The unpredictability of plants

[Jenja]

Set up a couple of 2 gallon tanks the end of May. Had a bunch of new to me tissue culture plants to try; Banana plants, rotala h'ra, limnophila sessilflora, gratiola viscidula, and pearlweed. The first 3 I had decent hopes for (even if they all might've outgrown the space, it was a test in a new setup), the gratiola looked cool and I was hopeful for it but nervous nonetheless. And the pearlweed? It was basically dead when I got it, the worse cup out of my order). Here it is circled when planted.

Note the sad little bunch it is. Dead to the point of mostly transparent.

Fast forward 4 months and guess what? It's the only freaking plant thriving. Not only thriving but spreading in a fashion that I adore and never would be able to achieve if I was trying. 

[gardenman]

Aquarium plants are finicky. Think of them as the housecats of the plant world. My cats will gulp down a food one day and then turn their noses up at it the next. I have four nearly identical tanks. Plants that thrive in one die in the others. And vice versa. Why? God only knows.

[OutBout]

Pearlweed definitely can live up to its name. Regarding the unpredictability, plants require time and patience, but sometimes some just don't make it. This allows an opportunity to try other plants though, and see what will thrive in your aquarium.

[Jenja]

Yep, it's very much a spaghetti against the wall process - you never know what will stick.