Overview: An essential plant for modern aquascaping, Staurogyne repens is a hardy, fresh-green foreground plant that originates from the Rio Cristalino in the Amazon. It is prized for its bushy, low-growing habit and small, stiff, oval leaves. Unlike many other foreground plants that require intense "carpeting" maintenance, S. repens grows into dense, manageable clumps, making it an ideal "filler" for the transition between hardscape rocks and open areas.

Care: S. repens is relatively undemanding but thrives best with moderate to high lighting and a nutrient-rich substrate. Under high light, it maintains a low, creeping stature; in lower light, it may begin to grow vertically, which can be managed with regular trimming. While it can survive without supplemental $CO_2$, adding it will significantly increase growth density and speed. To plant, simply press the stems into the substrate. Regular pruning is encouraged: cutting the tallest stems will force the plant to send out lateral shoots, creating a thicker, more lush carpet.

Propagation: Propagation is simple and effective through stem cuttings. Simply cut off the top of a healthy stem (about 2-3 inches long) and replant it into the substrate. The original stem will sprout new side shoots, and the cutting will quickly establish its own root system.

More Details:

• Origination: It was discovered in the Mato Grosso region of Brazil, specifically in the Rio Cristalino. It is a member of the Acanthaceae family and was relatively rare in the hobby until the mid-2000s.

• Other uses: In "High-Tech" tanks, it is often used to create a "riverbed" look by planting it in the crevices between stones. It can also be grown emersed in high-humidity terrariums or "Dry Start" setups, where it will produce slightly larger, darker green leaves.

Quick Stats:

• Care level: Easy to Moderate

• Placement: Foreground to Midground

• Size: Height 1” - 4” Width (Spreading)

• Light: Moderate to High

• Water conditions: 20°- 28°C (68°- 82°F), pH 6.0 - 8.0

Overview: This tropical freshwater plant is bright green, compact, hardy, and is often used in the fore & middle ground of planted aquariums. With lower light levels it grows slowly and has a compact, low and bushy growth pattern with small bright green elongated leaves around a stiff stem. With higher light levels & a nutrient rich water / substrate (waste nutrients like nitrates, ammonia & phosphates), it grows quickly, and can reach 6” tall with bright green & pinkish elongated leaves. It rapidly absorbs these unwanted wastes / toxins and it oxygenates & clarifies the water. Simply put, this is a must have for tanks with high waste bio-loads, and is a great “insurance policy” in lower bio-load tanks, should wastes spike unexpectedly. It’s a popular plant choice because of its bright green leaves, hardy nature, ability to thrive in a broad range of light and water conditions, and its waste cleaning abilities.  We believe its closest nearest relative is S. Repens which is a similar smaller plant.

Care:  Should be planted directly into the substrate so that its roots are covered or about half-an-inch deep when using newly cut stems. Although not necessary, they do especially well, and grow quickly when in med to high light, rich substrate, consistent fertilization and low /med CO2. To keep its bushy growth pattern, the longest upright shoots should be cut off and new shoots will soon form.

Propagation: Simply take cuttings and anchor into the substrate as needed.

More Details:

• Spawning Medium: When grown in tight groupings it can provide cover / shelter for fry, small fish and aquatic invertebrates.

• Other uses: It can also be grown semi-terrestrially in moist humid areas (like a terrarium / vivarium).

Quick Stats:

• Care level: Easy

• Placement: Foreground to Midground

• Size: Height 5cm - 12cm (2” - 6”), Width 2cm - 8cm (1”- 3”)

• Light: Low to High

• Water conditions: 18°- 28°C (64°- 82 °F), pH 5.5 - 7.5

Overview: Hornwort is a bright green stem plant with sessile leaves which thrives in a wide range of lighting, nutrient and water conditions. It can be amazingly fast growing (1"+ per day) in the right conditions, lots of light and waste nutrients like nitrates, ammonia & phosphates, and slows down with less light & nutrients. This means Hornwort rapidly absorbs these unwanted wastes / toxins and it oxygenates & clarifies the water. And if all these great attributes weren’t enough, it also inhibits algae growth by producing allelochemicals and is an attractive plant in its own right. Simply put, Hornwort is a must have for tanks with high waste bio-loads, and is a great “insurance policy” in lower bio-load tanks, should ammonia & nitrates spike unexpectedly.

Care: Hornwort is undemanding and can adapt to grow in low to high light levels. It’s best when left free floating, but can be loosely anchored into substrate as well. It does not require CO2 or liquid fertilization but will respond to it with even faster growth. It is easily pruned by cutting off excess growth with a sharp pair of scissors.

Propagation: Simply take cuttings and leave free floating or anchor into the substrate as needed.

More Details:

• Spawning Medium: Hornwort's stem & leaf structure can provide cover / shelter for fry, small fish and aquatic invertebrates.

• Other: Hornwort is generally safe with herbivorous fish as most species don't find its leaves very appetizing. It can also be kept in brackish (salty) water.

• Origination: It is found free-floating or loosely anchored in slow moving and still waters throughout North America, South America, and Eurasia.

Quick Stats:

• Care level: Easy

• Placement: Floating, Midground to Background

• Size: up to 24”

• Light: Low to High

• Water conditions: 15°- 30°C (60°- 86°F), pH 6 - 8

Overview: Java Moss is a simple but lovely dark green rootless creeping aquatic moss which thrives in a wide range of lighting, nutrient and water conditions. It is an especially hardy plant native to Southeast Asia, which requires little light, will thrive in tanks which would kill most other plants and can quickly absorb unwanted wastes, nutrients and toxins. It can also be kept in brackish (salty) water. Its forking branches of fronds have tremendous application in many kinds of aquascapes, easily attaching to driftwood, rocks, roots and virtually any surface. It is one the most common aquatic plants kept in the aquarium.

