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Form of Anubias barteri

Anubias Snow White

Anubias barteri var. nana 'Snow White'

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

Also known as Anubias Nana Snow White, Variegated Anubias Nana, Anubias nana 'White'

FreshwaterBrackishRhizomeRhizome division

Forms · Anubias barteri

See all 24 →

Care at a glance

Light
Medium light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
Max height
3.9 in
10 cm
Growth rate
Slow
Placement
Epiphyte
Type
Rhizome
pH
6.0–7.5
Hardness
2–18 dGH
Spread
4.7 in (12 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Medium
Family
Araceae
Origin
West Africa (cultivated selection)

Overview

Treat it like any Anubias, rhizome glued or tied to hardscape and never buried, but expect it to be fussier than the green forms. The white leaves have little chlorophyll, so it needs a bit more light than a standard nana just to feed itself, yet strong light plus its glacial growth invites algae, and it is prone to melting if unhappy. Gentle stable conditions and patience are the whole game. CO2 and mild ferts help it hold and push new pale leaves.

In the wild

The parent plant, Anubias barteri var. nana, is a dwarf form from streams and riverbanks in West Africa, growing emersed or submersed in shade. 'Snow White' is not a wild plant but a variegated tissue-cultured selection of that dwarf, prized for creamy white foliage with only faint green marbling. It keeps the compact habit of nana but carries far less chlorophyll.

Good to know

This is a variegated cultivar of Anubias barteri var. nana, an aroid in the family Araceae. The white coloring comes from a lack of chlorophyll in the affected tissue, which is why the plant photosynthesizes poorly and grows even slower than a normal Anubias. Because the variegation is a somatic mutation rather than a stable trait from seed, it is propagated only by division or tissue culture to keep the pale color.

Did you know

Because its leaves carry so little chlorophyll, Snow White can actually starve under the same low light that a normal Anubias thrives in, making one of the hobby's hardiest genera into a genuinely temperamental plant.

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