In fact, botanists often refer to this freshwater aquarium plant as Water Violet, due to the vibrant purple flowers it produces. Grown in slightly dense patches and reaching a height of 80 cm, Hottonia palustris serves as an ideal hiding place for invertebrates such as beetles, water spiders,dragonflies and damselflies.
Hottonia palustris has become a very popular pond plant for its unique flowers, but it has also grown in popularity among aquarists who enjoy the pulsing green color of its leaves as it is grown underwater.
Hottonia palustris Plant Profile :
- Scientific Name: Hottonia palustris
- Common Name: Featherfoil
- Difficulty: Easy
- CO2 Requirements: Low
- Aquarium Lighting Systems Requirements: Medium
- Plant Arrangement: Midground
- Growth Rate: Moderate
- Family: Primulaceae
- Genus: Hottonia
- Origin: Europe
- Plant Type: Stem
- Water Hardness: Medium (GH = 9-13 dH)
Growth characteristics
Hottonia palustris in its submersed form is extraordinarily different from its emersed growth. Underwater it is formed of bright green, feather-like leaves that bush out horizontally. Hottonia palustris can reach a height of 30 cm and a span of 20 cm when grown in good nutrient rich, and well lighted conditions. When provided with direct light, the water violet will branch out horizontally to form a low growing bush. Carbon dioxide inject will increase the growth rate of this plant but it is not required. Since it feeds mostly from the water column and substrate, it is important to either have a nutrient rich substrate or regularly add supplements to the water.
Aquascaping Application
Hottonia palustris is best planted in the midground areas of a planted aquarium with taller plants in the background. The fine leaf structure contrasts well against larger leaf plants such as Java Fern, Cryptocoryne balansae, or sword plants. Aquascapers will trim each stem in half to encourage the water violet plant to produce side shoots. This results in a perfect midground bush.
