Aponogetons

[troy]

Do they die after flowering? I just got some bulbs today from Wal-Mart.

[Algenco]

some go into an annual rest period, it should be several months before that might happen.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Mine flowered for a few few months, and then it stopped growing. It didn't die, just stopped growing.

[troy]

Would they just keep growing if I cut the flowers off? One bulb has started growing after 1 day.

[Incredulous_Ed]

hmm, It's hard to say. Maybe if you pull off the flowers before they open it would not go into its dormant stage. Most aponogetons go into the dormant stage, and its more trouble reviving tham than it is buying some new ones. But it will be several months before they go dormant.
Check out this link. good info http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Plants/Aponogeton.html

[sergo]

mine grew really well for a few months but never flowered and then started dieing off to almost nothing. it's been a couple of months and there may be some new sprigs of life coming out of them now. i have read they need a rest period after flowering but mine never flowered. maybe they just got tired of growing :)

[troy]

I guess I'll have to cut off the flower stalks off because it said they can get 4 feet tall. I guess I should have gotten the dwarf lily bulbs.

[Incredulous_Ed]

The flowers stalks grow like 5 inches a day. It's crazy. You have to cut them off if you don't want a big plant mess. lol

[troy]

It makes sense since the plants grow about an inch a day. I'll cut it once it hits the hood, but it would make an impressive sight with a 4 foot flower stalk coming out of a small aquarium though. I better not try that.

[Incredulous_Ed]

They won't get 4 feet unless you have a 4 foot high tank. They mainly grow until they are out of the surface and bloom. Longest one I had was 2 ft in a 16 in high tank.

[troy]

Okay, I didn't know. I'll think I'll just let one bloom.