Product description
About the species
Hygrophila odora 'Difformis' is a form of the African Hygrophila odora, named for its resemblance to Hygrophila difformis. The foliage is a fresh light green and sits densely, and the stems reach ten to twenty centimetres. It branches readily and turns bushy of its own accord, and the pale colour lifts darker and redder plants nearby.
Facts
• Latin name: Hygrophila odora 'Difformis'
• Plant type: Stem plant
• Origin: Africa
• Height: 10–20 cm
• Growth rate: Medium
• Position: Midground
Light requirement
Medium light requirement. Reckon on around 0.5 W per litre or a modern mid-range LED unit. Too little light gives sparse, stretched shoots and pale leaves, while the right amount keeps the plant compact and richly coloured.
CO₂ & nutrition
Added CO₂ is recommended — Tropica reckons 6–14 mg/l as a medium requirement. The plant can be grown without, but then grows more slowly and loses some of its colour. Supplement with liquid fertiliser weekly and keep iron and potassium levels up.
Planting
Split the bunch and set the stems one by one, about two centimetres into the substrate and two to three centimetres apart. Removing the lowest leaves first stops them rotting in the substrate. A group of five to ten stems looks far better straight away than single plants.
Carefully remove the pot and rinse the rock wool off the roots before planting — leftover rock wool can otherwise hinder rooting.
Care & propagation
Top the plant when it reaches the height you want and replant the cuttings — that propagates it and gives a denser group at the same time. Trim regularly so light reaches the lower leaves, and discard the old lower sections once they start thinning out.
Position in the aquarium
Its height makes it a classic midground plant. It works nicely as the transition between low foreground plants and tall background plants, and looks best in a group or around a piece of wood.
Difficulty level
🟡 Moderate — wants stable lighting and regular fertilisation to look its best.
Delivery format
Delivered as a pot grown submerged, with the roots in rock wool. The pot holds several plants or stems that can be divided and planted separately.
Recommendation
It fills an empty midground in record time and suits anyone who wants to see a result in the first month. Set five to ten stems together, otherwise the group simply looks sparse.
