Nymphoides sp. 'Taiwan' ('Flipper')

Nymphoides sp. 'Taiwan' ('Flipper') is a floating heart introduced from southern Taiwan in 1994 whose species is regarded in the trade as unresolved; a DNA analysis points to N. cristata, and the specialist literature lists it as N. cristata “Taiwan”.¹² In the aquarium it produces almost exclusively kidney-shaped, light green and slightly translucent submersed leaves.¹² The rosette can quickly reach 25 cm in height and width; according to the specialist literature floating leaves are absent in the aquarium, yet hobbyists report large floating leaves on stalks 50–60 cm long on older plants.¹²³

It is suitable for the midground, does without added CO₂ and tolerates both soft and hard water.¹² To keep neighbouring plants from being shaded, the oldest, long-stalked leaves are removed regularly.¹² For propagation, leaves bearing plantlets on the stalk just below the blade are taken off with their stalk and grown on.¹²