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Aquarium plant guide

Background aquarium plants

Background aquarium plants are tall-growing species placed at the rear of the tank to create depth and a natural wall of green. They provide cover for open-water swimmers, diffuse filter outflow, and anchor the visual composition of a scape. Most are stem plants pruned regularly to encourage dense, bushy growth.

67 plants in this category

African Hygro
African HygroHygrophila odora
mediummedium lightrecommended CO2
Ambulia
AmbuliaLimnophila heterophylla
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Asian Watergrass
Asian WatergrassMurdannia keisak
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Balansae Crypt
Balansae CryptCryptocoryne crispatula 'Balansae'
easylow lightno CO2
Boivinianus Aponogeton
Boivinianus AponogetonAponogeton boivinianus
mediummedium lightoptional CO2
Colorata Rotala
Colorata RotalaRotala colorata
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Compact Hygro
Compact HygroHygrophila corymbosa 'Compact'
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Compact Moneywort
Compact MoneywortBacopa monnieri 'Compact'
easylow lightoptional CO2
Corkscrew Val
Corkscrew ValVallisneria asiatica
easylow lightno CO2
Creeping Bacopa
Creeping BacopaBacopa australis
easylow lightoptional CO2
Creeping Rush
Creeping RushJuncus repens
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Diamond Ludwigia
Diamond LudwigiaLudwigia glandulosa 'Diamond'
hardhigh lightrequired CO2
Dwarf Aquarium Lily
Dwarf Aquarium LilyNymphaea stellata
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Four Leaf Pogostemon
Four Leaf PogostemonPogostemon quadrifolius
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Giant Ambulia
Giant AmbuliaLimnophila aquatica
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Giant Baby Tears
Giant Baby TearsMicranthemum umbrosum
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Giant Red Rotala
Giant Red RotalaRotala macrandra
hardhigh lightrequired CO2
Giant Val
Giant ValVallisneria gigantea
easylow lightno CO2
Green Rotala
Green RotalaRotala rotundifolia 'Green'
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Guppy Grass
Guppy GrassNajas guadalupensis
easylow lightno CO2
Guyana Myriophyllum
Guyana MyriophyllumMyriophyllum sp. 'Guyana'
mediummedium lightrecommended CO2
H'ra Rotala
H'ra RotalaRotala rotundifolia 'Vietnam H'ra'
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Helferi Grass
Helferi GrassCyperus helferi
mediummedium lightoptional CO2
Hygrophila Pinnatifida
Hygrophila PinnatifidaHygrophila pinnatifida
mediummedium lightrecommended CO2
Indian Guppy Grass
Indian Guppy GrassNajas indica
easylow lightno CO2
Japanese Cress
Japanese CressCardamine lyrata
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Lemon Bacopa
Lemon BacopaBacopa caroliniana
easylow lightoptional CO2
Lilacina AR
Lilacina ARAlternanthera reineckii 'Lilacina'
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Limnophila Aromatica
Limnophila AromaticaLimnophila hippuridoides
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Limnophila Belem
Limnophila BelemLimnophila sp. 'Belem'
mediummedium lightrecommended CO2
Limnophila Vietnam Mini
Limnophila Vietnam MiniLimnophila sp. 'Vietnam Mini'
mediummedium lightrecommended CO2
Longiplumulosus Aponogeton
Longiplumulosus AponogetonAponogeton longiplumulosus
easymedium lightno CO2
Ludwigia Cuba
Ludwigia CubaLudwigia inclinata 'Cuba'
hardhigh lightrequired CO2
Ludwigia Super Red
Ludwigia Super RedLudwigia palustris 'Super Red'
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Mexican Oakleaf
Mexican OakleafShinnersia rivularis
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Needle Leaf Ludwigia
Needle Leaf LudwigiaLudwigia arcuata 'Needle Leaf'
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Orange Juice Rotala
Orange Juice RotalaRotala rotundifolia 'Orange Juice'
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Pearl Weed
Pearl WeedMicranthemum micranthemoides
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Pink AR
Pink ARAlternanthera reineckii 'Pink'
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Pogostemon Erectus
Pogostemon ErectusPogostemon erectus
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Purple Bacopa
Purple BacopaBacopa salzmannii 'Purple'
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Red Bacopa
Red BacopaBacopa caroliniana 'Red'
easylow lightoptional CO2
Red Blyxa
Red BlyxaBlyxa aubertii 'Red'
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Red Tiger Crypt
Red Tiger CryptCryptocoryne spiralis 'Red Tiger'
mediummedium lightoptional CO2
Retrospiralis Crypt
Retrospiralis CryptCryptocoryne retrospiralis
easylow lightno CO2
Rosanervig AR
Rosanervig ARAlternanthera reineckii 'Rosanervig'
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Rotala Blood Red
Rotala Blood RedRotala rotundifolia 'Blood Red'
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Rotala Ceylon
Rotala CeylonRotala rotundifolia 'Ceylon'
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Rotala Rotundifolia
Rotala RotundifoliaRotala rotundifolia
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Rotala Wayanad
Rotala WayanadRotala sp. 'Wayanad'
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Roundleaf Lindernia
Roundleaf LinderniaLindernia rotundifolia
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Rubin Ludwigia
Rubin LudwigiaLudwigia repens 'Rubin'
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Stargrass
StargrassHeteranthera zosterifolia
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Staurogyne Bihar
Staurogyne BiharStaurogyne sp. 'Bihar'
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Temple Plant 53B
Temple Plant 53BHygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis 53B'
easylow lightno CO2
Tiger Lotus
Tiger LotusNymphaea zenkeri
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Tropica Sword
Tropica SwordEchinodorus grisebachii 'Tropica'
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Ulvaceus Aponogeton
Ulvaceus AponogetonAponogeton ulvaceus
easymedium lightno CO2
Umbrella Hairgrass
Umbrella HairgrassEleocharis vivipara
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Usteriana Crypt
Usteriana CryptCryptocoryne usteriana
easylow lightno CO2
Variegated AR
Variegated ARAlternanthera reineckii 'Variegated'
mediumhigh lightrecommended CO2
Wallichii Rotala
Wallichii RotalaRotala wallichii
hardhigh lightrequired CO2
Water Sprite
Water SpriteCeratopteris thalictroides
easylow lightno CO2
Water Violet
Water VioletHottonia palustris
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Water Wisteria
Water WisteriaHygrophila difformis
easylow lightno CO2
Watermelon Plant
Watermelon PlantLindernia rotundifolia 'Watermelon'
easymedium lightoptional CO2
Whorly Rotala
Whorly RotalaRotala wallichii
hardhigh lightrequired CO2
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