Hydrocharitaceae
Thalassia testudinum
Thalassia testudinum
Also known as Thalassia vitrariorum
Tropical Plants · Native Plants · Seagrass · Marine · Aquatic · Tropical · Caribbean · Submerged · Saltwater · Aquarium · Coastal · Thalassia
Turtle grass is a fully submerged marine seagrass native to the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, making it suitable only for saltwater aquarium or marine habitat restoration projects. It requires clear, nutrient-poor, full-salinity seawater and bright light to thrive, and is extremely difficult to maintain outside its natural coastal environment. This species is best left to specialist marine horticulturists or ecological restoration professionals.
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 6 hours
- Watering
- Fully submerged in shallow, clear marine or brackish water at all times · Continuous submersion required
- Maintenance
- High
- Soil
- loam
- Soil pH
- 6–7
- Temperature
- -20°F to 85°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
- Propagation
- Seed, Cutting
Hardiness
USDA 5a-10b
Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 12 in – 3 ft
- Spread
- 2 ft
- Spacing
- 12 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Root depth
- Medium
- Flowers
- No
- Foliage
- Medium
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- Alabama, Aruba, Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Cayman Is., Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Florida, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Louisiana, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Southeast
Sources: trefle
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