The common Vallisneria grows well in my aquaria today, and I like them a lot.
In the photo to the left there is a curly leaved Vallisneria in front od a bunch of normal Vallisneria. In the photo to the right I removed the curly leaved one and planted it in another aquarium, so there's only straight Vallisneria, even though the leaves are so long that got entangled under the water surface.
I know it says everywhere that Vallisneria gets up to 50 cm long leaves, but mine get about 100 cm long leaves... I don't know why that is. The aquarium is only 35 cm deep so there's lots of Vallisneria leaves all over the aquarium.
The Swedish name for the common plant is rak vallisneria. The Swedish name for the curly leaved variety is skruvvallisneria. I've seen so many different latin names for these plants by now that I wont try to use any of them, except for the basic one, Vallisneria spiralis.
All the Vallisneria are rather pretty I think, even the giant versions.
Vallisneria has only long flat leaves, unlike Sagittaria that can develop other shapes also, like oval and heartshaped leaves.
Copyright: Eva Johansson.
Last update: 20th of February 2007.