# Madagascar Lace flower (propagation?)



## Higher Thinking (Mar 16, 2011)

Here's a litte snippet from a google search:

Breeding/Propagation

Seed and crown division. Mature specimens will flower, holding spikes of tiny white flowers just above the water line. When these flowers die off and seeds drop onto fine, rich gravel, new lace plants will grow around the parent plant. This is a slow process, taking three to four years to produce a full-size plant from seed. Dividing the crown of a large, healthy plant is a quicker method of propagation. 


I also happen to know that long term success for this plant is dependent on cooler temperatures. Temp in the range of 65 to 73 degrees is optimal with a max temp around 78 or 79.


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## biogenetic40379 (Jan 19, 2012)

cool, thanks man, didnt even think of googling it


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

Higher Thinking said:


> ...This is a slow process, taking three to four years to produce a full-size plant from seed.


I can't imagine that it takes 3+ years in the wild to get an adult plant???

I just got one yesterday at our Swap here in Chicago. It has a flower spike on it. Don't know if I can time it right to collect seeds. If I'm successful I'l try some emerged and some submersed.


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

That is so cool, and there are tons of plants that take longer than 3 to 4 years for the seed to open, the Easter Red Bud tree can take up to 10 years, and if you want to propagate it by seed you have to do all kinds of crazy stuff like scarification of the outter shell with adic, etc. IIRC.

I think plants produce these type of seeds as protection against decease etc. so if a whole crop were to be wiped out the seeds are waiting protected, but after the first 4 year cycle you would have new plants all season because my A. crispus has put on 3 flower bud this year alone. If you try to just put a seed in dirt and grow it you could be watering it for quite some time.


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## biogenetic40379 (Jan 19, 2012)

thanks for the advice, i may take pics and post it on my 55g journal


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

Found this:http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/articles/the-secrets-of-the-madagascar-lace-plant.htm

Here, it seems it's feast or famine with this plant:
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Plants/madagascar.html


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## Silky (Sep 21, 2011)

I bought a huge lace leaf a few months ago and placed it in my main tank. Under high light and warm temps and CO2 it slowly turned brown and all the leaves withered away. I was left with just the bulb. I decided to take it out of that tank and put it in one of my lower tech tanks. I plantedit in my kitty litter substrate 1 wpg 1 diy CO2 55 and waited.. A few months went by and nothing happened, then just about 2 weeks ago I noticed some small lace leaf shoots sticking through the substrate. Now in just a matter of 2 weeks it's almost as big as it was when I first bought it. I'm really amazed at how fast it grew once through the substrate.

I don't know much about propagation, But I'll tell you this, mine did alot better in the cooler, lower light tank.

I dose that tank with excel 2 times a week in addition to having a DIY, 2 liter on it, and just flourish 2 times a week for ferts.


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## Rev_jim_jones (Sep 25, 2011)

Madagascar Lace plants have a reverse cycle, Cool water grows them and warm water is when they go dormant.


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## they call me bruce (Feb 13, 2011)

DogFish said:


> I can't imagine that it takes 3+ years in the wild to get an adult plant???
> 
> I just got one yesterday at our Swap here in Chicago. It has a flower spike on it. Don't know if I can time it right to collect seeds. If I'm successful I'l try some emerged and some submersed.


Sounds like a good canidate for tissue culture


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

Good point! Just don't know if I really need to commit to another science project about now. 

It's in a grow-out tank with a few rare crypts. I was planning one letting just stay in there see what happens.


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## they call me bruce (Feb 13, 2011)

That shoud work put a empty pot in there and let the seeds stay in there for 3 months UGH


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## biogenetic40379 (Jan 19, 2012)

so are the seeds the little black specs on the flower? i know this isnt how most flowers/plants seed, but i am not seeing where else they would be


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

Not sure as I just have a spike so far. No flower yet


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## Rev_jim_jones (Sep 25, 2011)

I'll snap a picture of the seeds for you tomorrow and post it.


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

Mine flowered, the spike grew out & over the side of the tank and wilted before opening fully.

Good news is now I have 8 new leaves. I'm liking this plant. i just wish I had a tank more suited for it. It's in a clay pot of MTS in a 20L right now. I think being in the stream of the HOB is helping it.


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## Obakemono (Dec 23, 2011)

I got my lace leaf with allot of leaves but within a week all but 3 leaves turned brown and I had to cut them off. Right now it has 2 original leaves and one 2 week old leaf, and it just pushed out a new leaf this week. My tank temp is 74-75 and I have two root tabs near the bulb. It does get a good deal of shade from my Salvania plants. I'll try to take a pic of it later after a water change (tannins).


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