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20-04-2003, 06:12 AM

(Richard J. Sexton (At work)) wrote in message ...
Mine is about to flower.
Is it okay to let it?

Yes.

After flowering will it go into hibernation?

No.

I'm non convinved Aponogetons have a built in dormancy timer; I've
only seeen them go "dormant" when they ran out of nutrients. They're
increadibly heavy feeders and in many cases in people tanks they
just use up the food stored in the corm, then whither up and die.

Given the bulbs are about a quarter, they're almsot disposable plants.

Well most plants go dormant in the winter, to protect themselves from
the cold, and regrow in the spring during warmer weather. It would
make sense if there is a trigger, that it is colder water temps and
shorter light periods. It may just be a built in timer so to speak. It
really depends on the apon specie. Some bounce back so quickly if you
have enough light and nutrients that you barely notice the dormancey.
Others are more difficult to bring back, some never seem to go dormant
at all. I have had ulvacues continually grow for years. The plant will
be short lived if you do not feed it and it uses up what is in the
tuber. Most only go dormant for a couple months.

Robert H
www.aquabotanic.com