List of freshwater aquarium plant species
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Aquatic plants are used to give the freshwater aquarium a natural appearance, oxygenate the water, absorb ammonia, and provide habitat for fish, especially fry (babies) and for invertebrates. Some aquarium fish and invertebrates also eat live plants. Hobbyists use aquatic plants for aquascaping, of several aesthetic styles.
Most of these plant species are found either partially or fully submerged in their natural habitat. Although there are a handful of obligate aquatic plants that must be grown entirely underwater, most can grow fully emersed if the soil is moist. Though some are just living at the water margins, still, they can live in the completely submerged habitat.
By scientific name[]
The taxonomy of most plant genera is not final. Scientific names listed here may, therefore, contradict other sources. Many of these species are dangerous invasives and should be disposed of in a way that guarantees that they will not enter local waters.
Common aquarium plant species:
- Acmella repens
- Acorus calamus (Common sweet flag)
- Acorus gramineus (Japanese sweet flag)
- Aldrovanda vesiculosa
- Alisma canaliculatum
- Alisma gramineum
- Alisma lanceolatum
- Alisma nanum
- Alisma orientale
- Alisma plantago-aquatica
- Alisma subcordatum
- Alisma triviale
- Alisma wahlenbergii
- Alternanthera bettzickiana
- Alternanthera philoxeroides
- Alternanthera reineckii
- Alternanthera sessilis
- (Synonym Nesaea crassicaulis)
- Ammania gracilis (Delicate ammania, red ammania)
- Ammania senegalensis
- Anubias afzelii (Narrow-leafed anubias)
- Anubias barteri var. barteri (Broadleaved anubias)
- Anubias barteri var. angustifolia
- Anubias barteri var. caladiifolia
- Anubias barteri var. glabra
- Anubias barteri var. nana (Dwarf anubias)
- Anubias gigantea
- Anubias gracilis
- Anubias hastifolia
- Anubias heterophylla
- Anubias pynaertii
- Aponogeton bernierianus
- Aponogeton boivinianus
- Aponogeton capuronii
- Aponogeton crispus (Crinkled or ruffled aponogeton)
- Aponogeton distachyos
- Aponogeton longiplumulosus
- Aponogeton madagascariensis (Madagascar laceleaf, lace plant)
- Aponogeton natans
- Aponogeton rigidifolius
- Aponogeton ulvaceus (Compact apongeton)
- Aponogeton undulatus
- Arthraxon hispidus
- Azolla caroliniana (water velvet, mosquito fern)
- Azolla filiculoïdes (Azolla, moss fern)
- Azolla pinnata
- Bacopa caroliniana (lemon bacopa, water hyssop, giant bacopa)
- Bacopa crenata
- Bacopa monnieri (water hyssop, dwarf bacopa, baby tears)
- Bacopa rotundifolia (Round bacopa)
- Baldellia ranunculoides
- (Orchid lily)
- Berula erecta
- Blyxa aubertii
- (Japanese rush)
- Bolbitis heteroclita (sometimes sold as B. asiatica)
- Bolbitis heudelotii (African or Congo fern)
- Cabomba aquatica (Yellow cabomba, giant cabomba)
- Cabomba caroliniana (Green cabomba)
- Cabomba furcata
- (Red cabomba)
- Caldesia parnassifolia
- Calla palustris
- Caltha palustris
- Callitriche hamulata
- Callitriche hermaphroditica
- Callitriche palustris
- Callitriche stagnalis
- Cardamine lyrata (Chinese ivy, Japanese cress)
- Ceratophyllum demersum (hornwort)
