TankBud

Myriophyllum ussuriense

Also known as Ussurian water-milfoil, Myriophyllum sp. Japan, Myriophyllum verticillatum var. ussuriense

FreshwaterStemCuttings

Myriophyllum ussuriense (Myriophyllum ussuriense)
(c) 胡正恆(Jackson Hu), some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by

Care at a glance

Light
Medium light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
59–82°F
15–28°C
Max height
15.7 in
40 cm
Growth rate
Fast
Placement
Background
Type
Stem
pH
6.0–8.0
Hardness
2–15 dGH
Spread
2 in (5 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Easy
Family
Haloragaceae
Origin
East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Russian Far East)

Overview

Myriophyllum ussuriense is one of the least demanding milfoils, a fine-leaved green stem for the background. It is scarce in shops because it propagates poorly in emersed nurseries, not because it is hard to keep.

Did you know

Flowgrow rates the temperature tolerance of Myriophyllum ussuriense at 4 to 32°C, one of the widest of any stem plant in the hobby. It is as much at home in a garden pond in summer as in an unheated indoor tank.

Caring for Myriophyllum ussuriense

Strip the lower leaves and plant the stems in groups toward the back, one at a time. Myriophyllum ussuriense suits unheated or moderately heated tanks and handles cool water better than almost any other milfoil. That makes it a good pick for coldwater setups at 59 to 82°F (15 to 28°C).

It wants medium light and grows quickly without CO2. CO2 and fertilizer give it denser whorls. It feeds through its roots and from the water, so root tabs and a liquid fertilizer both help.

It grows fast, to about 16 in (40 cm). Trim the tops and replant them, since the lower halves shade out if left uncut, as with any fast stem. The cut stumps grow new shoots.

Good to know

Myriophyllum ussuriense is a water milfoil in the family Haloragaceae, named for the Ussuri river region on the Chinese-Russian border. It resembles Myriophyllum verticillatum but carries four leaves per whorl instead of five. It was long treated as a variety of that species. The hobby has also known it by the trade name Myriophyllum sp. Japan.

In the wild

Myriophyllum ussuriense is native to East Asia, from northeast China and the Russian Far East through Korea and Japan. It grows in ponds, paddies and lake margins, submersed with flowering shoots that break the surface. It has also established itself in parts of the Pacific Northwest of North America. In the wild it takes a seasonal swing from near freezing to warm summer shallows.

Common questions

Does Myriophyllum ussuriense need to be planted in the substrate?

Yes. Strip the leaves from the lower part of each stem, then push the stems into the substrate one at a time, a little apart.

Does Myriophyllum ussuriense need CO2?

No, but it helps. Myriophyllum ussuriense can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.

How much light does Myriophyllum ussuriense need?

Myriophyllum ussuriense wants medium light. A light sold for planted tanks covers it.

Does Myriophyllum ussuriense need root tabs?

They help. Myriophyllum ussuriense takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate Myriophyllum ussuriense?

Myriophyllum ussuriense propagates by cuttings. Cut off the top of a stem and replant it, and the stump left behind grows new shoots.

How tall does Myriophyllum ussuriense grow?

Myriophyllum ussuriense grows to about 15.7 in (40 cm) tall. It grows fast, so expect to trim it often.

Related plants