[Kehy]

I made my mom a nice wabi-kusa awhile ago, and apparently it's been noticed by a coworker that's really fascinated with it. She's asked if I could make her one, with flowering plant/s.
I know that ludwigia blooms really easy, but it's blooms are really nothing special. Are there other easy blooming plants that would work in a wabi? I was thinking a peace lilly, but I've never grown them, especially wet.

 

[talontsiawd]

I don't know how well a lily will work but they have beautiful blooms. So do may other pond plants. However, not sure how they would work for this specifically, I think many are fully aquatic and may not work out in an emmersed state.

 

[Kehy]

A peace lily is normally a terrestrial plant, also called calla lilies. I've seen purple using them as emersed plants, but I have no experience with them.

 

[talontsiawd]

A peace lily is normally a terrestrial plant, also called calla lilies. I've seen purple using them as emersed plants, but I have no experience with them.

Opps, my bad. I thought it was just a water lily species.

A few people have pretty through emersed journals. This probably would be a good place to start:

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&tbo=d&...ad7c0967172426&bpcl=39650382&biw=1760&bih=788

 

[greenman857]

Part of the problem is finding things that are small and bloom.
Here's my current go to plant
Mazus reptans, tolerates wet conditions but not submerged.
View attachment 58437

Lobelia cardinalis might be a good choice but they bloom only once a year.
The flowers are an intense cardinal red. I've got one that is budding up, when it blooms I'll post a pic.
Another good candidate would be Forget-me-Not, they like wet conditions and bloom on maturing plants but not sure how long they would bloom for. They also could get pretty big over time.
Search for groundcovers that tolerate wet conditions.

 

[wicca27]

peace lilys and calla lilys are 2 diff plants

 

[orchidman]

i dont know about peace lilies, but calla lilies would get way too large for a wabi kusa!

as states above, lobelia cardinalis would be good! this spring i got some lobelias ( likely a hybrid, not cardinalis,) and grew them in my flower garden but they were nice and compact

basically any small flowering plant that tolerates being wet..

as far as aquatic plants that bloom that how flowers that are aquatic plants that are pretty (most arent that exciting) UG has really pretty white flowers http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3640/3406282847_dbe8d30acd_o.jpg bacopa lanigera has small purple flowers that are pretty, and the plant itself is very nice.

 

[pweifan]

I agree with Myosotis scorpioides, True Forget-me-nots, as a good candidate. Also some of the Alternatheras would be a good candidate, not because of actual flowers, but because they are so vibrant when grown emergent.

 

[Eldachleich]

Not a traditional plant but its a great oppurtunity to bring it up.
The classic garden flower impatiens.
I havent looked into this too much but I stuck some broken stems in a big glass of water.
It's been about a year now..
They have not only grown a giant rootball but have been growing and blooming beautifully...
Might be worth a shot?

 

[Kehy]

Hmm...good ideas. I think I'll probably use a mix of aquatics and terrestrials...might end up making this more like an overfilled pot inside a container, rather than a single solid WK. We'll have to see how it goes.

 

[AirstoND]

Basil, lobelia ernius, paperwhites, catnip.

 

[HSA1255]

What about african violets? I grow mine outside along my moss in a shaded area by my porch. They love moisture and I've taken cuttings and rooted them in water. They thrive in humid conditions and are often placed in those types of planters that are a bowl within a bowl so that their soil moisture content can stay high. They mature in a nice low bunch and the blooms are delicate and can range from a light pink to a deep purple that almost looks indigo blue, white is available too.

 

[wicca27]

peace lilys and african violets can grow in water. peace lilys are used in betta vases all the time. and a great way to start new african violets is break a leaf off and stick it into water. an airplain plant might do well too. only one way to find out and that is to try. also bog plants would work well so finding one that flowers would probably work great

 

[Kehy]

Funny, I've never done African violets in water, always moist soil with a plastic bag around them to keep up humidity. After they form plants, they're perfectly happy puttering away in a regular pot, with regular soil in a regular kitchen window.

Airplants likely wouldn't work, they like humid conditions, but being very humid, or in direct contact with water or wetness will make them rot.