Eichornia: description and features of cultivation

Eichornia, also known as water hyacinth, is a plant that grows in many ornamental ponds, large aquariums and lakes. This flower is used for landscaping various ponds, as well as for weaving furniture and home accessories.

Eichornia grows naturally in South America. Most often, this plant is found in reservoirs with a weak current. Water hyacinth is also often called “water plague” because of its ability to grow very quickly, covering large areas of water with green leaves. At the end of the 19th century, this plant inhabited a huge number of reservoirs. In 1884, this flower was first introduced to the public at the American Cotton Exhibition. Many of the visitors wanted to buy themselves an exotic hyacinth. The owners of eichornia shoots willingly shared extra plants with friends and neighbors, and also released them into natural reservoirs.

Soon, buyers, who did not know how quickly the flower grew, were faced with the fact that it began to cover most of the ponds and lakes. Eichornia thickets interfered with fishing and navigation. Green leaves have even been found in canals to irrigate the land. Therefore, the plant began to be massively destroyed. But many countries, in which the water hyacinth got by accident, still cannot bring it out. So, in Kenya and Uganda, almost all fish disappeared because of it. In Nigeria, thickets of eichornia block waterways and kill river dwellers.

However, it cannot be said that this plant does only harm to the environment. They continue to buy it to decorate fountains and ponds. After all, eichornia looks bright and attractive. Its leaves have a shiny glossy surface. They stick to the water due to their porous structure. Such plants are decorated with blue, pink and purple rosettes. Although water hyacinth blooms for only one day, it retains its attractiveness for a long period.

There are several different types of eichornia that are found in nature.

Such a plant is characterized by the complete absence of the upper part. It grows at great depths, and the stem length can reach 50 centimeters. This type of water flower is unpretentious. The plant gets along well with other green inhabitants of the aquarium. It should be noted that it should always be in clean water.

This type of aquatic plant is the most abundant in the world. The flower with short stems is decorated with heart-shaped leaves. The plant adheres perfectly to the surface of the reservoir due to the fact that its petioles are filled with air. The flowers of the thick-stemmed eichornia look luxurious. They have a pleasant pale purple color. They are on the surface of the water for only one day. After that, the flowers go under the water.

This type of water hyacinth can grow both at great depths and on the surface of the water. The stem of the flower reaches 60 centimeters in length. The upper leaves are rounded. The lower ones are narrower. They are slightly elongated and tapered towards the ends. The surface of the leaves has a ribbed structure. It is recommended to grow azure eichornia in an aquarium. For the plant to feel comfortable, it must be warm.

It is recommended to plant eichornia in a mixture of sand and peat. The roots of the plant are added dropwise with the resulting substrate. After that, water is collected in the aquarium. It is worth remembering that only a spacious and open container is suitable for the comfortable development of the plant. If the water hyacinth is grown in a pond, add some humus to the pond. In this case, the conditions for the development of the flower will be closer to natural ones. As additives, you can also use cleaned bottom sludge, compost or complex fertilizers for aquarium plants. All of them saturate the water with nutrients.

It is recommended to plant a plant in a pond in late May or early summer. In this case, the flower will quickly take root and grow. This means that it will be much easier for him to survive the cold autumn and winter. It is very important to choose the right neighbors for your water hyacinth. So, it is not recommended to plant it together with water lilies. After all, after the growth of the eichornia, they will not have enough space in the reservoir. This will lead to the death of the plants.

Eichornia is an unpretentious flower. He is not susceptible to any disease. Therefore, after disembarkation, a minimum amount of time is given to caring for it. For the plant to look and feel good, mature shrubs need to be pruned regularly to remove any dried or withered leaves. It is also very important to cut off any excess shoots on the stems. In this case, the plant will not overgrow, occupying too much area. It is recommended to trim the eichornia with gloves. After all, the juice of this flower can cause an allergic reaction in a person.

Since the plant loves light and warmth, preserving it in the winter is quite difficult. If the flower lives in an open reservoir, it should be moved indoors for the winter. In order for the plant to feel comfortable at this time of the year, it must live in a reservoir with a water temperature of at least +20 degrees. If the liquid evaporates quickly, it should be added regularly to the aquarium. It is also important that the plant is in a well-lit room for most of the day. Keep the capacity as far away from the batteries as possible. Do not cover it with a lid or plastic wrap. Lack of oxygen will lead to the fact that the leaves of the eichornia begin to rot.

Home-grown aquatic flowers are easy to propagate... This is done vegetatively. The shoots that are on the lateral shoots are separated from the main plant. This is done only after 3-4 sheets appear on them. They are placed in a separate container with high-quality and well-fertilized soil and clean water. Once the plant has strong roots, the water hyacinth can be planted in an aquarium or pond. There he will take root very quickly.

In nature, the plant propagates by seed. In indoor conditions, it is almost impossible to achieve the same result. After all, seed can only be obtained if the water temperature is above 35 degrees. This effect can be achieved only with the help of additional heating of the reservoir. In addition, during seed ripening, the plant loses its decorative effect. That's why it is not worth wasting time trying to obtain seed.

The green plant is used in various fields. It is often bought for landscaping ponds in suburban areas. Besides, eichornia is also grown as a beautiful aquarium plant. Since it is unpretentious, people buy it with great pleasure. In places where water hyacinth grows naturally, it is used as livestock feed. Green leaves are eaten by hippos and other large animals. They contain a large number of useful trace elements.

Eichornia is also used for water purification. Earlier, during long campaigns, warriors placed this plant in vessels with dirty water. After a while, it became drinkable. Now the flower is grown on farms, as well as in reservoirs next to various enterprises. This plant rapidly recycles nitrates, insecticides, soap solutions and other environmental pollutants. Water hyacinth is also often used by modern craftsmen to create original interior items. You can buy them all over the world.

The process of creating wicker decor is pretty simple. After assembling the water hyacinth, its leaves, along with the stems, are pressed and dried well for 2 months. These blanks are manually braided into tight braids. It is they who are used to create various crafts. They make beautiful ottomans, baskets, pots, and chairs. They also make decorative napkins, carpets and furniture covers from eichornia. Even a small napkin holder made of a dried plant will become a real home decoration.

At the same time, products made from water hyacinth are obtained not only beautiful, but also resistant to fading and high humidity. Therefore, they can be used in the kitchen, bathroom or even outdoors. Summing up, we can say that eichornia is a unique plant. If grown correctly, it will not only delight everyone with its attractive appearance, but also purify the water in the selected area.