Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae (form #1)

Plant Name: Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae (form #1)

Tankquility Catalogue #: TQ-01306

Synonyms/Trade Names:

Original Plant Sourced as: Cryptocoryne crispatula

Plant Family: Araceae

Plant Native to¹: Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae occurs in China Southeast, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam. The precise area from where Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae (form #1) originates is unknown.

Plant Type: Semiaquatic

Image Details²:

Image 1: Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae (form #1) grown submerse in a greenhouse pond. These plants are around 500mm tall with leaves up to 15mm wide. The plant turns a dark bronze in high light.

Image 2: Emerse Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae (form #1) showing dark bronze bullate leaves when grown in high light.

General Information and Cultivation³: This clone was received from Aquagreen in 2011. A tall-growing crypt, easy to cultivate submerse. Plants grown by Tankquility in a 300mm deep greenhouse pond reach a height of 500mm with leaf width of 15mm. Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae (form #1) is adaptable to water (soft to hard) and substrate (slightly acid to alkaline) conditions.

Growing this crypt emerse is possible under high humidity/misting and low to moderate light intensity. Higher light levels will encourage the unique dark bronze colouration. Emerse, it grows to about 150mm in height.

Identification Notes: Tankquility has been unsuccessful in flowering this clone since it was received in early 2011. Almost certainly var. balansae, belonging to the species Cryptocoryne crispatula, we await an inflorescence to confirm identification.

Ease of Care: Easy

Plant Size/Portion Size:

Submerse grown plant: Large-size plant with strong root development. Occasionally a leaf may be perforated or broken due to growing on the pond surface.

Emerse grown plant: Plant cut back to 1-2 emerse leaves, with strong root development. Smaller plantlets may be attached by runners.

Further Reading:

¹ Distribution is taken from Plants of the World Online (https://powo.science.kew.org/) unless stated otherwise.

² All images used on the Tankquility website have been taken of plants growing in our nursery.

³ The general and cultural information provided is based on our own experience and observation. If we supply information from others, we have acknowledged the source.