This is one plant that is not really for the beginner or lazy buggers like me. It almost always dies in tropical tanks as it requires cooler temps. It will die if the temp. exceeds 80 degrees, it also is not salt tolerant. I have killed everyone I have ever kept.
Here is what I did not know.
When kept right they can get 22" tall and when they flower the stalk can be up to 30" tall.
They prefered diffuse, moderate light level, not bright light.
The rhizome should be planted with the crown about 1/2" above the substrate, not at or below it.
They like a bit of calcium supplement in the substrate.
CO2 really helps.
They need supplements of fertilizer from time to time.
The water should be somewhat acid, 5.5 -6.8 pH is recommended and they are sensitive to rapid flucuations.
The water should be soft, 2-6 dH.
The temperature range in which these plants flourish is a narrow one, between 66 and 73 degrees farenhiet, this is how I killed all of mine. If you keep them at 78 degrees they will slowly die. This is the reason that most books say that they are shortlived plants (1-1 1/2 years). With proper care they can live several years.
In my tanks their life expectency was only several months.
Hybridsmight be more heat tolerant.
