One species · 5 forms

Cryptocoryne spiralis varieties

Cryptocoryne spiralis

Cryptocoryne spiralis is a tall South Indian crypt that grows more like a vallisneria than a classic rosette crypt. The trade forms vary leaf width, texture and color, and all of them are tough, undemanding plants for the back half of the tank.

Pick a variety

Care, the same for every form

One setup covers every form on this page.

Difficulty: Easy
Type: Rosette
Temperature: 68–86°F (20–30°C)
pH: 5.0–8.0

The vallisneria of crypts

Instead of the low rosette most crypts make, spiralis sends up long, twisted strap leaves and spreads by runners under the substrate. It fills a background the same way vallisneria does, just more slowly and with the crypt family's tolerance for low light and hard water.

Same melt rules as every crypt

Expect the usual transplant melt when it goes into a new tank: leaves dissolve, roots live, and fresh growth suited to your water follows. Feed the substrate with root tabs and leave the crowns alone; established stands shrug off changes that flatten fussier plants.