Anubias afzelii

Care at a glance

Overview

A robust, upright Anubias for the background or tall midground, with long leathery leaves. Mount the rhizome on wood or rock and keep it exposed, since burying it leads to rot. It handles medium light better than most Anubias and needs no CO2, but growth is slow at about a leaf per month. Its toughness and bad taste to fish make it a reliable choice for cichlid and goldfish tanks where softer plants get eaten.

In the wild

Unlike most Anubias, this species comes from the savanna zone of northern West Africa, ranging across Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Mali. It grows on sunny to shaded river and stream banks, tolerating brighter, more open conditions than its rainforest relatives.

Good to know

An Anubias species in the family Araceae, named after the botanist Adam Afzelius who collected in Sierra Leone. It has elongated, leathery lance-shaped leaves. Because of its savanna origin it accepts a little more light than shade-loving Anubias, and it is one of the species historically muddled with the 'congensis' trade name.

Did you know

While nearly every other Anubias hails from shaded rainforest, afzelii evolved in open savanna, which is why it copes with stronger lighting that would scorch its shade-loving cousins.

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