# Pruning Limnophila aromatica



## Holy Samosa (Nov 3, 2009)

Hi guys.

I just planted the following tank about 4 weeks ago:










My plan is to shape the HM, green rotolla and limnophila aromatica into nice bushy mound. This is my first venture in really trying to shape stems.

So, I think I'm about at the point where I should make my first major pruning. With the rotola and HM, I know I should hack them to just above the substrate, let them branch and then repeat again in a few weeks. 

My question, is how should I handle the Limnophila aromatica? Should I prune back drastically and just let the bottoms grow out or should I just replant the tops? Any other advice on pruning this plant taking into context the scape and neighboring plants?

I've had this in my tank before and generally after pruning while the bottoms did grow back it did seem to take a long time so I generally replanted the tops. Honestly, since I had the tops I didn't pay too much attention to the remaining bottoms.

Thanks.
Jeremy


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## Chafire (Jan 6, 2010)

Im just going to post because I'm curious as well and would like to know the answer.


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## timwag2001 (Jul 3, 2009)

the old tops tend to get pretty big and bushy makeing them block out the light underneath. they also tend to grow at an angle so when they are really big and bushy it makes it harder to keep under control. i like to clip a couple plant down about 2/3 of the way down. this way you still have a few bigger stems up top and they you get a few smaller stems coming up at the same time. when those smaller stems get to be pretty tall i cut the bigger older ones to give the other ones room to grow and allow for more new stems.

the only thing is that you eventually need to get rid of the big fat stems at the bottom. the older the plant gets, the bigger, fatter and woody the old stems get. then you just clip and replant


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## Holy Samosa (Nov 3, 2009)

Sigh. Last Wednesday I pruned about 8 inches from the aromatica, leaving only about 3 inches of bottoms and gave away the tops. The bottoms that already had fairly scrappy leaves (probably from lack of light) don't seem to be recovering. I'm guessing that it may be important to prune this plant before the bottom leaves have become too affected from shading.


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## cah925 (May 18, 2007)

Be patient, the stems are slightly photosynthetic and may be able to survive and push out the buds. If everything seems to be melting, then it may not recover.


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

Yeah chances are, if it has an established root system, itll come back. For Rotalas I find that trimming them to 3-4 inches helps shape then better. Mohawk style. Plant your tops in front to be slightly taller and when your stubs reach mid-tank the tops of the 2nd planting will be ready to cut and toss or sell. Repeat.


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## timwag2001 (Jul 3, 2009)

i've had a single leave of aromatica that had the tiniest piece of stem still attached and it grew a whole new plant. if you are concerned in any way that the plants might not make it. float one of the stems, it will definately grow new shoots if you do that


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## captain_bu (Oct 20, 2007)

With aromatica I always replant the cut tops and toss the bottoms. I find it works better, one big reason being that the plants stay red plus I don't have to look at the pruned stumps until the new shoots grow out to a decent size. 

Agree, though, that if the roots are healthy yours will grow back.

For rotala s. green I use a combo method. Sometimes I just prune shoots off near the top but when the plants get really tall and overgrown or if I start to lose leaves on the bottom I will pull them hack off the bottoms and replant.


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