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Form of Anubias barteri

Anubias golden nana

Anubias barteri var. nana 'Golden'

One of 29 forms of Anubias barteri · See all forms →

Also known as Anubias nana Golden, Golden Nana, Anubias barteri var. nana 'Gold', Anubias nana 'Lime'

FreshwaterBrackishRhizomeRhizome division

Anubias golden nana (Anubias barteri var. nana 'Golden')
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
72–82°F
22–28°C
Max height
3.9 in
10 cm
Growth rate
Slow
Placement
Midground
Type
Rhizome
pH
5.5–8.5
Hardness
2–15 dGH
Spread
4.7 in (12 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Easy
Family
Araceae
Origin
Cultivar (parent species native to West Africa)

Overview

Anubias golden nana is a compact dwarf anubias with lime-gold leaves. Its warm tone contrasts nicely against green plants in the midground, and it is an easy plant to keep.

Did you know

Anubias golden nana can look like a plant yellowed by a deficiency, but its gold is not a light or nutrient response. It stays golden no matter how you grow it.

Caring for Anubias golden nana

Tie or glue the rhizome to wood or rock in the midground and leave it exposed. A rhizome buried in the substrate rots.

Anubias golden nana grows in low light with no added CO2. Very bright light invites algae onto the slow leaves, so keep the light gentle. It takes food through its roots and from the water, so a liquid fertilizer is enough. CO2 and heavier feeding are optional, though they speed up its growth, which is even slower than plain nana.

Divide the rhizome to propagate, and the gold color carries over to every division. The plant rarely needs trimming, since new leaves arrive slowly.

Good to know

Anubias golden nana is a stable golden-green color variant of Anubias barteri var. nana, in the family Araceae. Unlike patchy variegation, the lime-gold color is uniform across the leaf and genetically stable, so it does not revert as the plant ages. New leaves emerge bright golden-green and darken slightly as they mature. The color comes from reduced chlorophyll rather than a sectored mutation. Shops also sell it as Golden Nana or Anubias nana 'Lime'.

In the wild

Anubias golden nana is a color-form cultivar with no separate wild range. Its parent, Anubias barteri var. nana, is native to West Africa. There it clings to rocks and wood along shaded, slow-moving streams.

Common questions

Is Anubias golden nana a different species from Anubias barteri?

No. Anubias golden nana is a form of Anubias barteri. It reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm), against 13.8 in (35 cm) for the species. It also differs in difficulty, hardness, feeding, pH, placement and spread.

Does Anubias golden nana need to be planted in the substrate?

No. Anubias golden nana grows attached to rock or wood, so tie or glue the rhizome in place. If you plant its roots, keep the rhizome above the substrate, since a buried rhizome rots.

Does Anubias golden nana need CO2?

No. Anubias golden nana grows well without added CO2 and suits a low-tech tank.

How much light does Anubias golden nana need?

Anubias golden nana is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.

Does Anubias golden nana need root tabs?

No. Anubias golden nana feeds from the water, so a liquid fertilizer suits it better. Root tabs only help if its roots reach into the substrate.

How do you propagate Anubias golden nana?

Anubias golden nana propagates by rhizome division. Cut the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each, then tie or plant each piece.

How tall does Anubias golden nana grow?

Anubias golden nana grows to about 3.9 in (10 cm) tall. It grows slowly and rarely needs trimming.

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