In article .rogers.com,
"Marvin Hlavac" writes:

And another question: how old is your oldest plant?


Don't have any idea about how old they get, but my oldest aquatic plant is
relatively young, an anubias that just won't quit (Oldest leaves, which I know
I should probably prune off, are infected with BBA and have been since shortly
after I planted it) that is about 2 1/2 years old.

My oldest air plant is this type of palm (not sure exactly what kind it is --
common houseplant that you often see sold in little pots at the grocery) that
I've had since my undergrad college days. I had a roommate in 1989 who was
given this small plant which he began to neglect...I adopted it then when it
was about 4" tall and now it is probably 2 1/2 feet tall with two crazy
offshoots. It's interesting because it's been with me ever since, and I have
had all kinds of turmoil since then during which I neglected the plant...so you
can see parts of its stalk that are thin and gnarled and parts that are robust
and straight reflecting periods of care and neglect. It's turned out to be
very strange-looking...reminds me of some odd misshapen, bony creature with
wild mad-scientist hair that Dr. Seuss would dream up.


Erica
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/mitoem/mitoem/index.htm

I don't think they die, exactly. It's more like each individual part is
replaced -- the leaves, stems, roots, etc. -- so that it's a whole new
plant

Lives that have "heart" will die.

Toooo much isnt?

--
Thank You

Dominic
http://www.dlink.org/aqua

"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
How long do plants live? Trees have their lifespan but do our aquatic plants
have their days numbered as well? If we don't kill them by not providing good
living environment will they eventually die of natural causes anyway? How
about
an ordinary Amazon Sword? Will it live to be 100? Will it breathe its last
breath before the age of 50? Will it go to meet its maker at 20? Will it kick
the bucket before its teens?

I don't think they die, exactly. It's more like each individual part is
replaced -- the leaves, stems, roots, etc. -- so that it's a whole new plant
eventually. Obviously, this can't happen with trees, so they do have finite
lifespans. But for plants that reproduce vegetatively...I suspect that, like
amoebae, they are immortal.

Practically speaking, though, what often happens is the mother plant gets to
be
too big or unattractive, and is replaced by one of its own babies.

And another question: how old is your oldest plant?

I've had the anubias in my tank for about nine years. They'd be immense if
I'd
left them alone, but I divide them periodically, and give away plants.

The "peace lily" on my desk at work is at least 12 years old. The tag that
came with it said that houseplants should be replaced after a year or so,
because they become unattractive after awhile...but I'm too cheap. :-)


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/



Thanks very much for replies. Leigh that does make sense what you say. Plants
like swords most likely can live indefinitely. Trees (and perhaps our aquarium
stem plants as well) can only live thru their young ;-)

Dominic's was in a poetic mood ;-)

Erica, take good care of that palm. It has a history with you!

--
Marvin
hlavac (at) rogers (dot) com