- Ceratophyllum submersum (tropical hornwort)
- Ceratopteris thalictroides (water sprite)
- Cladophora aegagropila
- Clinopodium brownei
- Crassula aquatica
- Crassula helmsii
- (African onion plant)
- Crinum thaianum (water onion)
- Cryptocoryne affinis
- Cryptocoryne albida
- Cryptocoryne aponogetifolia
- Cryptocoryne auriculata
- Cryptocoryne beckettii (Beckett's Cryptocoryne)
- (Giant cryptocoryne)
- Cryptocoryne cruddasiana
- Cryptocoryne dewitii
- Cryptocoryne lutea
- (Moehlmann's cryptocoryne)
- (Tiny cryptocoryne)
- Cryptocoryne spiralis
- Cryptocoryne undulata (Undulate cryptocoryne)
- Cryptocoryne usteriana
- Cryptocoryne walkeri
- Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica'
- Cryptocoryne x willisii
- Cyperus alternifolius
- Cyperus papyrus
- Damasonium alisma
- Didiplis diandra (Water hedge)
- Diodia virginiana
- Echinodorus africanus
- Echinodorus amazonicus (Amazon sword)
- Echinodorus andrieuxii
- Echinodorus angustifolius
- Echinodorus argentinensis
- Echinodorus aschersonianus
- Echinodorus barthii
- Echinodorus berteroi
- Echinodorus bleheri (Broadleaved amazon)
- Echinodorus cordifolius (Radicans sword, spade leaf sword)
- Echinodorus grandiflorus (Large-flowered amazon)
- Echinodorus horemanii (Black-red amazon)
- Echinodorus horizontalis
- Echinodorus latifolius
- Echinodorus longiscapus
- Echinodorus macrophyllus (Large-leaved amazon sword)
- Echinodorus martii
- (Ruffled amazon sword)
- Echinodorus opacus (Opaque amazon sword)
- Echinodorus osiris (Red amazon sword)
- Echinodorus palaefolius
- Echinodorus parviflorus (Black amazon sword)
- Echinodorus quadricostatus (Dwarf sword)
- Echinodorus subalatus
- Echinodorus tunicatus
- Echinodorus uruguayensis (Uruguay amazon sword)
- Egeria densa (Elodea, pondweed)
- Eichhornia azurea
- Eichhornia crassipes (Water hyacinth)
- Elatine hydropiper
- Elatine triandra
- Eleocharis acicularis (Hairgrass)
- Eleocharis dulcis
- Eleocharis obtusa
- Eleocharis parvula
- Eleocharis vivipara
- Elodea canadensis (Canadian pondweed)
- Elodea nuttallii
- Elodea occidentalis
- Equisetum spp.
- Eriocaulon parkeri
- Eusteralis stellata (Star rotala)
- Fittonia argyroneura
- Fontinalis antipyretica (Willow moss)
- Gratiola amphiantha
- Gymnocoronis spilanthoides (Spadeleaf plant)
- Helanthium bolivianum (Bolivian sword) (Synonym - Echinodorus bolivianus)
- Helanthium tenellum (Pygmy chain sword) (Synonym - Echinodorus tenellus)
- Helanthium zombiense
- Hemianthus callitrichoides (Dwarf helzine)
- Hemianthus micranthemoides (Pearlweed)
- Heteranthera dubia
- Heteranthera reniformis
- Heteranthera zosterifolia (Stargrass)
- Hippuris vulgaris
- Hottonia inflata
- Hottonia palustris (Water violet)
- Hydrilla verticillata
- Hydrocharis morsus-ranae
- Hydrocleys nymphoides
- (Brazilian pennywort)
- Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides
- Hydrocotyle tripartita
- Hydrocotyle verticillata (Whorled umbrella plant)
- Hydrocotyle vulgaris
- Hydrothrix gardneri
- (Broadlead giant stricta)
- Hygrophila difformis (Water wisteria)
- Hygrophila guianensis
- Hygrophila lacustris
- Hygrophila polysperma (Dwarf hygrophilia)
- (Thai stricta, green stricta)
- Hygroryza aristata
- Iris spp.
