I decided to go on a little venture to the nearby woodland to pick a cutting of this amazing underwater plant, hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum).
If you are interested in propagating oxygen plants for ponds or decorative purposes, hornwort is one of the popular ones. It is low-maintenance, provides lots of oxygen, is a natural water filter, and prevents algae and harmful phytoplankton like blue-green algae and cyanobacteria from growing in your water.
Hornwort doesn't do well in the post, so it is not being sold online, so the best thing is to pick it up in the wild.
As I arrived at the site, the hornwort seemed to thrive in the middle, momentarily discouraging me.
But then I decided to use twigs lying around. I gently pushed the twig tip underneath where I could reach it, ensuring I didn't damage the plant.
Then I pulled it up; the hornwort cutting was on the tip.
I managed to grab a few of them.
I gently put it in my little container, added water to keep them hydrated, and carefully rushed home.
At home, I have a big jar from a second-hand shop; I bought it for a fiver.
I picked some stones from the garden and cleaned them up.
I placed the stones in the jar. Adding stones at the bottom can help anchor the plants, although hornwort can float freely and thrive.
I added filtered, dechlorinated water.
I clean the hornwort and remove the dead stems and leaves.
Then, I added the hornwort to the jar.
Gazing at it, I was amazed that it was a beautiful plant. Its leaves are a mixture of bright and dark green.
And the amazing thing is you can see the oxygen bubbles they produce.
They float around and seem happy.
The little brown bits are the fruits,
And the little green tips are flowers.
And it is a lovely addition to my kitchen plants, making the place look fresh.
Thank you for looking.
Have a wonderful day, everyone.
Mariah 🍃💗