Shell flowers are uncomplicated aquatic plants that reproduce vigorously all year round. They are used both as pond and aquarium plants and enrich both habitats with their water filtering properties. But they can also be placed in a glass all year round or for overwintering and decorate the living room.
Is it possible to grow a shell flower in a glass?
Shell flowers can grow easily in glass as long as they receive sufficient nutrients, light and heat. Fertilize regularly, provide at least three hours of sunlight per day and place the jar in a bright, warm place without a cover.
Where does the shell flower come from?
Shell flowers (Pistia stratiotes) originally come from theTropics and grow there in calm waters. They are therefore used to constant temperatures and are very sensitive to cold. Keeping them in your home garden pond all year round is therefore not possible. For this reason, they are often used in aquariums because, similar to the tropics, there is a constant temperature and the mussel flowers can grow for several years.
Can a shell flower also grow in a glass?
If you don't have a garden pond or aquarium, you can also grow your shell flower in asufficiently large glass or a shallow bowl. Because of their water-filtering effect, you have to change the water less often than with other plants that you can grow in a glass, such as the Monstera. If the shell flower only stays in the glass for a limited period of time, in most cases the water does not need to be replaced at all.
What demands does the shell flower have on the water?
The mussel flower is a heavy feeder and needs a lot even in the glassNutrients While a mussel flower in the aquarium is automatically supplied with sufficient nutrients, the water in the glass should regularly be given some fertilizer for aquatic plants (€13.00 at Amazon) can be added. The bottom of the jar should be covered with clay. This provides the plant with additional nutrients.
What location does the shell flower need?
The shell flower prefers abright, warmest possible location A place on the windowsill above a heater is ideal. It requires at least three hours of sunlight per day. If this cannot be achieved on dark winter days, artificial lighting must be used. It is also important to have sufficient ventilation so that moisture can escape from the leaves. Therefore, do not cover the glass.
Tip
The glass as winter quarters for the mussel flower
As a frost-sensitive plant, you have to remove the mussel flower from your pond in autumn. A glass jar is perfect for winter storage. Alternatively, you can also use the shell flower as a natural filter system in the aquarium. Please note, however, that you could bring unwanted creatures from the pond into the aquarium.
