Ambulia: [Care, Characteristics, Cultivation, Substrate and Pests]

Ambulia ( Limnophila sessiliflora ) is a species of plant used for aquatic purposes . She has a nice appearance and has minimal maintenance needs.

For people who enjoy having fish at home, this has become an ideal option, both for recreating habitat and for ornamental purposes .

Are you starting out in this world or do you want to implement improvements for your fish tank? Attention because here we will talk about everything about ambulia.

Characteristics of the Ambulia

In fact, with the use of aquarium light sources, an intense and vivid image can be achieved , as if it were emeralds.

In terms of size, the plant usually grows to a half meter tall, so it is important to offer it ample space to grow.

Where should we sow ambulia?

Ambulia will need to be planted in an aquatic substrate that is soft because its roots are very delicate.

It is also important that it contains a good level of iron since this will provide you with nutrients to grow healthy and be very green.

The pH of the water should be between 6 and 8.5 and the temperature should vary from 20 to 30º C to keep it alive and in good condition.

Although it is able to withstand sudden changes in temperature at some point, when it rises or falls a lot, the growth of the plant is slow.

Obviously, you will also need a good light source, preferably white. The actuation level of the light source should range from 0.7 to 1.5 watts as a recommended measure per liter of water.

When should ambulia be cultivated?

The cultivation time will vary depending on the chosen method of reproduction : either by seeds or by cuttings .

In the case of seeds, these will be obtained from the ripe fruit , so it will only be possible in the summer season.

For the cuttings the situation is different since it will be kept under the same conditions as the mother plant, so it can be cultivated at any time of the year.

How do we prepare the land?

Being an aquatic plant, you will not need soil preparation as we do with other garden species, but you do have to work on the substrate issue .

It is best to make a smooth composition that allows the roots to be firm but not pressured as they break easily.

A good recommendation is to prepare a mixture of clay and fine gravel , which does not compact in the presence of moisture.

How to sow ambulia step by step?

1. The main mechanism used for its reproduction is with cuttings that you must cut from the head of the stem.
2. You will place this piece of plant in an optimal substrate for its needs and in a few days it will be able to take root.
3. It is important that you remove all the leaves that are attached to the cutting to prevent the plant from suffering problems when its roots grow.
4. In the case that it is sought to reproduce by seeds, this will be achieved in aquariums where the plant can develop out of the water.
5. In this way, it will be easier for it to reproduce the fruits and obtain the seeds when they mature.
6. The seeds can reproduce normally in the substrate chosen to use in the aquarium.
7. In any case, care must be taken that sowing is carried out leaving at least 30 centimeters between one plant and another.
8. This is a much more necessary condition in the case of cuttings. The reason for this is to help each have their own nutrients and do not restrict each other’s opportunities to access them.

What care does the ambulia need?

Pruning

Pruning will be carried out according to the particular conditions that the aquarium has. If these are not very large, surely the pruning frequency will be higher.

In addition, the conditions that the plant will have for its development must be considered, since when these are optimal, it will grow faster.

All this is essential to keep it in the place we want, since in countries like India, for example, it is considered a pest due to its rapid growth .

Use of liquid fertilizers

To keep it always leafy, the use of special liquid fertilizers for aquatic plants will be key.

Its use should be planned on a weekly basis, also including a fertilizer around the stem on a monthly basis.

What pests and diseases does it have?

Pests inside aquariums are almost nil as long as hygiene measures are maintained .

For this reason, ambulia runs very little risk. On the subject of diseases, one of the most common is rot.

This occurs when the planting of cuttings is done without having removed the leaves from the stems.

In addition to this, if the new plant is planted very close to an existing one, they will have a fight for nutrient control that will not benefit either.

The ambulia is easy to maintain and if it is complemented with other natural plants , the aquarium will offer a more pleasant environment for the fish.

At the same time, it will give users a very high ornamental value , which will serve to keep it as decoration in different spaces.

The most important thing is to always ensure that the water conditions are the best since it is their center of life, just as the land is for garden species.