If you are looking for the best flowering aquarium plants then you are at the right place.
In this blog post, I am going to show you some aquarium plants that can flower underwater and on the surface of the water.
So let’s begin the list.
Table of Contents
Aquarium Plants That Flower Underwater
1. Anubias
See more images at Amazon here
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Anubias |
| COMMON NAMES | |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Anubias |
| FAMILY | Araceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Low-Moderate |
| GROWTH RATE | Slow |
| TEMPERATURE | 72-82°F |
| pH | 6.5 – 7.8 |
| HARDNESS | 60- 160 ppm |
| PLACEMENT | Mid-background |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 11+ Inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 5 Gallons |
| PROPAGATION | Rhizome Division |
Anubias is one of the most popular aquarium plants in the hobby.
This plant is very hardy which makes it ideal for beginners.
It is a very good flowering plant and produces flowers quite often inside the aquarium.
It is a very good plant for Tetras, especially Bloodfin tetras.
You can also use it in Shrimp aquarium.
Light requirements
Anubias is very undemanding when it comes to light.
This plant can grow in almost any lighting condition.
It can grow in low lighting conditions as well as in high lighting conditions.
When you keep it under low light, its growth will be slow.
And when you keep it under high lighting conditions it can cause algae growth.
So ideally, you should keep it under moderate lighting conditions of at least 2-3 watts per gallon.
Substrate requirements
Anubias lacks true roots.
Instead, it has rhizomes.
This plant is undemanding when it comes to a substrate.
You can use any substrate of your choice for this plant.
And you can even attach it to driftwood or rock and then put inside your aquarium.
But when you keep it in a nutrient-rich substrate, it will benefit from it and grow faster.
Fertilization requirements
For its optimum growth and produce flowers, you should supplement it with regular doses of fertilizers.
You should also supplement it with additional CO2, though it is not necessary.
Ideal water parameters
The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Anubias is between 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range is between 6.5 to 7.5 and its water hardness tolerance range is between 3-8 KH.
How to keep it in an aquarium?
Anubias is relativity short plant and its growth rate is also very slow.
So, you should keep it in the foreground of your aquarium.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here
2. Amazon Sword
Photo by Fanwen619 under CC BY-SA 4.0
See more images at Amazon here
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Amazon sword |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Echinodorus grisebachii |
| FAMILY | Alismataceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Moderate |
| GROWTH RATE | Fast |
| TEMPERATURE | 60.8-82.4°F |
| pH | 6.5-7.5 pH |
| HARDNESS | 8-15°dH |
| PLACEMENT | Background |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 16 Inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 10 Gallons |
Amazon sword is one of the most popular plants in the hobby.
It is a fast growing plant that can grow as tall as 16 inches.
This plant is also very easy to care for which makes it an ideal choice for beginners.
This plant produces flowers very rarely.
But if you provide it fertilizers regularly, it can increase the chances.
Light requirements
Amazon sword does well in low to moderate lighting conditions.
You can use any light whether that is luminescent or a simple filament light.
Just make sure that the plant is getting at least 10 to 12 hours of light every day.
Ideally, you should provide it 2-3 watts per gallon light.
Substrate requirements
You can use any substrate for Amazon sword.
Just make sure that it is at least 2.5 inches thick.
Fertilization requirements
Amazon Sword is a very hardy plant and can do well without any fertilizers.
But for its proper growth and to increase the chances of producing flowers, you should supplement it regularly with fertilizers.
Ideal water parameters
Amazon sword can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.
With that being said, the ideal temperature for the proper growth of Amazon sword is between 60-82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range is between 6.5 to 7.5 and its water hardness tolerance range is between 8 to 15° DH.
How to keep it in an aquarium?
Amazon sword can grow very tall and wide with its large leaves.
So you should put it in the center of your aquarium so that it will have a lot of space.
