Duckweed.

De un vistazo

Nivel de cuidados

Fácil

Tipo de planta

Aquatic

Luz

Full sun to partial shade

Luz en interior

Luz indirecta brillante

Riego

Cada 0 días

Tamaño adulto

0.5 centimeters

Ritmo de crecimiento

Rápido

Rusticidad

USDA 4 a 10

Floración

Rarely blooms in summer

Cuidados

Keep this plant in still water to prevent it from being submerged or washed away. Watch for yellowing fronds which might indicate a nutrient deficiency. It spreads very quickly so you may need to scoop out excess to keep it from taking over.

Riego

This plant must remain submerged in water at all times.

Abonado

Add a small amount of aquatic plant fertilizer if growth slows down.

Poda

Remove excess growth with a net to maintain surface area.

Trasplante

Repotting is not applicable as it is a free floating plant.

Suelo

None, aquatic

pH del suelo

6.0 to 7.5

Temperatura

5 a 30°C

Humedad

70 a 100%

Seguridad

Personas

It is generally considered non toxic, but its tendency to bioaccumulate contaminants makes it unsafe to eat from unknown water sources.

Niños

Small children should be supervised around open water where this plant grows to prevent accidental ingestion of potentially contaminated water.

Comestibilidad

Duckweed can absorb heavy metals and toxins from polluted water, so never consume it from the wild.

Cómo identificarla

• Tiny green oval shaped fronds
• Single root hanging beneath
• Forms dense mats on water
• Lacks distinct stems or leaves

Altura

0 a 0,01m

Anchura

0,01 a 1m

Hojas

bright green, deciduous

Flores

white, green, 0,1 a 0,2cm

Problemas frecuentes

• Algal blooms — Excess nutrients in the water can lead to algae that outcompetes the duckweed.

Cómo cultivarla

Propagación

division

Cuándo plantar

spring, summer

Keep duckweed in check by pairing it with submerged oxygenators that help balance water chemistry.

Buenas compañeras

• Eichhornia crassipes — They both thrive in similar nutrient rich aquatic environments.
• Ceratophyllum demersum — This submerged plant provides oxygen while the duckweed shades the surface.

Especies parecidas

• Spirodela polyrhiza — It is larger and has multiple roots hanging from each frond.
• Wolffia — These are even smaller and lack roots entirely.

Ciencia

Familia

Araceae

Género

Lemna

Orden

Alismatales

Clase

Liliopsida

Distribución natural

Cosmopolitan, found in temperate and tropical regions worldwide.

Conservación

It is a common, widespread species and is not of conservation concern.

It thrives in still or slow moving nutrient rich water where it forms dense mats that shade the water below.

Valor para la fauna

provides cover for aquatic life, waterfowl food source

Polinizadores

escarabajos

Usos

water filtration, aquarium cover, livestock feed

Taxonomía cotejada con GBIF.

Lo que más preguntan

How do I control it?

You can physically scoop it out with a fine mesh net.

Does it need soil?

No, it floats on the water surface and absorbs nutrients directly from the water column.

De dónde viene el nombre

The name Lemna comes from the Greek word for a swamp plant, while minor refers to its small size.

Bueno saberlo

• It is a free floating aquatic plant with no true roots.
• Duckweed is a highly efficient nitrogen and phosphorus remover.
• The entire plant body is called a frond.
• It is often used in research as a model organism for plant biology.