water cabbage

Pistia layered or Water cabbage, scientific name Pistia stratiotes. According to one version, the birthplace of this plant is stagnant reservoirs near Lake Victoria in Africa, according to another – the swamps of South America in Brazil and Argentina. One way or another, it has now spread to all continents with the exception of Antarctica. In many regions of the world, it is a weed that is actively fought.

It is one of the fastest growing freshwater plants. In nutrient-rich waters, especially those contaminated with sewage or fertilizers, where Pistia stratus often thrives. In other places, with active growth, gas exchange can be disturbed at the air-water interface, the content of dissolved oxygen decreases, which leads to mass death of fish. Also, this plant contributes to the spread of Mansonia mosquitoes – carriers of causative agents of brugiasis, which lay their eggs exclusively among the leaves of Pistia.

Refers to floating plants. Forms a small bunch of several large leaves, narrowed towards the base. Leaf blades have a velvety surface of a light green hue. A developed root system effectively purifies water from dissolved organic substances and impurities. For its elegant appearance, it is classified as an ornamental aquarium plant, although in the wild, as mentioned above, it is more of a dangerous weed. Water kale is not demanding on water parameters such as hardness and pH, but is quite thermophilic and needs a good level of lighting.