Salvinia - Floating Fern

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Salvinia is a rather interesting water-dwelling fern. However, there is no external resemblance to the ferns growing in the forest in Salvinia. It got its name in honor of the Italian scientist of the 17th century - Anton Maria Salvini. You can meet this peculiar plant only in reservoirs with slowly flowing or stagnant water. It is quite rare, and therefore it is specially grown in order to be later placed in aquariums

Getting to know the plant

Salvinia is a member of the Salviniaceae family and belongs to the genus of floating ferns. On the territory of Russia, only one species of this annual grows - floating salvinia.

Slender, reaching fifteen centimeters in length, salvinia stalks float on the surface of the water. At each node of the stem, whorls formed by three leaves are located. Two whole bright green leaves, ovoid-elliptical in shape and floating above the water surface, are endowed with a heart-shaped base. From above, these leaves are covered with warts with bunches of thick short hairs at the tops. The lower surfaces of the leaves are densely covered with brownish hairs that hold air bubbles - thanks to this feature, salvinia keeps well on the water. The third leaf of salvinia is underwater, brownish in color, dissected into filamentous lobes covered with hairs. Outwardly, this leaf resembles roots, and this is not without reason - in fact, it performs their functions: it helps to stabilize salvinia, and also absorbs various nutrients and water. But salvinia has no real roots.

Since salvinia is a spore plant, flowers do not form in it and the formation of fruits also does not occur.

Mainly salvinia can be found in tropical climates, and in our latitudes it grows in warm waters of the Black Earth Region. In some warm countries, certain types of salvinia have become invasive weeds that pollute water bodies. The fact is that dense thickets formed by this plant on the surfaces of reservoirs block the access of light to reservoirs, which in turn often leads to a change in environmental conditions in them. And, nevertheless, such thickets are an excellent shelter for fish fry.

How to grow

The most preferable for salvinia will be reservoirs with slow flowing or stagnant water. In addition, this aquatic fern does not tolerate water with an alkaline reaction; accordingly, it is in no case possible to fill the bottom of the reservoir with limestone pebbles or gravel.

Reproduction of salvinia occurs by spores located in special organs attached to the bases of underwater leaves. And in the summer, it also reproduces vegetatively with the help of the buds stalks in the nodules. From these nodules, lateral branches appear, separating them from the mother plants, you can give life to new ones.

To plant salvinia, it is enough to simply release it onto the water surface. In winter, it is recommended to keep it under artificial lighting (it can be organized using fluorescent lamps or special phytolamps) in a winter garden or in an aquarium. Insufficient lighting can lead to a decrease in leaves in size and their fading. Conventional incandescent lamps are not suitable for lighting, since they not only noticeably dry out the air, but can even burn plants. If there are no other lighting options, then you should opt for incandescent lamps with low power.

The air temperature in the room where salvinia is kept should not fall below twelve degrees. And for tropical species of this plant, a decrease in temperature to eighteen degrees or less may be detrimental.

Salvinia is not only a great aquarium decor, but also an excellent natural shade for plants that prefer diffused light. She feels best in small warm water bodies and looks great next to eichornia and pistia, as well as medium-sized varietal water lilies.