Aquatic Plant Encyclopedia

A stem plant coloring deep red to pink. Creates vivid accent color among green aquatic plants.

Small North American stem plant. Tiny opposite leaves grow densely, turning red-orange under high light. Somewhat slow growth, ideal for midground. Hardy despite delicate appearance.

A small Hygrophila with very narrow, linear red-brown leaves and a conspicuous pale midrib. Under strong light it branches into a low, creeping bush. Named after a Brazilian river, it is actually thought to be an Asian species.

A stem plant with deeply cut unique leaves. Has unusual ability to attach to rocks and driftwood.

A beautiful stem plant from Southeast Asia with purple-tinted leaves. CO2 enhances vivid purple coloration.

A stem plant with bright green underwater and red flowers above. Interesting difference between submersed and emersed forms.

Entry-level red aquatic plant. Red coloring depends on light and CO2. Repens and Super Red are popular varieties.

North American stem plant with distinctive narrow needle-like leaves. Turns vivid orange to red under high light. Delicate appearance but surprisingly hardy.

A North American stem plant whose leaves turn vivid wine-red to red-purple under strong light. Submerged stems grow strictly upright with little branching; in insufficient light it turns green and drops its lower leaves.

A large stem plant that forms whorls of narrow, linear leaves tinged red and orange under water. It is a locality form found on Cuba's Isla de la Juventud and is regarded as the easiest of the var. verticillata forms. Light and CO2 transform its colour and density.

North American stem plant with unique serrated leaves. Turns golden to copper-red under strong light. Slow grower but adds unique texture to aquascapes.

Stem aquatic plants of the water-milfoil genus (Haloragaceae), with finely feathered leaves in whorls. Used as background plants; leaf color and difficulty vary by species. The related parrot's feather is a Specified Invasive Alien Species in Japan.

Stem plant with a unique conifer-like silhouette. Beautiful lime-green foliage makes it a popular layout accent. Somewhat slow-growing but hardy.

A strain of Rotala rotundifolia with rather narrow leaves and overhanging or creeping stems. With strong light, good fertilisation and CO2 it grows almost entirely creeping and turns a warm orange, even forming an orange carpet.

A delicate stem plant with needle-fine leaves, only 0.5–1 mm wide, in whorls of three to six. It derives from plants found at a single site near Nanjenshan, Taiwan, and has not been identified to species. With enough light and iron its tips turn reddish.

Compact and delicate Rotala species. Submersed leaves are narrow and turn red to pink. Beautiful red under strong light and CO2. Perfect midground to background accent.