TankBud

Jungle val

Vallisneria americana

Also known as Water celery, Wild celery, Eelgrass, Tape grass

FreshwaterBrackishRosetteRunners

Jungle val (Vallisneria americana)
(c) Josiah Londerée, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by

Care at a glance

Light
Low light
CO2
No CO₂ needed
Temperature
59–86°F
15–30°C
Max height
39.4 in
100 cm
Growth rate
Fast
Placement
Background
Type
Rosette
pH
6.5–8.0
Hardness
4–18 dGH
Spread
7.9 in (20 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed
Difficulty
Beginner
Family
Hydrocharitaceae
Origin
North and Central America

Overview

Jungle val is a beginner plant for the background, with long ribbon leaves rising from a basal rosette.

Did you know

Jungle val is the original wild celery, and wild ducks, especially canvasback diving ducks, feed heavily on its tubers and foliage. Its decline in places like Chesapeake Bay has been used as a measure of estuary water quality.

Caring for jungle val

Plant each jungle val rosette with the crown above the substrate to prevent rot. Use it as a background plant or as a screen in the middle of the tank. The straight form can grow over a meter tall and trail across the surface, so it suits taller tanks. The corkscrew form stays more compact.

Jungle val needs only low light and no added CO2. It feeds from both its roots and the water column, so root tabs and a liquid fertilizer both help. It handles 59 to 86°F (15 to 30°C) and a wide range of conditions, including slightly brackish water.

It grows fast and spreads readily by runners. Cut a new plant free once it has roots and replant it. Avoid liquid carbon dosing, which can make it melt.

Good to know

Jungle val, Vallisneria americana, belongs to the Hydrocharitaceae. It is dioecious and reproduces both sexually, through surface pollination, and by stolons. The corkscrew or twisted form has tightly spiraled leaves, while typical jungle val leaves grow straight. It also goes by water celery, eelgrass and tape grass.

In the wild

Jungle val is native to North and Central America. It grows submersed in lakes, slow rivers and brackish estuaries, where it is an important habitat plant for waterfowl. It spreads across the bottom by runners.

Common questions

Does jungle val need to be planted in the substrate?

Yes. Bury the roots and leave the crown, where the leaves join, just above the substrate.

Does jungle val need CO2?

No. Jungle val grows well without added CO2 and suits a low-tech tank.

How much light does jungle val need?

Jungle val is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.

Does jungle val need root tabs?

They help. Jungle val takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate jungle val?

Jungle val propagates by runners. New plants grow along its runners. Cut one free once it has roots and plant it.

How tall does jungle val grow?

Jungle val grows to about 39.4 in (100 cm) tall. It grows fast, so expect to trim it often.

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