Heavy Root-Feeding Aquarium Plants

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Amazon Sword

Echinodorus grisebachii

LIGHTMedium CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy

A large, popular rosette plant that forms a bushy centerpiece.

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Amazon Sword (Bleheri)

Echinodorus bleheri

LIGHTMedium CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy

A large, broad-leaved sword plant that dominates the background.

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Aponogeton Boivinianus

Aponogeton boivinianus

LIGHTMedium CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYModerate

A large bulb plant with stiff, deeply hammered, dark green leaves.

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Aponogeton Crispus

Aponogeton crispus

LIGHTLow CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy

A beautiful bulb plant with long, wavy, translucent leaves.

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Aponogeton Ulvaceus

Aponogeton ulvaceus

LIGHTMedium CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A spectacular bulb plant with broad, highly twisted, translucent leaves.

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Midground

Broadleaf Sagittaria

Sagittaria platyphylla

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy

A robust rosette plant with broad, stiff leaves.

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Crinum Calamistratum

Crinum calamistratum

LIGHTMedium CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYModerate

A unique bulb plant with dark green, highly crinkled, tentacle-like leaves.

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CB green

Midground

Cryptocoryne balansae

Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A tall crypt with long, crinkled strap leaves for the background.

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CB olive

Midground

Cryptocoryne beckettii 'Petchii'

Cryptocoryne beckettii

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A compact olive-bronze crypt for low to medium light.

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CC green

Midground

Cryptocoryne crispatula

Cryptocoryne crispatula

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A grass-like background crypt with crinkled narrow leaves.

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Midground

Cryptocoryne lutea

Cryptocoryne lutea

LIGHTLow CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy

A hardy midground plant with bright green to bronze leaves.

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Foreground

Cryptocoryne parva

Cryptocoryne parva

LIGHTMedium CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

One of the smallest Cryptocoryne species, ideal for foreground carpeting.

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CP green

Midground

Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia

Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A robust, broad-leaved crypt that resists melting.

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Cryptocoryne spiralis

Cryptocoryne spiralis

LIGHTLow CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy

A tall, grass-like Cryptocoryne perfect for the background.

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Midground

Cryptocoryne undulata

Cryptocoryne undulata

LIGHTLow CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy

A beautiful rosette plant with wavy, dark green to brown leaves.

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CU green

Midground

Cryptocoryne usteriana

Cryptocoryne usteriana

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A large, hammered-leaf crypt for tall background stands.

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CW green

Midground

Cryptocoryne walkeri

Cryptocoryne walkeri

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A compact, dependable green crypt closely related to lutea.

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Midground

Cryptocoryne wendtii

Cryptocoryne wendtii

LIGHTLow CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy

A popular rosette plant with ruffled leaves in various colors.

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CW green

Midground

Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Green'

Cryptocoryne wendtii

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

The classic easy green crypt for low-light midgrounds.

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CW pink

Midground

Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Pink Flamingo'

Cryptocoryne wendtii

LIGHTHigh CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYAdvanced

A prized pink cultivar crypt that needs light and CO2 to hold color.

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CW red

Midground

Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Red'

Cryptocoryne wendtii

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A hardy red-brown rosette crypt that thrives in low to medium light.

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CW green

Midground

Cryptocoryne willisii

Cryptocoryne willisii

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A small, grassy crypt for foreground-to-midground carpets.

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Foreground

Dwarf Hairgrass

Eleocharis parvula

LIGHTHigh CO₂Required DIFFICULTYModerate

A popular carpeting plant that looks like a miniature lawn.

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Midground

Dwarf Lily

Nymphaea stellata

LIGHTMedium CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A beautiful bulb plant that shoots up arrow-shaped red and green leaves.

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Foreground

Dwarf Sagittaria

Sagittaria subulata

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy

A hardy, grass-like plant that forms a thick foreground carpet.

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E' red

Midground

Echinodorus 'Kleiner Bar'

Echinodorus x barthii

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A smaller red sword with bright red new leaves.

