the roots between the stones first, and then remove the stones when the plant has established roots.
Water parameters: temperature 22-28° C, hardness dH 6-12°, pH 6.5-7.5. Weekly replacement of ¼ of the aquarium water with fresh water is desirable. The plant responds well to feeding CO2 and micronutrients, which somewhat increased growth rate, and the leaves become more contrasting colour.
A mixture of river sand and fine gravel can be used as substrate. The soil should be moderately silted and rich in trace elements.
Lighting should preferably be low, approximately 0.3 W/l. If reducing the lighting intensity is problematic, floating bushes can be placed on the water surface as natural light filters.
It is possible to keep it in a humid hallucarium, where Lagenandra nairii grows well and has a more showy shape than shrubs growing under water. A shrub cultivated in an airy environment will grow to a height of up to 20 cm. In addition, the plant often blooms under these conditions, releasing flower stems 2-5 cm long.
Propagation
Lagenandra nairii is propagated by lateral shoots. In suitable conditions lateral shoots will form from the mother bush in different directions, which will eventually form a green glade.
