This is why it is called a 'Red Stem' Thalia. That glob attached to the stem are the eggs of an aquatic snail.
I ended my "Red Stemmed Thalia" post on a not so positive note. I wrote about how sickly and pitiful they looked after they have been divided, considering that they came to the farm looking very healthy and very proud.
A distressed bunch of Thalias after they've been divided last year.
The picture above shows how they look just days after they've been separated and relocated. The fishpond's water was so turbid because it was the height of a severe drought back then. Now the Thalias (a.k.a. "Water Cannas") are so robust. Below is a picture that shows how the they have grown one year after they have been "manhandled" and moved to their current location.
Unlike the terrestrial Canna, the Water Canna does not produce beautiful flowers. They are tiny and dangles at the end of a very long leafless stem. When they are all in bloom the bunch look unkempt. And the two plant species have nothing in common but the name "canna."
Thalias are not known for their flowers.
Thalias (both geniculata and dealbata) do not produce stunning flowers but for this particular type of Thalia one can certainly appreciate the foliage and the deep red stems. These are marginal or bog plants, meaning they grow well in wet soil or shallow waters. They are tall and elegant, a great plant for a significantly sized pond or water garden.
The Thalias on one corner of the fishpond...
...and on another.
Aquatic plants provide a beneficial function in balancing a pond ecosystem. They absorb nutrients in the water which may be harmful to the fishes. Also, they provide habitat for other creatures. In our fishpond, snails climb up their stems and deposit their eggs there. Except for the unsightly clusters of eggs, the snails do no other harm to the plants.
The Thalias are due for another division. This means they have to suffer stress once again. I know they will survive, still whenever I see any of our beloved plants looking distressed I can't help but worry. But they're in the capable hands of my mother so I know they will be okay.
7 comments:
I love plants with different colored stems. Your water feature is looking good
yes they seem profusely growing and producing rhizomes. But personally i don't like the way they produce those long stems which look 'makalat' on top of the leaves. I've seen them growing in one of the event centers at McKinley near Global City.
Thanks Africanaussie,
Its the stem and foliage that made me like this plant. This is the fishpond that first looked like a big hole in the ground filled with stagnant green or brown (depending on the season) water. I want it to look nicer so I'm slowly putting hardy aquatic plants.
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Thanks Andrea,
They do look messy/unkempt when they are in bloom. I knew even before we bought this plant that its flowers will be a distraction. But I look beyond this 'makalat' state and see the beauty of the stem and foliage.
Hello, solitude rising. I've noticed your Thalias look good beside those red flowers in one corner of the pond. They (red flowers) enhance the Thalias' red stems...
This plant has nice foliage. When in bloom, the flowers extend out like fishing rods which complements the view of the pond. Very unique indeed!
I like the way your pond looks. Very rustic and in keeping with the rest of the farm. The foliage is wonderful.
Hello Hardinars.
Thanks. Actually, the red flowers (of the Red Ginger) are not directly behind the Thalias, although they should have been better there :) Behind the row of Thalias are the fragrant white Camia (Hedychium).
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Hello Autumn Belle.
You are right, that's what I thought too, the flowers look like fishing rods. Although when they flower at the same time, they make the plants look messy.
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Hello Bom.
Thanks. I'd like parts of the pond perimeter to be filled with plants so it wouldn't look like a mere tilapia pond.
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