- Isoetes lacustris (quillwort)
- Isoetes malinverniana
- Isoetes taiwanensis
- Jasarum steyermarkii
- Lagarosiphon major (Elodea crispa)
- Lagenandra dewitii
- Lemna gibba
- Lemna minor (Duckweed)
- Lemna trisulca
- Lilaeopsis brasiliensis
- (New Zealand grassplant)
- Limnobium laevigatum (Amazon frogbit)
- Limnocharis flava
- Limnophila aquatica (Giant ambulia)
- Limnophila aromatica
- (Indian ambulia)
- Limnophila sessiliflora (Dwarf ambulia)
- Lindernia crustacea F. Muell.
- Lindernia dubia
- Littorella uniflora
- Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal flower, scarlet lobelia)
- Lobelia dortmanna
- Lomariopsis sp. (Süsswassertang)
- Ludwigia alternifolia
- Ludwigia glandulosa (Glandular ludwigia, red star ludwigia)
- Ludwigia helminthorrhiza
- Ludwigia inclinata
- Ludwigia sedioides
- Ludwigia palustris
- Ludwigia repens (Creeping ludwigia, narrow-leaf ludwigia)
- Luronium natans
- Lycopodiella inundata (Lycopodium inundatum)
- Lysimachia nummularia (creeping Jenny, moneywort)
- Marsilea crenata
- Marsilea drummondii
- Marsilea quadrifolia (water-clover)
- (Synonym Mayaca sellowiana)
- Mentha aquatica
- (Helzine)
- Microsorum pteropus (Java fern)
- Monochoria vaginalis
- Monosolenium tenerum (commercial name; plants sold under this name are actually a fern Lomariopsis sp.[1])
- Murdannia keisak
- Myriophyllum alterniflorum
- Myriophyllum aquaticum (Brazilian milfoil, milfoil)
- Myriophyllum heterophyllum
- Myriophyllum hippuroides (Green milfoil, water milfoil)
- Myriophyllum mattogrossense
- Myriophyllum proserpinacoides
- (Foxtail)
- Myriophyllum spicatum
- (Red myriophyllum)
- Myriophyllum verticillatum
- Najas graminea
- Najas indica
- Najas marina
- Najas minor
- Nechamandra alternifolia
- Nelumbo nucifera
- Neptunia oleracea
- Nitella capillaris
- Nitella flexilis
- Nitella gracilis
- Nuphar advenum
- Nuphar japonica (Spatterdock)
- Nuphar lutea (Yellow water-lily)
- Nuphar pumilum
- Nymphaea alba
- Nymphaea lotus (Tiger lotus)
- Nymphaea micrantha
- Nymphaea pubescens
- Nymphaea stellata (Red and blue water lily)
- Nymphaea zenkeri 'Red' (Red tiger lotus)
- Nymphoides aquatica (Banana plant)
- Nymphoides indica
- Nymphoides peltata
- Oenanthe javanica
- Oenanthe aquatica
- (Synonym Hedyotis salzmannii)
- Orontium aquaticum
- Ottelia alismoides
- Penthorum sedoides
- Persicaria hydropiperoides
- Pilularia americana
- Pilularia globulifera
- Pistia stratiotes (Water lettuce)
- Phyllanthus fluitans
- Pogostemon stellatus
- Pontederia cordata
- Potamogeton coloratus
- Potamogeton crispus
- Potamogeton filiformis
- Potamogeton gramineus
- Potamogeton lucens
- Potamogeton malaianus
- Potamogeton natans
- Potamogeton perfoliatus
- Proserpinaca palustris
- Ranunculus aquatilis
- Regnellidium diphyllum
- Riccia fluitans (Crystalwort)
- Ricciocarpos natans
- Rotala indica
- (Giant red rotala)
- Rotala ramosior
- Rotala rotundifolia (Dwarf rotala)
- (Whorly rotala)
- Ruppia maritima
- Sagittaria filiformis
- Sagittaria graminea
- Sagittaria isoëtiformis
- Sagittaria latifolia
- Sagittaria montevidensis
- Sagittaria natans
- Sagittaria papillosa
- Sagittaria platyphylla (giant sagittaria)
- Sagittaria pusilla (dwarf sagittaria)
- Sagittaria sagittifolia
- Sagittaria subulata (needle sagittaria, floating arrowhead)
- Salvinia auriculata
- Salvinia minima
- Salvinia natans (water spangles)
- Salvinia oblongifolia
- Samolus valerandi (Water cabbage)
- Saururus cernuus (Lizard's tail)
- Selaginella sp.
