Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Plant)

Ross Vandegrift · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 7

Hello everyone,

First trip to the LFS in a while yesterday. Picked up some more
ottos and a second Bolivian Ram (soo cute!)

Also stumbled across a potted plant in one tank labeled
"Cardinal plant - Lobelia cardinalis". It has some pretty cool leaf
coloration, kind of a purpleish color.

I searched on google some for both the common name and the
scientific name, and found lots of links for a non-aquatic plant. Some
of links claims that it grows equally well in water and out. Anyone
know for sure?

The tag (From Florida Aquatic Nurseries) claims "True Aquatic,
Foreground, Moderate Light", but mentions nothing about fertilizing.
I've got it in my 20g tank with 40W of flourescent light and DIY CO2. I
dose Kent Freshwater Plant Supplement and Flourish Trace weekly (or so -
I'm a tad random about it these days), but also feed some plants via
substrate tablets. This guy looks like a root feeder - anyone know for
sure?

Thanks!

--
Ross Vandegrift
ross@willow.seitz.com

A Pope has a Water Cannon. It is a Water Cannon.
He fires Holy-Water from it. It is a Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses it. It is a Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses the Hell out of it. It is a Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He has it pierced. It is a Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He makes it official. It is a Canon Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
Batman and Robin arrive. He shoots them.

Archived from group: rec>aquaria>freshwater>plants

RedForeman ©® · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 339

I see alot of it, atleast in two LFS specifically, and both were gorgeous
little plants... I like purple so it caught my attention from the
beginning... I asked, undemanding, low light to moderate light plant, any
water, any temp, it'll grow....

I asked her how it would do in an injected tank, she said, I wouldn't
because it may grow too long or too big... but she was smilin' so I'm
guessing that was tongue in cheek..

"Ross Vandegrift" wrote in message@turalyon.azeroth.seitz.com...
> Hello everyone,
>
> First trip to the LFS in a while yesterday. Picked up some more
> ottos and a second Bolivian Ram (soo cute!)
>
> Also stumbled across a potted plant in one tank labeled
> "Cardinal plant - Lobelia cardinalis". It has some pretty cool leaf
> coloration, kind of a purpleish color.
>
> I searched on google some for both the common name and the
> scientific name, and found lots of links for a non-aquatic plant. Some
> of links claims that it grows equally well in water and out. Anyone
> know for sure?
>
> The tag (From Florida Aquatic Nurseries) claims "True Aquatic,
> Foreground, Moderate Light", but mentions nothing about fertilizing.
> I've got it in my 20g tank with 40W of flourescent light and DIY CO2. I
> dose Kent Freshwater Plant Supplement and Flourish Trace weekly (or so -
> I'm a tad random about it these days), but also feed some plants via
> substrate tablets. This guy looks like a root feeder - anyone know for
> sure?
>
> Thanks!
>
> --
> Ross Vandegrift
> ross@willow.seitz.com
>
> A Pope has a Water Cannon. It is a Water
Cannon.
> He fires Holy-Water from it. It is a Holy-Water
Cannon.
> He Blesses it. It is a Holy Holy-Water
Cannon.
> He Blesses the Hell out of it. It is a Wholly Holy Holy-Water
Cannon.
> He has it pierced. It is a Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water
Cannon.
> He makes it official. It is a Canon Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water
Cannon.
> Batman and Robin arrive. He shoots
them.

Ross Vandegrift · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 7

In article , RedForeman ©® wrote:
> I asked her how it would do in an injected tank, she said, I wouldn't
> because it may grow too long or too big... but she was smilin' so I'm
> guessing that was tongue in cheek..

LOL, well, it's damn cool looking, so here's hoping it takes off with my
injection : Smile

--
Ross Vandegrift
ross@willow.seitz.com

A Pope has a Water Cannon. It is a Water Cannon.
He fires Holy-Water from it. It is a Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses it. It is a Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses the Hell out of it. It is a Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He has it pierced. It is a Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He makes it official. It is a Canon Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
Batman and Robin arrive. He shoots them.

