The ground nettle belongs to the genus of (under)water plants. It belongs to the frogbit family (botanical name: Hydrocharitaceae). The plant produces oxygen, has purifying properties and is therefore preferred to be planted up to one meter deep in ponds to keep the water clean. At the same time, the ground nettle is used for indoor planting.
Origin, distribution and appearance:
Ground nettle: Michael Lo~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims)., Plant – Hydrilla verticillata – Batu kawa, CC BY-SA 3.0
Ground nettles are native to almost all climate zones around the world. Typical metropolitan areas are located in Europe, Asia, Australia, North America as well as in the eastern part Africa. The ground nettle is considered a stem plant, its shoots can reach a maximum length of two meters. In the adult state is the average Height at 50 cm, whereby two meter tall plants are not uncommon. The leaves, on the other hand, have a relatively small area: their length is 2 cm, the width 3 cm. They taper at the ends.
They are arranged in whorls of three to nine leaves around the stem. The leaves have a characteristic serration on the edges, they appear pale green and translucent. Blossom formation in aquaria is exceptional for the ground nettle. The plants bloom in the summer months from June to August.
The husbandry conditions:
Ground nettles reproduce very quickly under the right conditions. They can take on weed-like proportions. Occasional thinning counteracts the process. The plant can grow in both light and poor areas, but is only partially winter hardy outdoors.
Growing ground nettle in aquariums is straightforward as the plant requires little maintenance. Hard water with a pH of 6 to 8, a water temperature between 20 and 27 degrees and fertilization with 5 to 40 mg/l CO2 are ideal as an environment for ground nettles. Recommended nutrients are up to 0.5 mg iron, 50 mg nitrate and 30 mg potassium (all figures per liter). The optimal place for planting in the aquarium is in the rearing tank. With the help of a stone, the shoots can be fixed in the corners on the ground. Fish have the opportunity to lay their spawn in the aquatic plant.