Duckweed.

En un coup d'œil

Niveau d'entretien

Facile

Type de plante

Aquatic

Lumière

Full sun to partial shade

Lumière en intérieur

Lumière vive indirecte

Arrosage

Tous les 0 jours

Taille adulte

0.5 centimeters

Croissance

Rapide

Rusticité

USDA 4 à 10

Floraison

Rarely blooms in summer

Entretien

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.

Arrosage

This plant must remain submerged in water at all times.

Engrais

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

Taille

Remove excess growth with a net to maintain surface area.

Rempotage

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

Sol

None, aquatic

pH du sol

6.0 to 7.5

Température

5 à 30°C

Humidité

70 à 100%

Sécurité

Humains

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

Enfants

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

Comestibilité

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

Comment l'identifier

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

Hauteur

0 à 0,01m

Envergure

0,01 à 1m

Feuilles

bright green, deciduous

Fleurs

white, green, 0,1 à 0,2cm

Problèmes courants

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

La cultiver

Multiplication

division

Quand planter

spring, summer

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

Bonnes associations

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

Espèces similaires

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

Science

Famille

Araceae

Genre

Lemna

Ordre

Alismatales

Classe

Liliopsida

Région d'origine

Cosmopolitan, found in temperate and tropical regions worldwide.

Préservation

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.

Intérêt pour la faune

provides cover for aquatic life, waterfowl food source

Pollinisateurs

coléoptères

Utilisations

water filtration, aquarium cover, livestock feed

Taxonomie vérifiée avec le GBIF.

Ce qu'on demande souvent

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.

D'où vient le nom

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

Bon à savoir

• 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.