Emersed Anubias

Well I love rearing fish in aquariums but I also love growing plants. I don't mean just aquatic plants, I like growing terrestrial ones too. I have admittedly had more success with land plants because it is easier to control the conditions and change the conditions to suit optimum plant growth on land than in a relatively small 50 gallon aquarium.

Recently, I read that anubias grows much faster out of water with only its rhizome submerged than it does fully submerged. I would really like to try this out and am going to buy myself a small anubias plant and see how this project goes. My plan is just to submerge the roots and rhizome of the anubias plant while leaving the leaves and stems out of water, adding minute amounts of fertiliser every few days and not using any sort of media for the anubias to grow in. Hopefully, the anubias will grow and I can cut the rhizome up to give myself plenty of pretty little anubias plants :)

I will be documenting this with photos and blog posts so you can follow me on this journey if you want to. The first update should be in next week although it all depends on how much free time that I have. (I am still studying...haha)

If anyone has any advice or has any experience in growing anubias emersed, I would definitely like to hear your insights and advice.

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Comment by Peter on January 17, 2014 at 12:55pm: Nice man yeah emerse plants grow faster due to te abundant co2 in the air. Just be wary that emersed leafs tend to melt away wen u submerse them. Good luck with that project an keep us posted.

Comment by J on January 17, 2014 at 8:11pm: Keep them in high humidity and there will be no transition problems also you will need some rocks or wood for the roots to attach to the roots grow and cling much faster emersed also plant side up a good bit more fertilizer due to increased growth rate. I use plastic bins and open them daily and most for gas exchange. Check out my profile I have pics of my tubs

Comment by J on January 17, 2014 at 8:12pm: Easiest emersed plant I've had but leaves will dry out in lower humidity

Comment by Elliott Ong on January 18, 2014 at 4:31am: Noted. Thanks for the info. Your bins are looking good :). I live in the tropics so humidity shouldn't be a problem over here (about 68%). Just out of curiosity what other commonly found plants can be grown emersed?

Comment by brendan on January 18, 2014 at 1:02pm: I am currently doing the same thing except mine is in dirt (mud). a small tuba wear container with plastic rap over it is ideal. two weeks in all the old leaves have dried but two new ones have come out and are doing great.

Comment by J on January 19, 2014 at 3:14am: Most plants can be a few that can't blyxa, cabomba, lilys, lotus, myrios, aponogeton, crinums. If you check aquatic plant centrals plant finder there is a option "can be grown emersed" but you can't get it to link correctly.

Comment by J on January 19, 2014 at 3:17am: Remember most plats grow near the edge of the rivers creeks and lakes they are from and have to adapt to changing water levels baby tears seems to love muddy banks down in Florida where I'm visiting now