# Emerging plants?



## Flurl (Jan 24, 2009)

Hi all, I'm working on my first aquarium  the plants are all reaching the surface pretty fast, and it got me to thinking, are there any good emerging plants that I could use that will stick out of the water surface or come down the sides all viney? If not, would some terrestrial plants grow as long as their ends were emerging and their roots in the soil substrate? What would happen if i pulled the tips of the stem plants over the water level once they get long enough? would they be able to survive and pull CO2 from the air?

cheers!


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Flurl said:


> are there any good emerging plants that I could use that will stick out of the water surface or come down the sides all viney?


Yes tons of them. Check plantfinder (top left of this website). Limno. aromatica is a good one to grow emersed.



Flurl said:


> If not, would some terrestrial plants grow as long as their ends were emerging and their roots in the soil substrate?


Tons are suitable, a nice "viney" plant is the common office creeper. These plants do well above aquariums with the roots dipping into the water.



Flurl said:


> What would happen if i pulled the tips of the stem plants over the water level once they get long enough? would they be able to survive and pull CO2 from the air?


They would change to emergent growth as long as they aren't too far from the water's surface. Make sure they don't dry out. And, yes they will survive.


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## bsmith (Dec 13, 2006)

Purple bamboo is a nice one that can and will grow out of the tank.


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## Flurl (Jan 24, 2009)

Appreciate the help guys  Thanks


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## Flurl (Jan 24, 2009)

Actually, I do have a followup question

Some of the plants I have are classified as emersive, but when i pull it out of the surface it just flops over and the leaves stick to everything, how does one go about doing this?

thanks


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Plants need to make new emergent leaves. Submerged leaves will not change to emergent growth. New leaves have the ability to become either type of leaf depending on whether or not they are under water or exposed to moist air.

Emergent growth also means the stem will be more rigid and not flop over.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Zapins said:


> Plants need to make new emergent leaves. Submerged leaves will not change to emergent growth. New leaves have the ability to become either type of leaf depending on whether or not they are under water or exposed to moist air.
> 
> Emergent growth also means the stem will be more rigid and not flop over.


Yes, what he said.  And different plants can take longer than others to change forms. Just let nature take it's course.


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## Flurl (Jan 24, 2009)

so should i de-leaf the top of the stem and prop it up out of the water with a stick or thread?


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Just let them go. The plants know what to do. The only thing you might do is mist them from time to time as they make the transition.


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## Flurl (Jan 24, 2009)

Cavan Allen said:


> Just let them go. The plants know what to do. The only thing you might do is mist them from time to time as they make the transition.


as i said they don't emerge on their own, once they get to the top they'll just extend laterally at the surface


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Flurl said:


> as i said they don't emerge on their own, once they get to the top they'll just extend laterally at the surface


That very much depends on the plant. Even the ones that spread at the surface will send up growth above the water at some point. As has been suggested here, you might try floating a stem or two of the spreaders.


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