Hygrophila pinnatifida originates from India. It obtains brown, patched leaves on the surface with a distinctive burgundy colour underneath. It creates horizontal side shoots and the top shoots should be pinched out in order to maintain compact and attractive growth. The horizontal side shoots easily attach to both wood and rocks. Growth is moderate, stems 15-40 cm tall and 10-20 cm wide, and the colour is attractive when planted in small groups with a plain background. Intense lighting ensures compact growth due to the plant’s slow to medium growth rate.
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis from South America can grow very compact, but a “lawn effect” (4-7 cm tall) is only achieved at high light intensity. When planting in the aquarium small clumps (approx. 1/8 pot) should be placed a few centimetres apart to help the plants grow together more quickly. Place in an open position without shading from other plants to ensure good light. Lilaeopsis brasiliensis can be used in garden ponds, and also tolerates low salt concentrations in brackish aquariums.
This small fern comes from Asia, where it often grows in rice fields. The leaves are tiny and rarely wider than 0.5 cm.
A hardy plant that tolerates poor light conditions and high temperatures. However, improved conditions are beneficial to its development. Planted in small bundles that spread with offshoots. Creates a 1-3cm high and close carpet, well anchored in the bottom layer.
Marsilea hirsuta is a carpet-plant from Australia. A fascinating plant, usually delivered with leaves like a four-leaf clover. After a transitional period it develops different types of leaves, possibly a low form with single leaves like a large Glossostigma, or alternatively develop two, three or four-lobed leaves varying in height (from 2-10 cm), depending on the growth conditions. Whichever form the plant adopts, it forms runners and spreads rapidly round the aquarium.
This Myriophyllum keeps its bright, green colour even at very high light intensity. Every stem will only measure approximately 2-3 cm (1”), but it branches willingly and the plant quickly becomes dense and lush.
Cutting down is often necessary to maintain the access to light and water flow. Its moderate growth makes Myriophyllum ‘Guyana’ particularly adapted to nano tanks.
Neoregelia are a genus of strikingly coloured epiphytic Bromeliads, and the ‘Fireball’ cultivar is every bit as bold as it sounds.
In the wild, you’d typically find these bright red rosettes growing on trees and rocks in South America, but their compact size makes them an ideal fit for terrariums.
The Neoregelia family has a huge variety of cultivars and hybrids (enough to match anyone’s particular tastes) but if red is your colour, then the ‘Fireball’ is for you!
This unusual plant is native to the south and southeast of the United States and is typically found in lakes, ponds swamps and slow rivers. In Maryland, the banana plant is such a rare sighting in its natural habitat that it is classified as endangered.
While the banana plant may be a threatened plant in its natural environment, you won’t have any difficulty tracking down a seller, should you want a banana plant in your aquarium. Don’t worry! Banana plants are grown from cuttings of established banana plants and are not collected from their native habitat.
Originated from the American tropics, Phyllanthus fluitans is a floating plant part of the Phyllanthaceae family.
It is similar to the Salvinia, differentiated only by the mono leave structure on each node. The water repellent, heart shaped leaves hide the stem which can sometimes give life to white flowers with six petals. The more intense the light, the browner the leaves will become. Sustainably cultivated in Denmark.