Aponogeton ulvaceus

Aponogeton ulvaceus is native to Madagascar, where it grows in shady spots in soft, mostly still waters that dry out periodically; the specific epithet means “resembling sea lettuce”.¹ The delicate, translucent light green leaves sit on long stalks and have a ribbon-shaped, wavy, often slightly twisted blade.¹² Because it grows up to 50 cm wide and a single tuber can put out over 40 leaves, it is suitable as a specimen plant for large aquariums; it grows in soft as well as harder water, particularly well with added CO₂.²

Not every plant pauses in the aquarium: one violet-flowering specimen grew continuously for years, whereas white- and yellow-flowering plants needed regular rest periods, without which the tuber dies.¹² For this period it is advised to store the tuber at about 15 °C in moist sand and afterwards to replant it only shallowly so that it does not rot.³