Tropical Bog Plants: Nymphoides cristata

description for "Tropical Bog Plants: Nymphoides cristata"

With Nymphoides cristata, fish will be swimming through a winter wonderland! They might be a little confused, but they'll acclimate to the change in the white snowflake shaped blooms. Blooms last just a day but occur in such numbers that there are always more than flurries. Floating foliage resembles small lily pads and is patterned with purplish-brown or maroon. Plant them in containers filled with heavy soil and topped with gravel; submerge in water 3-12 inches deep over the soil. Planting in full sun will create more snow cover though they will tolerate as little as 4 hours of sun. Winter hardy in zones 7 to 11; grow them as annuals in colder areas. Vigorous plants spread 3-4 square feet and will need thinning to keep under control. A potential ecological threat in Florida and southern states: it is an invasive exotics that has increased in abundance or frequency but have not yet altered Florida plant communities to a broad extent. -edited by dtd siegelgirl