On Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:54:50 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:

On 18/06/2013 22:24, Jim Stone wrote:
Have a plant which i keep in water in a vase and change the water every
week. Its been happy like that for a long time. The roots are like onion
roots thick white strands.

Recently the leaves are becoming a bit pale, so I guess its short of a
nutrient or two.

Amazing that it has lasted this long given your ill treatment of it!

A long time ago i heard that putting a copper coin in the water helps to
provide nutrients. True or not i don't know.

False. A real copper coin might even help kill the plant by disabling
enzymes that protect woody stems from fungal rot.

Are there any other simple things you know of, that i could put in the water
that would provide nutrients and still allow to me to change the water
easily each week? Thanks.

Phostrogen or similar water clear soluble plant food.
Baby bio if they still sell it although that is slightly darker.

Have I missed something or is nobody else curious, as I am, as to what
this plant is, and why it is grown in water and not in the
conventional way?

Pam in Bristol