Care: Java Moss is quite easy to grow and does not demand any special care, quickly adapting to all light levels and water parameters. It should not be buried in gravel but grown on surfaces (rocks, driftwood, etc.) or free floating. Although generally slow growing, CO2, fertilization (liquid iron) and high light will greatly enhance growth rates and promote lush growth and deep color. It is easily pruned by cutting off excess growth with a sharp pair of scissors.

Propagation: Propagating is very easy, by simply splitting a smallish clump from the main mass and using as needed elsewhere in the aquarium. Also, any piece that loosens and breaks off from the main mass will start its only colony.

More Details:

• Aquascaping: Java Moss is easily attached to objects using fishing line or thread. After some time the moss will attach itself to the object and grow out covering the thread. It can also be sandwiched between two mesh screens to create a moss wall. When sandwiched, the Java Moss will slowly grow out between the small holes of the screen, resulting in an overhanging moss wall.

• Spawning Medium: Java Moss is widely used by aquarists as cover for fry (baby fish). It protects them from cannibalistic adults and can also provide food (microscopic organisms that live on the moss ) for the newly formed fry, which can be challenging to feed. Egg scatterers such as barbs and characins will scatter their eggs into the Java Moss, which helps prevent the fish from devouring their own eggs.

• Other uses: It can also be grown semi-terrestrially in moist, humid areas.

Quick Stats:

• Care level: Easy

• Placement: Foreground, Midground & Background

• Size: Infinite (keeps expanding in all directions)

• Light: Low to High

• Water conditions: 15°- 28°C (59°- 82°F), pH 5 - 8

Overview: An elegant, robust and popular aquarium plant with a compact rosette growth pattern producing elongated green leaves at the end of long stems. Wendtii are considered the most vigorous of the Cryptocorynes, able to thrive in a broad range of light and water conditions. In aquascapes, it’s especially well suited to mid and backgrounds, creating graceful overhangs with its leaves.

Care: Wendtii should be planted directly into the substrate so that its roots are covered. Although by no means necessary, they do especially well, and grow quickly when in medium to high light, rich substrate, consistent fertilization and low / med CO2. Wendtii can be very variable under different light and other environmental conditions. The same individual grown under different conditions may change color (light-green to red-brown) and grow very compactly to lanky. Prune by simply removing the older leaves when they start yellowing or to your tank's aesthetic. Although very hardy, Crypts can be sensitive to rapid water chemistry changes (for example when transplanting to a new aquarium). When this happens, the leaves will “melt” off and die, but new leaves usually start to grow within a few days.

Propagation: Crypts propagate by runners or side shoots. Once a new plant has a few leaves it can be separated from the main plant by cutting at the root level, then transplanting as necessary.

More Details:

• Origination: Crypts are native to tropical regions of Asia and New Guinea. Typical habitats are mostly streams and rivers with slowly flowing water. They also live in seasonally inundated forest pools or on river banks submerged only at high water. There are a least 50-60 types (species) with new discoveries over the last few years.

• Other uses: It can also be grown semi-terrestrially in moist humid areas and may flower and produce seeds this way.

Quick Stats:

• Care level: Easy

• Placement: Midground to Background

• Size: Height 5cm - 25cm (2” - 11”), Width 8cm - 15cm (3”- 6”)

• Light: Low to High

• Water conditions: 21°- 29°C (70°- 84 °F), pH 6.5 - 7.5

Overview:  This is a stunning & easy to care for colorful stem plant. It will grow in moderate light with no additives, but the higher the light & iron provided, the deeper red the plant will be (it can range from pink to orange to deep red). Rotala rotundifolia / colorata / idicia are all different names for the same plant. Indicia is an outdated scientific name, while colorata & rotundifolia are sometimes believed to be separate species, with slightly different characteristics. Current thinking is that these are the same plant but display slight changes depending on the conditions they are grown in.

Care:  Rotala rotundifolia / colorata / indicia is a relatively undemanding stem plant that can handle medium light with no fertilization. However, it’s best with high light, CO2 & liquid fertilization (especially iron) and given these conditions will respond with fast growth and a deep red color. It is easily pruned by cutting off excess growth / stems with a sharp pair of scissors. To encourage bushy growth, prune the top of the plant once it reaches the surface of the water.

Propagation: Simply take cuttings and anchor into the substrate as needed.

More Details:

• Spawning Medium: Grown in bunches, the stems & intertwining leaf structure can provide cover / shelter for fry, small fish and aquatic invertebrates.

• Origination: It’s found throughout Southeast Asia as a weed in rice paddies and wet soils.

Quick Stats:

• Care level: Easy

• Placement: Mid to Background

• Size: up to 15”

• Light: Medium to High

• Water conditions: 20°- 30°C (68°- 86°F), pH 5 - 7

Overview: Amazon Frogbit or Spongeplant, is a bright glossy green freshwater floating plant with roundish shaped leaves about the size of a quarter. The undersides of the leaves are spongy (full of air), which helps keep the plant afloat. The plant can be used to control algae and keep water parameters pristine by consuming excess nutrients. It can also provide sections of shade for low-light-loving fish and plants in very bright aquariums and help small fish and fry hide from larger fish. Frogbit is easy to grow and grows quickly with high light, and is also great for ponds.

Care:  Should be floated on surface of tank water. The more light available, the faster they will grow, but hot lights such as metal halides can burn them without ventilation. The plants send out runners along the surface that produce new baby plants. Occasional trimming may be needed by simply removing excess plants from surface.

Quick Stats:

• Care level: Easy

• Placement: Floating

• Size: 1” - 3”

• Light: Medium to High

• Water conditions: 4°- 32°C (39° - 89°F), pH 6 - 8