Doug · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 6

I have looked a bit on this plant as well. I think you will be a
bit "surprised" how it does (or doesn't) in the aquarium.   Lobelia
cardinalis as is available in most stores is grown either hydroponically
or emersed. Generally this is done because it looks good when it
is all purple and scarlet. In the aquarium, it generally turns light
green even under intense lighting, which it does require.
For reds and purples in the aquaria, a "general" rule is that you need
strong light. With strong light comes other "necessities" like CO2.
If you really want a true aquatic plant with purple coloration, I recommend
something like Ludwigia
gladulosa and for red/puples, try Alternanthera
reineckii.
    Best wishes,
    Doug
"RedForeman ©®" wrote:
...I like purple so it caught my attention from the
beginning... I asked, undemanding, low light to moderate light plant,
any
water, any temp, it'll grow....
....
"Ross Vandegrift" <email_removed wrote
>
> Also stumbled across a potted plant in one tank labeled
> "Cardinal plant - Lobelia cardinalis". It has some pretty cool
leaf
> coloration, kind of a purpleish color.
>
> I searched on google some for both the common name and the
> scientific name, and found lots of links for a non-aquatic plant.
Some
> of links claims that it grows equally well in water and out.
Anyone
> know for sure?
>
> The tag (From Florida Aquatic Nurseries) claims "True Aquatic,
> Foreground, Moderate Light", but mentions nothing about fertilizing.
> I've got it in my 20g tank with 40W of flourescent light and DIY
CO2. I
> dose Kent Freshwater Plant Supplement and Flourish Trace weekly (or
so -
> I'm a tad random about it these days), but also feed some plants
via
> substrate tablets. This guy looks like a root feeder - anyone
know for
> sure?
>--
DougsGraphics@notmail.com
Spammers be DAMNED!
Friendlies: change notmail to hotmail to reply.
Just keeping the web bots and crawlers from filling
our inboxes with junk! May they eternally spam
addresses that swamp their servers with bounced mail!

~Vicki ~ · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 172

I grow them in my garden outside. I wonder tho if they will do well
submerged in the long run. Keep us informed.

Vicki

Ross Vandegrift · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 7

In article , Doug wrote:
>

(Not to flame or anything, but USENET postings in HTML format are
generally frowned upon. Try to configure your software to send articles
as plain text.)

> I have looked a bit on this plant as well. I think you will be a
> bit "surprised" how it does (or doesn't) in the aquarium. Lobelia
> cardinalis as is available in most stores is grown either hydroponically
> or emersed. Generally this is done because it looks good when it
> is all purple and scarlet. In the aquarium, it generally turns light
> green even under intense lighting, which it does require.

Yea, the tank in question produces beautiful scarlet red sunset hygro,
and even gets bacopa to turn a touch red. But it's been about a week or
so now, and the purple leaves have already mostly dropped off. It
doesn't appear to be dying just yet, but if it's growable emersed, it
could take a few weeks.

All in all, kind of a bummer that it probably won't work out - it looked
great at the LFS. I'll post later on the topic, once we see how things
are actually going to work out. I won't mind a bit if it grows green
: Smile

--
Ross Vandegrift
ross@willow.seitz.com

A Pope has a Water Cannon. It is a Water Cannon.
He fires Holy-Water from it. It is a Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses it. It is a Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses the Hell out of it. It is a Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He has it pierced. It is a Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He makes it official. It is a Canon Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
Batman and Robin arrive. He shoots them.

Robert H · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 3

Ross Vandegrift wrote in message news:...
> In article , Doug wrote:
> >
>
> (Not to flame or anything, but USENET postings in HTML format are
> generally frowned upon. Try to configure your software to send articles
> as plain text.)
>
> > I have looked a bit on this plant as well. I think you will be a
> > bit "surprised" how it does (or doesn't) in the aquarium. Lobelia
> > cardinalis as is available in most stores is grown either hydroponically
> > or emersed. Generally this is done because it looks good when it
> > is all purple and scarlet. In the aquarium, it generally turns light
> > green even under intense lighting, which it does require.
>
> Yea, the tank in question produces beautiful scarlet red sunset hygro,
> and even gets bacopa to turn a touch red. But it's been about a week or
> so now, and the purple leaves have already mostly dropped off. It
> doesn't appear to be dying just yet, but if it's growable emersed, it
> could take a few weeks.
>
> All in all, kind of a bummer that it probably won't work out - it looked
> great at the LFS. I'll post later on the topic, once we see how things
> are actually going to work out. I won't mind a bit if it grows green
> : Smile

Lobelia is only red or purple when it grows above the water.
Underwater the red emmersed leaves fall off or turn green, and all new
growth leaves will be green. It is still a neat plant. It is a fore
ground plant if you keep it trimmed low to the ground, otherwise it
will get fairly tall. There is also a true dwarf variety that is
imported into the USA. Florida Aquatic does not grow it.

Lobelia need 2 to 3 watts of light per gallon of water, and should not
be shaded by other plants. It will rot in the substrate pretty easy if
the substrate becomes too dirty and oxygen is too low. This plant has
been used in dutch aquariums for 50 years or more.

There is a lot of detailed discussion of this plant in my forums. It
is also a terrestrial plant. I have it in my garden where it is 3 feet
tall, leaves all beet red and its flowers are bright fire engine red.
Its an amazing plant.

Robert Hudson
www.aquabotanic.com
Red cherry shrimp!

Pierre-Normand Houle · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 11

"Robert H" wrote in message >

> is also a terrestrial plant. I have it in my garden where it is 3 feet
> tall, leaves all beet red and its flowers are bright fire engine red.
> Its an amazing plant.
>
> Robert Hudson
> www.aquabotanic.com
> Red cherry shrimp!

There are also pretty pictures of dwarf lobelia here :

http://www.e-aquaria.com/des_lobelia.html