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Echinodorus 'Ozelot'

Echinodorus 'Ozelot'

LIGHTMedium CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy

A striking sword plant with distinct red and brown spots on its leaves.

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E' red

Midground

Echinodorus 'Red Diamond'

Echinodorus sp.

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A narrow-leaved sword with deep burgundy-red foliage.

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E' red

Midground

Echinodorus 'Red Flame'

Echinodorus x barthii

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A compact spotted sword with red-and-green marbled leaves.

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E' green

Midground

Echinodorus 'Reni'

Echinodorus sp.

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A compact sword with pink-red young leaves.

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E' red

Midground

Echinodorus 'Rubin'

Echinodorus x barthii

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A tall ruby-toned sword for a centerpiece.

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EC green

Midground

Echinodorus cordifolius

Echinodorus cordifolius

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A very large broad-leaved sword that can grow emersed.

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EM green

Midground

Echinodorus martii

Echinodorus martii

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A tall sword with heavily ruffled, translucent leaves.

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E' green

Midground

Eriocaulon 'Vietnam'

Eriocaulon sp.

LIGHTVery high CO₂Required DIFFICULTYAdvanced

A larger starburst pipewort prized in aquascaping.

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EC green

Midground

Eriocaulon cinereum

Eriocaulon cinereum

LIGHTVery high CO₂Required DIFFICULTYAdvanced

A small starburst rosette pipewort for soft-water high-tech tanks.

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Giant Vallisneria

Vallisneria americana

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy

A massive, ribbon-like plant that grows very tall.

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HB green

Midground

Helanthium bolivianum

Helanthium bolivianum

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A low chain sword that spreads into a grassy carpet-like patch.

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HB green

Midground

Helanthium bolivianum 'Vesuvius'

Helanthium bolivianum

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A compact chain sword with corkscrew-twisted leaves.

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ML green

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Madagascar Lace Plant

Aponogeton madagascariensis

LIGHTHigh CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYAdvanced

A highly sought-after bulb plant with striking, skeletal, lace-like leaves.

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MS green

Foreground

Micro Sword

Lilaeopsis brasiliensis

LIGHTHigh CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYModerate

A grass-like carpeting plant with slightly thicker blades than hairgrass.

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NV green

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Narrow-leaf Vallisneria

Vallisneria nana

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy

A finer, narrower version of classic Vallisneria.

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NH green

Midground

Nymphoides Hydrophylla

Nymphoides hydrophylla

LIGHTMedium CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy

A fast-growing plant similar to the Taiwan Lily, with light green leaves.

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OP green

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Onion Plant

Crinum thaianum

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A large bulb plant with long, flat, ribbon-like leaves.

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OL red

Midground

Orchid Lily

Barclaya longifolia

LIGHTHigh CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYModerate

A tuberous lily with wavy red-green leaves and a striking form.

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PC green

Foreground

Pygmy Chain Sword

Helanthium tenellum

LIGHTMedium CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A grass-like plant that forms a dense foreground carpet.

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RT red

Midground

Red Tiger Lotus

Nymphaea lotus

LIGHTMedium CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A stunning bulb plant with broad, red, mottled leaves.

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SR green

Foreground

Staurogyne Repens

Staurogyne repens

LIGHTHigh CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A compact, bushy foreground plant with sturdy green leaves.

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TL green

Midground

Taiwan Lily

Nymphoides sp. 'Taiwan'

LIGHTMedium CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy

A unique rosette plant with bright green, flipper-shaped leaves.

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TL green

Midground

Tricolor Lotus

Nymphaea micrantha

LIGHTHigh CO₂Helpful DIFFICULTYEasy–Moderate

A beautiful bulb plant with leaves featuring green, red, and brown mottling.

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VS green

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Vallisneria spiralis

Vallisneria spiralis

LIGHTMedium CO₂Optional DIFFICULTYEasy

A tall, grass-like background plant that spreads via runners.

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