# Anyone ever grown frogbit emersed?



## PeanutbuttER (Jan 1, 2011)

I've got a piece that came in as a hitchhiker that I left in the viv and after producing 2 new plants I'm guessing it's doing okay. Wondering if anyone else has ever tried growing it in their vivs.


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## PeanutbuttER (Jan 1, 2011)

Looks like I'm the only one then...

I looked around online for a bit and from what I've read, it can grow emersed but just about nobody does it for whatever reason. It will gain some height in time and continue to produce offshoots. Eventually it could also flower if I remember correctly. I've got 2 pieces I've left in there, one that is emersed and one floating in the drainage puddle. Should be interesting to see if the emersed one does actually change compared to its floating relative.

Not the best pictures, but the frogbit's there


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

That's an interesting looking plant.


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

It can grow emersed? Never heard this before. I have plenty so maybe I'll try tossing some in one of the vivs later to see what happens.


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## PeanutbuttER (Jan 1, 2011)

Just an update if anyone's interested. These were taken today, so 16 days after the previous ones were taken. The first pic is of the one growing on wood. It's shot out about 2 new leaves, but seems to be trying to grow vertically a bit as the new leaves are angled upwards (which is not something the floating one has done.) 










and the floating one:









I think it's interesting to note the different growth rates. Floating it has doubled from 3 leaves to 6 leaves in 16 days. The emersed one has put out two new leaves, so it's grown a decent amount, but not quite doubled. That would make sense if it was putting extra energy into the transition to emersed life and maybe towards vertical growth.


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

I tried this the day you posted the thread. Haven't seen much growth yet but I'll keep you posted. I'm curious to see how this will progress.


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

Frogbit is a true floater, meaning it's adapted to floating as it's primary growth form, and will grow better that way. That's not to say it _can't_, in fact all the floaters should be able to handle being grown "emersed" as long as they are still in a wet spot. This is pretty typical of habitats where they occur, still water that will often have fluctuating water levels can can leave them stranded on land... soggy land, but land none the less. Some floaters with more significant root systems can last longer as long as their roots are down still in a wet spot, but the smaller the root system the wetter the substrate surface would have to be to keep them from drying up.

It should flower if it's happy, doesn't really have anything to do with if it's on land or not. Most pics I've seen of it flowering it was floating.


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## PeanutbuttER (Jan 1, 2011)

That's interesting KeroKero and it makes a lot of sense. Heck, I didn't even know it would flower, but I hope it does. I'm just surprised it's lived at all. This has all been a fun experiment for me about using aquatic plants in vivs. I wasn't sure if it would even work when I placed them around. 

Mitch, if it does well feel free to post some pictures/updates. I'm curious to see how it does in other vivs as well. 

I checked mine today and I noticed that the emersed one has shot off another runner bud but I didn't see it because the java moss already covered it so I pulled the moss back a bit and let it go. Looks like it is still dividing like normal then.


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