# Stem plants that can grow free floating?



## jahmic (Jan 30, 2011)

I think you may have to get creative in attaching the stems together to get a single, lush mass of plants together...

but, I do have some water wisteria growing right now in a bowl on my window-sill. I had a handful of 0.5" clippings that I placed in there, just to see what would happen. Nothing but tap water and some clippings...over the past 6 weeks or so they've doubled in length, have new leaves, and are growing roots.

I think it's safe to say that they'd do well floating in the tank, especially since it's a plant that can grow either fully submerged or emersed...I just don't know about getting the stems to actually tangle together. If it did so naturally, it would take some time (and low surface movement) for the roots to have any chance at intertwining IMO.


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## Rhaethe (Jan 20, 2010)

I will take a look at wisteria. 

It doesn't have to be all intricately knotted up. Just a nice clump. At least that is what I see in my mind's eye. 

Something like a clump of rotala or anacharis all hovering in a corner.


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## RickRS (Dec 31, 2010)

Floating stem plant? Hornwort springs to mind, as it doesn't really root. May grow a bit fast, I perdict you'll be triming it every week.


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## jahmic (Jan 30, 2011)

Rhaethe said:


> I will take a look at wisteria.
> 
> It doesn't have to be all intricately knotted up. Just a nice clump. At least that is what I see in my mind's eye.
> 
> Something like a clump of rotala or anacharis all hovering in a corner.



Yea, come to think of it, my trimmings that I don't pull out of the tank, and leaves that drop off the bottom of my rotala when I replant the tops all tend to aggregate in one corner anyway. Probably won't be too difficult to get a clump of plants going :smile:


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## Rhaethe (Jan 20, 2010)

Could rotala work as a free floating plant -- not planted in soil?


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## Fahnell (Jan 20, 2011)

hygrophilla for sure


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## BBradbury (Nov 8, 2010)

*Floating Stem Plants*

_Good morning Rhaethe. The only stem plant I know that naturally grows well floated is Water Sprite, also called Indian Fern or Water Fern. This is my favorite plant, because it is very fast growing and thrives in most lighting and water conditions. It's definiely the "tangly" plant you're looking for. I have an inexpensive source if you're interested._

_BBradbury_


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## Eden Marel (Jan 28, 2010)

Brazilian Pennywort


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## barbarossa4122 (Jan 16, 2010)

Cabomba also.


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Ceratopteris Cornuta (Indian Fern) is good option as a floater.


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

Water-Sprite would be a very good idea.


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## Loligo (Jan 25, 2011)

Any stem plant trimmings I've had seem to do find just floating at the top. I have some Rotala and HM that have been up there for probably a month now. The HM trimmings seem to cling to each other pretty well, and since the stems are so thin, they don't really look too much like stem plants.


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## Rhaethe (Jan 20, 2010)

Awesome. I will look through the suggestions and see if any strike my eye.

Thanks!


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## seyone (Jan 13, 2011)

Ive had some ludwigia do well floating . The roots were a nice pinkish red


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