Background aquarium plants
Background plants grow tall enough to hide equipment and frame the tank. Most are stem plants that appreciate regular trimming. Profiles list final height, light and CO2 needs and how fast each one grows.
99 plants
Amazon sword
Echinodorus grisebachiiMedium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Ambulia
Limnophila sessilifloraLow lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Ammannia gracilis
Ammannia gracilisHigh lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Anubias afzelii
Anubias afzeliiMedium lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Anubias congensis
Anubias heterophyllaLow lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Anubias gigantea
Anubias giganteaLow lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)Anubias hastifolia
Anubias hastifoliaLow lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)Aponogeton boivinianus
Aponogeton boivinianusMedium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Aponogeton crispus
Aponogeton crispusMedium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)Aponogeton longiplumulosus
Aponogeton longiplumulosusMedium lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Aponogeton natans
Aponogeton natansMedium lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Aponogeton rigidifolius
Aponogeton rigidifoliusMedium lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Aponogeton ulvaceus
Aponogeton ulvaceusMedium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Aponogeton undulatus
Aponogeton undulatusMedium lightBackground21.7 in (55 cm)
Bacopa lanigera
Bacopa lanigeraHigh lightBackground11.8 in (30 cm)
Canadian waterweed
Elodea canadensisLow lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Caulerpa
Caulerpa proliferaMedium lightBackground5.9 in (15 cm)
Corkscrew val
Vallisneria natansMedium lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Cryptocoryne balansae
Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansaeMedium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Cryptocoryne ciliata
Cryptocoryne ciliataMedium lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Cryptocoryne crispatula
Cryptocoryne crispatulaMedium lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Cryptocoryne retrospiralis
Cryptocoryne retrospiralisLow lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Cryptocoryne spiralis
Cryptocoryne spiralisLow lightBackground13.8 in (35 cm)
Cryptocoryne usteriana
Cryptocoryne usterianaLow lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Dead Man's Fingers
Codium fragileMedium lightBackground9.8 in (25 cm)
Dwarf vallisneria
Vallisneria nanaMedium lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Giant ambulia
Limnophila aquaticaHigh lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Giant bacopa
Bacopa carolinianaLow lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Giant vallisneria
Vallisneria giganteaLow lightBackground59.1 in (150 cm)
Grape Caulerpa
Caulerpa racemosaMedium lightBackground4.7 in (12 cm)
Grassy arrowhead
Sagittaria gramineaMedium lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Green cabomba
Cabomba carolinianaHigh lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Horemanii sword
Echinodorus horemaniiHigh lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Hygrophila balsamica
Hygrophila balsamicaHigh lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Hygrophila corymbosa
Hygrophila corymbosaLow lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Hygrophila guianensis
Hygrophila guianensisMedium lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Hygrophila polysperma
Hygrophila polyspermaLow lightBackground17.7 in (45 cm)
Hygrophila Siamensis
Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis'Medium lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Japanese spatterdock
Nuphar japonicaMedium lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Jungle val
Vallisneria americanaLow lightBackground39.4 in (100 cm)Kleiner Bar sword
Echinodorus 'Kleiner Bär'Medium lightBackground17.7 in (45 cm)
Lagenandra ovata
Lagenandra ovataMedium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Limnophila aromatica
Limnophila aromaticaHigh lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)Limnophila hippuridoides
Limnophila hippuridoidesHigh lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Lindernia rotundifolia
Lindernia rotundifoliaLow lightBackground11.8 in (30 cm)Ludwigia Cuba
Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata 'Cuba'High lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Ludwigia glandulosa
Ludwigia glandulosaHigh lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Ludwigia palustris
Ludwigia palustrisMedium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Ludwigia Pantanal
Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata 'Pantanal'High lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Ludwigia repens
Ludwigia repensMedium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Madagascar lace
Aponogeton madagascariensisMedium lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Marble queen sword
Echinodorus cordifoliusMedium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Melon sword
Echinodorus osirisMedium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Mexican oak leaf
Shinnersia rivularisMedium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Moneywort
Bacopa monnieriMedium lightBackground11.8 in (30 cm)
Myriophyllum Guyana
Myriophyllum mattogrossenseMedium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)Myriophyllum Roraima
Myriophyllum sp. 'Roraima'High lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)Narrow leaf chain sword
Helanthium bolivianum 'Angustifolius'Medium lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Nesaea crassicaulis
Ammannia crassicaulisHigh lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)Nesaea pedicellata Golden
Ammannia pedicellataHigh lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Onion plant
Crinum calamistratumLow lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Onion plant natans
Crinum natansMedium lightBackground39.4 in (100 cm)Persicaria kawagoeanum
Persicaria sp. 'Kawagoeanum'High lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)Persicaria Sao Paulo
Persicaria sp. 'Sao Paulo'High lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)Pogostemon Dassen
Pogostemon stellatus 'Dassen'High lightBackground17.7 in (45 cm)
Pogostemon quadrifolius
Pogostemon quadrifoliusMedium lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Pogostemon stellatus
Pogostemon stellatusHigh lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Red cabomba
Cabomba furcataHigh lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Red Gracilaria
Gracilaria parvisporaMedium lightBackground7.9 in (20 cm)
Red mangrove
Rhizophora mangleHigh lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)Red myriophyllum
Myriophyllum tuberculatumHigh lightBackground11.8 in (30 cm)Rose sword
Echinodorus 'Rosé'Low lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)Rotala Blood Red
Rotala rotundifolia 'Blood Red'High lightBackground11.8 in (30 cm)Rotala Ceylon
Rotala rotundifolia 'Ceylon'Medium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)Rotala Colorata
Rotala rotundifolia 'Colorata'High lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)Rotala Green
Rotala rotundifolia 'Green'Medium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)Rotala H'ra
Rotala rotundifolia 'H'ra'High lightBackground11.8 in (30 cm)
Rotala macrandra
Rotala macrandraHigh lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)Rotala macrandra Bangladesh
Rotala macrandra 'Bangladesh'High lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)Rotala macrandra Green
Rotala macrandra 'Green'High lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)Rotala Orange Juice
Rotala rotundifolia 'Orange Juice'High lightBackground11.8 in (30 cm)
Rotala ramosior
Rotala ramosiorHigh lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Rotala rotundifolia
Rotala rotundifoliaMedium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Rotala wallichii
Rotala wallichiiHigh lightBackground11.8 in (30 cm)Ruffled sword
Echinodorus majorMedium lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Sea grapes
Caulerpa lentilliferaMedium lightBackground3.9 in (10 cm)
Senegal tea plant
Gymnocoronis spilanthoidesHigh lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Star grass
Heteranthera zosterifoliaHigh lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Stream bogmoss
Mayaca fluviatilisMedium lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Tonina fluviatilis
Tonina fluviatilisHigh lightBackground13.8 in (35 cm)
Umbrella hairgrass
Eleocharis viviparaMedium lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Uruguay sword
Echinodorus uruguayensisMedium lightBackground21.7 in (55 cm)
Vallisneria spiralis
Vallisneria spiralisLow lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Water onion
Crinum thaianumLow lightBackground39.4 in (100 cm)
Water sprite
Ceratopteris thalictroidesMedium lightBackground15 in (38 cm)
Water wisteria
Hygrophila difformisMedium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Waterweed
Egeria densaMedium lightBackground39.4 in (100 cm)
Willow hygro
Hygrophila salicifoliaMedium lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Yellow pond lily
Nuphar luteaMedium lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
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