Madagascar Lace Plant Help

[NicksTank]

I have what appears to be a small lace plant bulb and put it into my tank.

I would like to know: Is this thing a bulb or a corm?
I'll keep digging on the internet but I keep finding conflicting information.

I noticed that the roots were growing from the base of where the leaves grow out.....not the bottom of the bulb or corm.

I scratched at the very bottom of the bulb and it just fell apart...like it was rotted. I've seen similar rotting in frost bitten corms. So I scratch away all of the damaged tissue which turned out to be 3/4 of the thing. What I believe to be a corm has the consistency of a peanut....solid. Nothing like an onion with layers.

It is making leaves like crazy but I suspect that it is just using up its reserves. I have it in gravel at the moment and am wondering if I need to pot it in some soil like mixture. I want to put it into a pot anyway to keep the roots from being continually damaged.

Again I would like to know where are the roots supposed to be coming out of the plant. Should they be coming out of the very bottom like a typical bulb or is it ok that they are coming out of the base of the leaves?

[annageckos]

I can't help you with you questions. But would suggest if you haven't already to use root tabs for the plants. If it is using up it's reserves the ferts will help it out. I am really thinking about getting one I saw at the LFS the other day. I would think as long as you got the dead/rotting parts off it should be ok.

[little hawaii]

I have what appears to be a small lace plant bulb and put it into my tank.

I would like to know: Is this thing a bulb or a corm?
I'll keep digging on the internet but I keep finding conflicting information.

I noticed that the roots were growing from the base of where the leaves grow out.....not the bottom of the bulb or corm.

I scratched at the very bottom of the bulb and it just fell apart...like it was rotted. I've seen similar rotting in frost bitten corms. So I scratch away all of the damaged tissue which turned out to be 3/4 of the thing. What I believe to be a corm has the consistency of a peanut....solid. Nothing like an onion with layers.

It is making leaves like crazy but I suspect that it is just using up its reserves. I have it in gravel at the moment and am wondering if I need to pot it in some soil like mixture. I want to put it into a pot anyway to keep the roots from being continually damaged.

Again I would like to know where are the roots supposed to be coming out of the plant. Should they be coming out of the very bottom like a typical bulb or is it ok that they are coming out of the base of the leaves?


Hi nick: Good thinking, If it is a Lace it will do magnificantly in a pot with some potting peat and a tbs. or so of laterite. Aponogetons are bulbs and it is doing what bulbs do under ground. The bulb we plant dissolves as it produces the new plant which will in turn produce many bulbs from cormes, which are just small bulbs i believe. I think Garlic is a great example.Aponos are heavey feeders an don't like being moved and will not reproduce unless left alone. Partly because the bulb should not be buried, or they will rot just weigh them down with a small rock or something so it can send down roots; they also do much better in v-soft+6-7. Nice plant I would like to get onetoo. Hope this helps:22: :goldfish: :11: :fish: