Aponogeton henkelianus (Narrow Madagascar) 12cm

Aponogeton madagascariensis is commonly known as Madagascar laceleaf, lattice leaf or lace plant. It is an aquatic plant native to Madagascar, popularly sold for use in aquariums. It is endangered in the wild.

The tuberous roots are edible. It requires water temperatures of 15-26 °C and pH of 5-7.5, growing best in low light outdoors.^[3][4][5] The substrate should be rich in nutrients.

It is a speciality in botanical gardens all over the world. It was once in such high demand that it came close to extinction in its natural habitat in Madagascar.^[6]

A. madagascariensis is often regarded as a difficult plant to cultivate. This is due to several factors: 1) it needs bright indoor light to thrive; this encourages the growth of algae on the lattice-like leaves; which is difficult to remove; 2) newly imported bulbs grow well in their first year, but often fail in their second year, apparently due to a lack of food storage in the bulbs (cause still unknown); 3) seeds may be produced, but often fail to germinate or thrive. Some enthusiasts recommend strong water movement and a high filtration rate for this plant.^{[citation needed}