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Form of Anubias barteri

Anubias nana Long Wavy

Anubias barteri var. nana 'Long Wavy'

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

Also known as Anubias Long Wavy

FreshwaterBrackishRhizomeRhizome division

Anubias nana Long Wavy (Anubias barteri var. nana 'Long Wavy')
Buce Plant · Used with permission

Forms · Anubias barteri

See all 29 →

Care at a glance

Light
Low light
CO2
No CO₂ needed
Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
Max height
4.7 in
12 cm
Growth rate
Slow
Placement
Epiphyte
Type
Rhizome
pH
6.0–8.0
Hardness
2–18 dGH
Spread
4.7 in (12 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Easy
Family
Araceae
Origin
Cultivated selection (parent variety native to West Africa, Cameroon)

Overview

Anubias nana Long Wavy is ordinary Anubias nana with more texture in its leaves. It sits well tucked into a hardscape crevice or a shaded foreground corner of a nano tank, and it is easy to keep.

Did you know

New Anubias nana Long Wavy leaves unfurl already crimped, so the ruffle is not shaped by flow or light. Each leaf is built to last years rather than weeks. That is how a plant this slow gets by on a handful of new leaves a year.

Caring for Anubias nana Long Wavy

Attach the rhizome to wood or stone and keep it out of the substrate. Shop plants are farm-raised emersed, so fresh imports often swap their first few leaves after going underwater.

Give Anubias nana Long Wavy low light and no added CO2. It feeds from the water column, so a liquid fertilizer is the right way to feed it.

Growth is very slow, and algae on the old leaves is the main enemy. Keep the light modest and the flow decent, and let shrimp and snails graze the leaves clean. To propagate, cut the rhizome into pieces with a few leaves each.

Good to know

Anubias nana Long Wavy is an Araceae cultivar built on the dwarf nana variety of Anubias barteri. The name describes the leaves, which are small, oblong blades with strongly ruffled, undulating margins. That ruffle gives a compact plant an outsized texture. It is a trade selection with no published origin, distinct from the broader-leaved barteri selection sold as Dark Angel.

In the wild

Anubias nana Long Wavy is a cultivated selection with no wild population. Its parent variety grows on shaded rock and wood along forest streams in Cameroon. There it sits half in and half out of soft, flowing water.

Common questions

Is Anubias nana Long Wavy a different species from Anubias barteri?

No. Anubias nana Long Wavy is a form of Anubias barteri. It reaches about 4.7 in (12 cm), against 13.8 in (35 cm) for the species. It also differs in difficulty and spread.

Does Anubias nana Long Wavy need to be planted in the substrate?

No. Anubias nana Long Wavy 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 nana Long Wavy need CO2?

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

How much light does Anubias nana Long Wavy need?

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

Does Anubias nana Long Wavy need root tabs?

No. Anubias nana Long Wavy 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 nana Long Wavy?

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

How tall does Anubias nana Long Wavy grow?

Anubias nana Long Wavy grows to about 4.7 in (12 cm) tall. It grows slowly and rarely needs trimming.

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