Limnocharis flava Care Guide
Limnocharis flava is a marsh emergent of the family Alismataceae with triangular leaves and yellow flowers, suited to paludariums and marginal plantings.
Overview
Limnocharis flava is an aquatic flowering plant in the family Alismataceae. It grows as an emergent marsh plant, forming clumps in shallow stagnant fresh water, and reaches around 50 cm in height. It is not a floating plant, though its seeds disperse via water currents. The species is grown in paludariums and in the marginal zone of ponds rather than as a fully submerged aquarium plant.
Taxonomy
- Family: Alismataceae
- Genus: Limnocharis
- Scientific name: Limnocharis flava
- Common name: Yellow Burhead
Origin
The species is native to Mexico, Central America, South America, Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. It has become widely naturalized across southern and southeastern Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and southern China, where it can become a weed in rice fields and is regarded as invasive in some wetlands.
Habitat
In the wild it inhabits shallow stagnant fresh water in swampy areas and frequently colonizes rice fields. It prefers locations where the water is not very deep, growing with leaves and flowers held above the surface.
Tank requirements
- Temperature: 18-28 °C (64-82 °F)
- pH: 6.0-8.0
- GH: 4-18 °dGH
- Lighting: high / intense
- CO2: not required
- Substrate: nutrient-rich
- Maximum height: about 50-60 cm
- Placement: background / marginal (emergent)
Planting & care
Limnocharis flava is best treated as a marginal or paludarium plant rather than a submerged species, with its broad triangular leaves and yellow flowers held emersed. It needs intense light and a nutrient-rich substrate, and tolerates a wide range of water hardness. Growth is medium-paced, and emergent leaves are trimmed periodically to manage the clump.
Propagation
Propagation is by division of the rhizome and by seed; in nature the spherical fruits release seeds that disperse with water currents.
Difficulty
The species is rated intermediate. Its requirement for emersed growth, strong light and a rich substrate makes it less suitable for standard fully submerged aquariums and better suited to paludariums and marginal pond zones.