Coarse Hornleaf
Coarse Hornleaf as an Oxygen plant
Coarse Hornleaf is a well-known, very fast-growing oxygen plant and is often used in ponds. This little plant owes its very rapid growth to the "stretching" of the cells it is capable of. As a result, this oxygen plant can grow up to 10 centimetres a day! The advantage of this high growth rate is the high uptake of nutrients from the water and the introduction of lots of oxygen. A big plus for your pond, as this oxygen plant competes with algae for nutrients. These algae therefore have much less chance of turning your pond green. Introducing enough Coarse Hornwort and other oxygen plants thus provides protection against algae blooms in your pond. In addition to its high growth rate, this plant has another weapon to help keep your pond clear; a special symbiosis (cooperation) with micro-organisms ensures that suspended matter is filtered out of the water as optimally as possible, which in turn increases the clarity of your pond. This property is also called an allopathic ability; oxygen plants such as Waterweed and Crabweed also have this ability. And another advantage: it doesn't need to be planted, but can be left loose in the pond.
Coarse Hornleaf Properties
- Position: sun/semi shade
- Stem length: up to 2 metres
- Planting depth: n/a
- Substrate: not necessary, hornwort is a rootless, free-floating aquatic plant.
- Difficulty: easy plant, makes no demands on water quality
Frequently asked questions
What does Coarse Hornleaf look like?
It is a dark green plant that does not form roots and can grow up to two metres long. The leaves look a bit like feathers and are up to 3 centimetres long.
This aquatic plant occurs in two species; coarse and Fine Hornleaf. Fine Hornleaf does not produce winter buds, for example, but turns completely dark brown in winter. Coarse Hornleaf makes thick winter buds in autumn and then sinks to the bottom. As soon as the temperature returns a little in the right direction, it sprouts bright green again.
It is a fruit-bearing plant; the fruits are olive green, four to six millimetres long and have two or three curved spines at the base.
What is the flowering time of Coarse Hornleaf?
Coarse Hornleaf (Ceratophyllum demersum) flowers from May to September. The flowers are small and inconspicuous, often greenish in colour, and grow below the surface of the water. Because the plant remains submerged, the flowers are not visible to the naked eye and play a smaller role in reproduction than vegetative growth via stems and rhizomes.
Is Coarse Hornleaf a native aquatic plant?
Coarse Hornleaf is one of the pond plants found in the wild in the Netherlands. This plant can grow in fresh and brackish water and does not have high water quality requirements.
How to plant Coarse Hornleaf?
Coarse hornwort has no real roots and can easily be placed loose in the water, where it spreads quickly. The plant floats below the water surface or sinks to the bottom, where it spreads via stems. So planting is simple: you can just place the stems in the water and they will start growing on their own. There is no need to anchor the plant in the soil.
How do I maintain Coarse Hornleaf?
Coarse Hornleaf is low-maintenance, but it can grow quickly and overgrow other aquatic plants. Regular thinning or removing excess stems, especially in summer, prevents the plant from becoming too dominant. The plant helps keep the water clear by absorbing nutrients that would otherwise be used by algae, so balancing its growth is important.
Is Coarse Hornleaf hardy?
Yes, Coarse Hornleaf is hardy and survives cold winters without any problems. The plant produces winter buds, but can continue to grow even in low temperatures under the ice. Growth does slow down considerably in winter, but the plant remains active and will sprout faster again in spring when temperatures rise.
What is the planting depth of Coarse Hornleaf?
Coarse Hornleaf grows well at various depths, from 30 cm to as deep as 3 metres, depending on the clarity of the water. As the plant remains submerged, sufficient light penetration is important for photosynthesis. In clear water, coarse hornwort can grow at greater depths, while in murky water it thrives better at shallower depths.
Buy Coarse Hornleaf?
We have had good experiences with oxygen plants from De Vijvermeester. Coarse Hornleaf is for sale via De Vijvermeester's webshop. Here you can find beautiful bunches of high quality.
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