Orchid Lily

It looks like a Cryptocoryne when it is small, but it is a water lily that does not make floating leaves. Barclaya longifolia comes from slow-moving waters across Southeast Asia and spends its whole life submerged, producing wavy, elongated leaves in reddish or green tones from a central rhizome. The red form keeps the colour under moderate to strong light.

Growth is steady rather than fast, and the plant stays manageable when its roots are restricted — planting it in a small pot holds it at a moderate size for months. Given a nutrient-rich substrate and open root space, it pushes to 30 or 40 cm and needs room. A 100-litre tank or larger is the practical minimum if it is not the only plant.

Temperatures of 24 to 28 °C and pH 5.5 to 7.5 are the steady conditions it prefers. It rests periodically: the leaves die back and the rhizome sits bare for several weeks before sprouting again. This is normal and not a sign of poor health. Snails are the main nuisance — the leaves are delicate and attract them, and even a moderate snail population leaves visible holes.

Flowering is reliable in the aquarium. The flower forms at the surface, self-pollinates, and develops a seed pod. The seeds can be collected and sown in sandy substrate to produce new plants, which is the most productive way to propagate it. The rhizome also produces daughter plants that can be separated once they have a few leaves.