Midground aquarium plants
Aquarium plants that the sources place in the midground: medium-sized rosettes, bushy stems and epiphytes that link the low front to the tall back of the tank.
- Plants
- 61
- Height
- 1–20 in (3–51 cm)
- Water temperature
- 68–82 °F (20–28 °C)
- Type
-
34 Stem plant
14 Rosette plant
12 Rhizome plant
1 Bulb plant
All 61 midground aquarium plants
How to choose
-
Midground plants are often used in groups. Check the propagation field to see how easily one plant becomes several.
-
Epiphytes such as anubias and ferns grow on rock or wood, which lets you place them in the midground without planting in the substrate.
-
Compare growth rate: slow midground plants keep a layout stable for longer between trims.
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 'Mini' | Stem plant | 3–4 in (8–10 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Foreground, Midground, Carpet | |
| 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 coffeefolia | Rhizome plant | 4–6 in (10–15 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground, 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 | |
| Anubias nana | Rhizome plant | 3–5 in (8–13 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground, 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 | |
| Banana plant | Bulb plant | 4–6 in (10–15 cm) | Medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground, Floating | |
| Blyxa japonica | Rosette plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Foreground, Midground | |
| Bolbitis heteroclita | Rhizome plant | 2–4 in (5–10 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground, On rock or wood | |
| Brazilian pennywort | Stem plant | 5–10 in (13–25 cm) | Medium | Medium | Foreground, Midground, Floating | |
| Bucephalandra 'Black Pearl' | Rhizome plant | 2–3 in (4–8 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground, On rock or wood | |
| Cryptocoryne beckettii | Rosette plant | 4–6 in (10–15 cm) | Low–medium | Medium | Midground | |
| Cryptocoryne lucens | Rosette plant | 3–5 in (8–13 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground | |
| Cryptocoryne lutea | Rosette plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | Low–medium | Medium | Midground | |
| Cryptocoryne parva | Rosette plant | 2–4 in (5–10 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground, Carpet | |
| Cryptocoryne spiralis 'Red' | Rosette plant | 5–10 in (13–25 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background | |
| Cryptocoryne undulata | Rosette plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground | |
| Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Brown' | Rosette plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground | |
| Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Green' | Rosette plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground | |
| Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Pink Flamingo' | Rosette plant | 2–6 in (5–15 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground | |
| Dwarf sagittaria | Rosette plant | 4–12 in (10–30 cm) | Medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground, Carpet | |
| Egeria densa | Stem plant | 4–12 in (10–30 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background, Floating | |
| Helanthium tenellum | Rosette plant | 2–3 in (5–8 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Foreground, Midground, Carpet | |
| Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Japan' | Stem plant | 1–4 in (3–10 cm) | Medium | Medium | Foreground, Midground, Background, Carpet | |
| Hydrocotyle verticillata | Stem plant | 5–20 in (13–51 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Foreground, Midground, 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 | |
| Java fern 'Trident' | Rhizome plant | 2–8 in (5–20 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, On rock or wood | |
| Java fern 'Windelov' | Rhizome plant | 3–5 in (8–13 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, On rock or wood | |
| Juncus repens | Stem plant | 4–12 in (10–30 cm) | Low–high | Easy | Foreground, Midground | |
| Limnophila aromatica | Stem plant | 8–20 in (20–51 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Midground, Background | |
| Lobelia cardinalis | Stem plant | 4–12 in (10–30 cm) | Medium–high | Easy | Foreground, Midground | |
| Ludwigia arcuata | Stem plant | 10–20 in (25–51 cm) | Medium–high | Easy | Midground, Background | |
| Ludwigia ovalis | Stem plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | Medium | Medium | Foreground, Midground | |
| 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 | |
| Micro sword | Rosette plant | 1–3 in (3–8 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Foreground, Midground, Carpet | |
| 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 helferi | Rosette plant | 2–3 in (5–8 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Foreground, Midground, Carpet | |
| 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 | |
| Samolus parviflorus 'Red' | Stem plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | Medium–high | Medium | Midground | |
| Staurogyne repens | Stem plant | – | Medium–high | Medium | Foreground, Midground | |
| Tonina fluviatilis | Stem plant | 1–4 in (3–10 cm) | High | Difficult | Midground, Background | |
| 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
Why do some plants appear in both midground and background?
The sources list every placement a plant suits. A plant that stays medium in a tall tank can be background in a small one, so it appears on both pages.