Background aquarium plants
Aquarium plants that the sources place in the background: tall stem plants, large rosettes and ferns that fill the back of the tank. Compare them on light, CO₂, growth rate and height.
- Plants
- 41
- Height
- 0–3 ft (3–90 cm)
- Water temperature
- 64–82 °F (18–28 °C)
- Type
-
27 Stem plant
7 Rosette plant
6 Rhizome plant
1 Moss
All 41 background aquarium plants
How to choose
-
Match the height to your tank. A plant that grows taller than the water column will spread across the surface.
-
Fast-growing background stems need trimming often, so check the growth rate before planting a whole wall of them.
-
Most red stem plants in the catalog are rated for medium to high light; the light field of each plant says what its source reports.
Compare side by side
| Leaf color | Placement | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| African water fern | Rhizome plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background, On rock or wood | |
| Alternanthera reineckii | Stem plant | 4–12 in (10–30 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Midground, Background | |
| Alternanthera reineckii 'Rosanervig' | Stem plant | 4–12 in (10–30 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Midground, Background | |
| Ammannia gracilis | Stem plant | 5–8 in (13–20 cm) | High | Difficult | Midground, Background | |
| Anubias barteri | Rhizome plant | 4–6 in (10–15 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background, On rock or wood | |
| Anubias congensis | Rhizome plant | 6–8 in (15–20 cm) | Low | Easy | Midground, Background, On rock or wood | |
| Anubias hastifolia | Rhizome plant | 6–16 in (15–41 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background, On rock or wood | |
| Bacopa caroliniana | Stem plant | 4–12 in (10–30 cm) | Medium–high | Easy | Midground, Background | |
| Bacopa monnieri | Stem plant | 4–12 in (10–30 cm) | Medium–high | Easy | Midground, Background | |
| Cryptocoryne balansae | Rosette plant | 2–3 ft (60–90 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Background | |
| Cryptocoryne spiralis 'Red' | Rosette plant | 5–10 in (13–25 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background | |
| Egeria densa | Stem plant | 4–12 in (10–30 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background, Floating | |
| Eleocharis vivipara | Rosette plant | 10–16 in (25–41 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Background | |
| Hornwort | Stem plant | 6–15 in (15–38 cm) | Medium–high | Easy | Background, Floating | |
| Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Japan' | Stem plant | 1–4 in (3–10 cm) | Medium | Medium | Foreground, Midground, Background, Carpet | |
| Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis' | Stem plant | 6–12 in (15–30 cm) | Medium–high | Easy | Midground, Background | |
| Hygrophila pinnatifida | Stem plant | – | Medium–high | Medium | Midground, Background | |
| Java fern | Rhizome plant | 5–20 in (13–50 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background, On rock or wood | |
| Java fern 'Narrow' | Rhizome plant | 3–5 in (8–13 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background, On rock or wood | |
| Jungle val | Rosette plant | – | Medium–high | Easy | Background | |
| Limnophila aromatica | Stem plant | 8–20 in (20–51 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Midground, Background | |
| Ludwigia arcuata | Stem plant | 10–20 in (25–51 cm) | Medium–high | Easy | Midground, Background | |
| Ludwigia palustris 'Super Red' | Stem plant | 7–19 in (18–48 cm) | Medium–high | Easy | Midground, Background | |
| Ludwigia repens | Stem plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | Medium | Medium | Midground, Background | |
| Myriophyllum mattogrossense | Stem plant | 4–12 in (10–30 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Midground, Background | |
| Pearl weed | Stem plant | 2–6 in (5–15 cm) | Medium–high | Easy | Foreground, Midground, Background | |
| Pogostemon erectus | Stem plant | 4–12 in (10–30 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Midground, Background | |
| Pogostemon stellatus | Stem plant | 10–20 in (25–51 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Midground, Background | |
| Red cabomba | Stem plant | – | High | Difficult | Midground, Background | |
| Rotala indica | Stem plant | 5–12 in (13–30 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Midground, Background | |
| Rotala macrandra | Stem plant | 4–12 in (10–30 cm) | High | Difficult | Midground, Background | |
| Rotala rotundifolia | Stem plant | 4–12 in (10–30 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Midground, Background | |
| Rotala rotundifolia 'Blood Red' | Stem plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | High | Difficult | Midground, Background | |
| Rotala rotundifolia 'H'ra' | Stem plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | High | Medium | Midground, Background | |
| Rotala wallichii | Stem plant | 6–12 in (15–30 cm) | High | Difficult | Midground, Background | |
| Spiky moss | Moss | – | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Background, Carpet, On rock or wood | |
| Tonina fluviatilis | Stem plant | 1–4 in (3–10 cm) | High | Difficult | Midground, Background | |
| Vallisneria spiralis | Rosette plant | – | Medium | Easy | Background | |
| Vallisneria spiralis 'Leopard' | Rosette plant | 8–12 in (20–30 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Background | |
| Water sprite | Rosette plant | 6–15 in (15–38 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Background, Floating | |
| Water wisteria | Stem plant | 8–20 in (20–51 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background |
Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
Frequently asked questions
Can background plants grow without CO₂?
Some can. The CO₂ field shows what the source reports for each plant; filter by CO₂ not needed to see only those.