You can also keep it in the background of your aquarium.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here
3. Bucephalandra
See more images at Amazon here
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Bucephalandra |
| COMMON NAMES | Buce |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Bucephalandra |
| FAMILY | Araceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Low |
| GROWTH RATE | Slow |
| TEMPERATURE | 71-82.5 °F |
| pH | 6-7.5 |
| PLACEMENT | Foreground |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 4 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 10 gallon |
Bucephalandra is a very good flowering plant.
This plant produces flowers underwater regularly when you provide it with ideal conditions.
The great part of this plant is that it comes in many different types.
And each type has a different leaf size, shape and color, so you can choose according to your needs or preference.
Light requirements
Bucephalandra can tolerate any lighting conditions.
Its growth rate is dependent on the lighting conditions.
So basically, the more the light it gets the faster it grows.
So for the faster growth of this plant, you should provide it moderate to high lighting conditions.
Checkout our lighting recommendation
Substrate requirements
Bucephalandra does not have true roots.
Instead, it has rhizomes.
You can anchor this plant in a large-grained gravel substrate or you can attach it to any ornament in your tank like driftwood or rock.
Fertilization requirements
Bucephalandra can do well without any fertilizers.
But for better coloration and faster growth, you can supplement it with fertilizers and CO2.
Ideal water parameters
The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Bucephalandra is between 71 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range is between 6 to 7.5.
How to keep it in an aquarium?
Bucephalandra is a short plant that grows up to 4 inches, so you should keep it in the foreground of your tank.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here
20 Tips to Maintain a Healthy Aquarium
Aquarium Plants That Flower Over The Surface of The Water
4. Giant Hygro
See more images at Amazon here
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Giant Hygro |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Hygrophila corymbosa |
| FAMILY | Acanthaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Medium |
| GROWTH RATE | Fast |
| TEMPERATURE | 72-84° F |
| pH | 6.0-7.5 |
| HARDNESS | 71.43 - 321.43 PPM |
| PLACEMENT | Background |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 24 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 10 Gallons |
Giant hygro is also known as Temple plant.
This is a very hardy and easy to maintain plant which makes it is a good choice for beginners.
It is a fast growing plant and can grow as tall as 24 inches.
Once it gets established in your aquarium, it will produce very good velvet colored flowers.
Light requirements
Giant hygro do well in moderate lighting conditions.
So ideally, you should provide it 2-3 watts per gallon light for its proper growth.
Substrate requirements
You can use any substrate for planting Giant hygro in your aquarium but fine gravel is recommended.
Planting it in the gravel is very easy, you just have to lay it down on the gravel and its stem will start producing roots and get into the substrate automatically.
You can also manually plant its tip into the substrate.
Fertilization requirements
For the proper growth and to make Giant hygro produce flowers, you should supplement it regularly with fertilizers rich in iron, potassium and trace elements.
Ideal water parameters
The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Giant hybro is between 72-84 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range is between 6 to 7. 5 and its hardness tolerance range is between 3-8 KH.
How to keep it in an aquarium?
Giant hygro is a tall stem plant that can grow as tall as 24 inches. So ideally, you should keep it in the background of your aquarium.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here
5. Lace Plant
See more images at Amazon here
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Lace Plant |
| COMMON NAMES | Madagascar laceleaf, lattice leaf, lace plant |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Aponogeton madagascariensis |
| FAMILY | Aponogetonaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Moderate |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Moderate-High |
| GROWTH RATE | Low-Moderate |
| TEMPERATURE | 72-82° F |
| pH | 6.0-7.0 |
| HARDNESS | KH 3-6 |
| PLACEMENT | Mid-ground |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 20+ inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 10 gallon |
Lace plant is a very good flowering plant.
This plant flowers regularly when you provide it ideal conditions.
It is very famous for its leaves’ net-like structure.
It is one of the expensive plants in the aquarium hobby and it is quite demanding as well.
Light requirements
Lace plant does well in moderate to high lighting conditions.
So you should provide it lighting, anywhere between 3 to 5 watts per gallon.
Substrate requirements
You can use sand or fine gravel as a substrate for planting Lace plant in your aquarium.
