Dying Water Soldier - Stratiotes aloides

[agrumpycow]

We bought our water soldier plant a few weeks ago and all was going well until the last couple of days. It's gone brown & limp and looks pretty much dead . Does anyone know why this could have happened? My hubby seems to think it might be connected the the arrival of blanketweed in the pond, at the moment we're controlling this only be removing it as and when. I'm not convinced but am prepared for him to be right (as horrible as that it )

[Kayleigh]

No idea Clare but I had some they lasted a few years then disappeared so I think they died not sure why didnt like the conditions I suppose what other plants have you got and are they doing well...
The water soldiers go the bottom for a while and only surface occasionally..

[IanS]

Water soldiers are very fussy plants and require really good quality water. They are submerged for half the year and then during spring slowly emerge to flower. Might just be that your conditions are just not quite right for it. Difficult task to find out why though. pH may have something to do with it though. They grow well in the fens around here which have base rich water.

[Kayleigh]

Thanks for that Ian

[agrumpycow]

Cheers guys
All the other plants are looking very healthy & growing strong from the marginals, oxygenators and frog-bit. I guess it's just one of those things!