Clinopodium cf. Brownei
Clinopodium, or mint grass as it is also called, belongs to the plants that aquarists know little about. It was first commercially available in Japan under the mistaken name "Lindernia anagallis", and from there it spread to hobbyists in the USA. In Europe, it has recently been sold quite frequently as an aquarium plant, but mostly without a name. Clinopodium shares some features with Lindernia anagallis, which is widely distributed in the Asian tropics and subtropics, but belongs to the Lamiaceae family. As the species of the cultivated plant is not yet fully defined, it has the suffix "sf." in its name. It is easy to keep and can be recommended for aquarumists.
Clinopodium cf. Brownei gives off a strong minty smell if its leaves are lightly rubbed, which is why it is referred to as mint grass among domestic aquarists. Its stems are quadrangular, alternating oval-shaped leaves with serrated edges. The plant, which grows underwater, has an upright stem with few side shoots, and reaches the surface of the water in the above-water position takes on a horizontal position. The stems and leaves are green.
Clinopodium cf. Brownei is not very demanding with respect to water quality in the aquarium. According to feedback from aquarists plant feels great in the water with the following parameters: temperature 10-30 ° C, hardness dH 1-9 °, pH 5,0-7,0. A macrofertiliser needs to be added, a shortage of which leads to delayed leaf growth. When feeding CO2, the plant bubbles up well.
Light intensity 0.5 W/litre minimum. Daily light duration 10-12 hours.
Under favourable conditions this plant will have a high growth rate, growing at a rate of up to 3 cm per week. Before the stems reach a length of around 40-45 cm, the tips of the shoots should be cut off and replanted, as the main shoot will stop growing and will not branch out very well.
When grown on damp palludarium conditions, Clinopodium will grow lushly and will even produce small whitish or pale purple flowers in the leaf axils near the tip of the shoot if given sufficient light. During the warmer months it can also be planted outdoors where it will form creeping and overhanging stems, such as in mobile containers.