Fertilization requirements
As mentioned earlier, Lace plant is very demanding when it comes to nutrients.
So you should regularly supplement it with iron-rich fertilizers and even additional CO2 for its proper growth.
Ideal water parameters
The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Lace plant is between 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance ranges between 6 to 7 and its water hardness tolerance ranges between 3 to 6 KH.
How to keep it in an aquarium?
Lace plant is a tall plant that can grow as tall as 20 inches.
So depending on the size of your aquarium, you should keep it in the midground or background of your tank.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here
Tips to Take Care of Live Plants in Aquarium (For Beginners)
6. Green Cabomba
Photo by Leslie J. Mehrhoff under CC BY 3.0 US
See more images at Amazon here
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Green Cabomba |
| COMMON NAMES | Green Cabomba, Carolina Fanwort, Brazilian Fanwort, Fanwort |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Cabomba caroliniana |
| FAMILY | Cabombaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Moderate |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Medium to High |
| GROWTH RATE | Fast |
| TEMPERATURE | 72 – 82 ℉ |
| pH | 6.8 – 7.5 |
| HARDNESS | KH 3-8 |
| PLACEMENT | Background or Floating |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 11 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 10 gallon |
Green cabomba is a very popular flowering plant.
It produces beautiful white, purplish or yellow flowers.
Green cabomba is a fast growing stem plant that can grow as tall as 11 inches.
And it is a bit tricky to keep in an aquarium so it is not a very good choice for beginners.
Light requirements
Green cabomba does well in moderate to high lighting conditions.
Ideally, you should provide it at least 3 watts light per gallon.
Substrate requirements
Green camera doesn’t have true roots. You have to use its stem to plant in the substrate.
You should use either gravel or a nutrient-rich substrate for this plant.
Fertilization requirements
For the proper growth of Green cabomba, you should regularly supplement it with some liquid fertilizers.
It will also benefit if you supplement it with some additional CO2.
How to keep it in an aquarium?
There are a couple of ways you can keep Green cabomba in your aquarium.
Either you can plant it in a substrate or you can just let it float in your aquarium.
If you are going to plant it in the substrate, depending on the size of your aquarium you should place it in the middle ground or background.
Ideal water parameters
The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Green cabomba is between 72 – 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range is between 6.8 to 7.5 and the water hardness tolerance range is between 3-8 KH.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here
12 Benefits of Live Plants in an Aquarium (Pros and Cons)
7. Dwarf Sagittaria
See more images at Amazon here
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Dwarf Sagittaria |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Sagittaria subulata |
| FAMILY | Alismataceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Moderate |
| GROWTH RATE | Fast |
| TEMPERATURE | 68-82°F |
| pH | 6-8 |
| HARDNESS | 3-12 |
| PLACEMENT | Mid-foreground |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 12 Inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 10 gallon |
Dwarf Sagittaria is a fast growing aquarium plant.
This plant can tolerate a wide range of water parameters and it is very easy to care which makes it ideal for beginners.
It produces flowers sometimes on the surface of the water.
This plant is very easy to propagate and it propagates very fast, providing a good carpet effect.
It is also a very good cold water aquarium plant as it can tolerate temperature as low as 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
Besides, it is one of the best oxygenating plants.
Light requirements
Dwarf Sagittaria does well in moderate to high lighting conditions.
Its distance from the light is the key when deciding how much light you should provide it.
If it is far from the light then you should provide it high lighting condition so that it can get sufficient light.
On the other hand, if it is near the light source then moderate lighting will work just fine.
Still, you should provide it at least 3 watts per gallon light.
Substrate requirements
The ideal substrate for the proper growth of Dwarf Sagittaria is a soil substrate that is rich in iron and CO2.
Fertilization requirements
Dwarf Sagittaria is a very hardy plant and can do well without any fertilizers.
But as with all the aquarium plants, if you supplement it with some fertilizers that are rich in iron and CO2, it will definitely benefit from it.
