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Hydrotriche hottoniiflora is an odd but very
beautiful looking plant from Madagascar.
H. hottoniiflora is rare in Nature where it mostly occupies swift
flowing rivers of high transparency. It has light green whirled leaves (10-20
leaves per node) on up to 70 cm long ramifying shoots. If the shoot reaches
the water surface it occasionally sets a 3-mm white-pink flower, and this
happens even in the aquarium. H. hottoniiflora prefers a fine-grained
nutrient rich substrate - fx. a mixture of sand and
clay - and soft acid water though it tolerates harder and more alkaline
waters, too. The plant is easily reproduced from cuttings. The optimum
ornamental effect is obtained only if H. hottoniiflora is planted in
groups of 3-5 shoots in the middle of the aquarium. H. hottoniiflora
is quite sensitive to algal growth but at high light the plant is usually
able to keep track with the algae, which are then restricted to the older
parts (lower) parts of the shoots.
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