- Sium latifolium
- Shinnersia rivularis (Mexican oak leaf)
- Spiranthes romanzoffiana
- Spirodela polyrhiza
- [2]
- Stratiotes aloides
- Stuckenia vaginata
- Subularia aquatica
- Synnema triflorum (out of date synonym)
- Taxiphyllum barbieri (Java moss)
- Tonina fluviatilis
- Trapa natans (Water chestnut)
- Triglochin maritima
- Triglochin palustris
- Triglochin striata
- Trithuria inconspicua
- Typha angustifolia
- Typha latifolia
- Utricularia bifida
- Utricularia gibba
- Utricularia graminifolia
- Utricularia minor
- Utricularia vulgaris
- Vallisneria americana (Dwarf vallisneria)
- (Corkscrew vallisneria)
- Vallisneria gigantea (Giant vallisneria)
- Vallisneria spiralis (Straight vallisneria)
- (Twisted vallisneria, dwarf vallisneria)
- Vesicularia montagnei (Christmas moss, Xmas moss)
- Veronica americana
- Wolffia arrhiza
- Zannichellia palustris
False aquatics or pseudo-aquarium plants[]
Several species of terrestrial plants are frequently sold as "aquarium plants". While such plants are beautiful and can survive and even flourish for months under water, they will eventually die and must be removed so their decay does not contaminate the aquarium water. These plants have no necessary biology to live underwater.
- Aglaonema modestum (Chinese evergreen)
- Aglaonema simplex
- Chlorophytum bichetii (Pongol sword)
- Dracaena sanderiana (Striped dragonplant)
- (Crimson ivy)
- Ophiopogon japonicus (Fountain plant)
- Pilea cadierei (Aluminum plant)
- Sciadopitys verticillata) (Umbrella pine, koyamaki)
- (Brazil sword)
- Syngonium podophyllum (Stardust ivy)
Images[]
Photos[]
Acorus calamus
Anubias barteri var. glabra
Aponogeton distachyos
Bacopa monnieri
Damasonium californicum
Echinodorus cordifolius
Elodea canadensis
Eriocaulon decangulare
Elodea densa
Nymphaea lotus
Nymphoides Peltata
Ranunculus aquatilis
Sagittaria sagittifolia
Sagittaria latifolia
Trapa natans
Utricularia vulgaris (Common Bladderwort)
Vallisneria americana
Illustration[]
Eleocharis dulcis
Hippuris vulgaris
Hottonia palustris
Isoetes lacustris
References[]
- ^ Li, Fay-Wei; Benito C. Tan; Volker Buchbender; Robbin C. Moran; Germinal Rouhan; Chun-Neng Wang; Dietmar Quandt (2009). "Identifying a mysterious aquatic fern gametophyte". Plant Systematics and Evolution. 281 (1–4): 77–86. doi:10.1007/s00606-009-0188-2. ISSN 0378-2697. S2CID 14599652.
- ^ http://www.theplantlist.org/browse/A/Acanthaceae/Staurogyne/
- Hiscock, Peter (2003). Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants. United States and Canada: Interpret Publishing. ISBN 0-7641-5521-0.
- text for the Italian ed. by Francesco Bianchini ... et al.; photos. by Giuseppe Mazza; American ed. edited by Michael K. Oliver (1976). Simon & Schuster's Guide to Freshwater and Marine Aquarium Fishes. New York, New York, United States: Simon & Schuster, Inc. ISBN 0-671-22809-9.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
See also[]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Freshwater Plants. |
- Fishkeeping
- Freshwater plants
- Lists of plants
- Lists of aquarium life