As Dwarf Sagittaria is a root feeder, you should supplement it fertilizers in the form of root tabs.
How to keep it in an aquarium?
Dwarf Sagittaria usually grows up to 12 inches tall.
But sometimes it can grow more than that.
So depending on the size of your aquarium and what you are trying to achieve, you can keep it in the mid-ground or background of your aquarium.
Ideal water parameters
As mentioned earlier, Dwarf Sagittaria can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.
That being said, the ideal temperature for the proper growth of this plant is between 68 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range is between 6 to 8 and the water hardness tolerance range is between 3 to 12 dH.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here
Plants Help to Lower Ammonia in an Aquarium
8. Aponogeton Crispus
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Aponogeton Crispus |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Aponogeton Crispus |
| FAMILY | Aponogetonaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Moderate |
| GROWTH RATE | Fast |
| TEMPERATURE | 64-86° F |
| pH | below 7.5 |
| PLACEMENT | Background |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 9-10 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 20 gallon |
Aponogeton Crispus is a very good flowering plant because in optimum condition it flowers very frequently.
It produces flowers on all sides and the flower of this plant is about 13.5 cm long.
It is a fast growing plant and can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.
This plant does require a decent amount of nutrients to thrive but it is very easy to care, so it is a good choice for beginners.
Light requirements
Aponogeton Crispus does well in moderate lighting conditions.
So ideally, you should provide it at least 0.5 Watts per liter light.
Substrate requirements
As mentioned earlier, Aponogeton Crispus requires a decent amount of nutrients for its growth So Ideally, you should plant it in a nutrient-rich substrate.
You can also plant it in a sand substrate and it will survive but you’ll have to supplement it regularly with root tabs.
Fertilization requirements
Aponogeton Crispus does require a decent amount of nutrients to thrive and produce flowers.
As it is a root feeder plant, you should regularly supplement it with fertilizers in the form of root tabs.
You can also supplement it with additional CO2 for its faster growth.
Ideal water parameters
As mentioned earlier, Aponogeton Crispus can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.
That being said, the ideal temperature for the proper growth of this plant is from 64 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit and the pH of the water should be below 7.5.
How to keep it in an aquarium?
Aponogeton Crispus grows tall up to 10 inches.
So depending on the size of your aquarium, you should put it in the midground or background of your aquarium.
Plants help to Increase Oxygen in an Aquarium
9. Red Tiger Lotus
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Red Tiger Lotus |
| COMMON NAMES | Red Tiger Lotus |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Nymphaea zenkeri |
| FAMILY | Nymphaeaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Moderate to high |
| GROWTH RATE | Moderate |
| TEMPERATURE | 71.5-82.5 °F |
| pH | 5-8 |
| HARDNESS | 5-11 °d |
| PLACEMENT | Mid-ground, background |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 31 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 10 gallon |
Red tiger lotus is a very good flowering aquarium plant.
This plant produces white flowers over the surface of the water.
It is also very easy to care and can grow very large when it is provided with the ideal environment.
It can grow so large that it can take over your aquarium, so regular pruning is necessary for this plant.
Light requirements
Red tiger lotus is not very demanding when it comes to light.
But when it gets low light it will grow very slowly.
So ideally, you should provide it at least moderate lighting of 3 watts per gallon.
Substrate requirements
For faster growth and a compact lush plant, you should plant Red tiger lotus in a nutrient-rich substrate.
Fertilization requirements
Red tiger lotus can survive without any fertilizers. But for faster growth and a compact and lush plant, you should supplement it regularly with fertilizers.
It will also appreciate additional supplementation of CO2.
Ideal water parameters
The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Red tiger lotus is between 71 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit and its pH tolerance ranges between 5 to 8.
Plants Help to Lower Temperature in an Aquarium
Conclusion
So these are the best flowering aquarium plants.
I hope you found this article helpful.
If you do you, please share it.
Also, let me know which plant you are going to try in your aquarium in the comments below.
Happy fishkeeping!
