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Form of Anubias barteri

Anubias Broad Leaf

Anubias barteri var. barteri 'Broad Leaf'

One of 24 forms of Anubias barteri · See all forms →

Also known as Anubias barteri 'Broad Leaf', Broadleaf Anubias, Anubias Broadleaf

FreshwaterBrackishRhizomeRhizome division

Anubias Broad Leaf (Anubias barteri var. barteri 'Broad Leaf')
Aquarium Plants Factory · Used with permission

Forms · Anubias barteri

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Care at a glance

Light
Low light
CO2
No CO₂ needed
Temperature
68–82°F
20–28°C
Max height
11.8 in
30 cm
Growth rate
Slow
Placement
Epiphyte
Type
Rhizome
pH
6.0–7.5
Hardness
2–18 dGH
Spread
9.8 in (25 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Beginner
Family
Araceae
Origin
West Africa

Overview

Attach the rhizome to wood or rock with thread or a dab of gel glue and never bury it, since a buried rhizome rots. It is one of the easiest aquarium plants going: low light, no CO2, and hard tap water are all fine. Growth is slow, so keep light modest to avoid algae building up on the tough leaves, and wipe or spot-treat any that appears. Divide the rhizome to make new plants.

In the wild

Anubias barteri comes from West and Central Africa, where it grows along shaded streams and rivers, often rooted at the water's edge or clinging to submerged rocks and roots. In the wild it lives as a marsh plant, sitting emersed with roots in water and much of the foliage above the surface. The Broad Leaf form is a selected cultivar of the wild species, chosen for its wide, rounded leaf blades.

Good to know

This is a cultivated selection of Anubias barteri var. barteri in the arum family (Araceae), the same family as philodendron and peace lily. Like all aroids it produces a spadix-and-spathe flower rather than a true blossom, and it will flower underwater without setting seed. The thick horizontal rhizome stores energy and is the point from which both leaves and roots emerge.

Did you know

Because Anubias leaves are so tough and slow to grow, a single leaf can persist for over a year, and hobbyists often see algae colonize a leaf before the plant grows a replacement.

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