Growing Cryptocoryne emersed
An Asiatic genus of aquatic aroids, Cryptocoryne (kreep-to-ko-rye-ne) are popular plants for aquatic gardeners but seldom kept by mainstream aroid collectors. I think they're missing out! During the dry season, then water levels in their habitats recede, leaving the plants partially to wholly exposed. During these periods, the so-called 'immersed' foliage dies away, to be replaced by 'emersed' leaves; these are shorter and more compact with denser cuticles that allow the plants to tolerate atmospheric air. It is during this (semi-)terrestrial stage that the plants are triggered to bloom. Despite being on the small side, Cryptocoryne inflorescences are curiously complex in structure. This short post is intended to illustrate how I grow crypts (as they are colloquially known) emersed, and for that purpose, I am showing a still undescribed Philippine species similar to, but still distinct from, C. usteriana . A photo of an inflorescence is shown below. Basically