24 Best Tall Aquarium Plants (Perfect for Background)

If you are looking for the best live tall-growing aquarium plants then you are at the right place.

In this blog post, I am going to show you tall-growing aquarium plants.

Most of these plants are easy to care for and can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.

So, you can keep them in your aquarium even if you are a beginner.

With that being said let’s start the list.

Here’s a quick table containing the best tall aquarium plants

Plant Name	Care level	Placement	See Images At Amazon
Amazon Sword	Easy	Background	Click here
Corkscrew Vallisneria	Easy	Background	Click here
Jungle Vallisneria	Intermediate	Background	Click here
Ludwigia Repens	Easy	Background	Click here
Bacopa Caroliniana	Easy	Background	Click here
Asian ambulia	Moderate	Mid-Background	NA
Lace Plant	Moderate	Mid-ground	Click here
Water wisteria	Easy	Background or Carpet	Click here
Rotala Indica	Moderate	Background	Click here
Green cabomba	Moderate	Background or Floating	Click here
Java Fern	Easy	Mid to Background	Click here
Anacharis	Easy	Background	Click here
Water Sprite	Easy	Mid to Background	Click here
Brazilian Pennywort	Easy	Floating or Foreground	Click here
Green foxtail	Easy	Background	NA
Ludwigia Repens	Easy	Background	Click here
Giant Hygro	Easy	Background	Click here
Apontogeton Crispus	Easy	Background	Click here
Cryptocoryne Wendtii	Easy	Background	Click here
Hornwort	Easy	Background	Click here
Italian Vallisneria	Easy	Background	Click here
Moneywort	Moderate	Background	Click here
Anubias barteri	Easy	Mid to Background	Click here
Red tiger lotus	Easy	Mid to Background	Click here

Best Live Tall-Growing Aquarium Plants (Detailed Information)

1. Amazon Sword

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 aquarium plants in the hobby.

It is a fast growing tall plant that can grow as tall as 16 inches.

This plant can tolerate a wide range of water parameters and it is very easy to care for, so it is a good choice for beginners.

It can tolerate temperatures as low as 60 degrees Fahrenheit so you can easily use it in a cold water aquarium.

Provided with the ideal environment, it can also produce flowers in your aquarium.

Check out Best Flowering Aquarium Plants (Underwater and Overwater)

Light requirements

Amazon sword is not very light-demanding.

This plant does well in low to moderate lighting conditions.

You should provide it with at least 2 watts of light per gallon.

Also, you should provide it light for at least 11 to 12 hours every day.

Substrate requirements

You can use any substrate for planting Amazon sword in your aquarium.

Just make sure that the substrate is at least 2.5 inches thick so that its roots can form a strong base in it.

Fertilization requirements

Amazon Sword is a very hardy plant and it doesn’t really require fertilizers.

But as with all aquarium plants, if you supplement it with regular doses of fertilizers, it will definitely benefit from it.

You should supplement it with root tabs.

Ideal water parameters

As mentioned earlier, Amazon sword can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.

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 hardness tolerance range is between 8 to 15°DH.

How to keep it in an aquarium?

Amazon sword is a tall plant that can grow as tall as 16 inches.

This plant grows very large with its large leaves that grow in all directions.

So, you should keep it in the center of your aquarium so that it will have sufficient area to spread.

You can also keep it in the background of your aquarium if you are going for a jungle effect.

Also, while planting Amazon sword in your aquarium, make sure that it is not blocking light for other small plants.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

Check out 12 Benefits of Live Plants in an Aquarium (Pros and Cons)

2. Corkscrew Vallisneria

PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Corkscrew Vallisneria
COMMON NAMES	Corkscrew Val
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Vallisneria torta
FAMILY	Tapegrass
CARE LEVEL	Easy
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Moderate to High
GROWTH RATE	Fast
TEMPERATURE	68-82.5 °F
pH	5-8
HARDNESS	Hard water
PLACEMENT	Background
MAXIMUM SIZE	20 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	5 gallon

Corkscrew Vallisneria is a seagrass-like tall plant.

This plant is very easy to care and it is very undemanding which makes it an ideal option for beginners.

It is a very good background plant for small to medium aquariums.

Provided with ideal conditions, this plant can grow very fast up to 20 inches tall.

Light requirements

Corkscrew Vallisneria requires decent lighting conditions for its proper growth.

This planet does well in moderate to high lighting conditions.

So, you should provide it at 3 to 4 watts per gallon light.

If you provide it with more light then it will grow faster.

Substrate requirements

You can use any substrate for planting Corkscrew Vallisneria in your aquarium.

You can plant it in a sand or gravel substrate.

If you plant it in a nutrient rich-substrate then it will benefit from it and grow faster.

Check out 8 Best Aquarium Plants for Sand Substrate

Fertilization requirements

For the proper growth of Corkscrew Vallisneria, you should supplement it with regular doses of fertilizers.

You can use liquid fertilizers or root tabs.

Ideal water parameters

The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Corkscrew Vallisneria is between 60-82 degrees Fahrenheit.

So you can keep it in a cold water aquarium.

Its pH tolerance range is between 5 to 8 and you should keep it in hard water that is rich in calcium.

How to keep it in an aquarium?

If you have a small to medium size aquarium then you should keep Corkscrew Vallisneria in the background of the tank.

If you have a larger tank then you can keep it in the middle ground of the tank.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

Check out 6 Tips to Take Care of Live Plants in Aquarium (For Beginners)

3. Jungle Vallisneria

PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Jungle Vallisneria
COMMON NAMES	Jungle Val, water celery, tape grass or eelgrass
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Vallisneria Americana
FAMILY	Hydrocharitaceae
CARE LEVEL	Intermediate
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Medium
GROWTH RATE	Fast
TEMPERATURE	65° – 85° F
pH	6.8 – 8.0
HARDNESS	Moderately Hard to Very Hard
PLACEMENT	Background
MAXIMUM SIZE	6 feet (2 meters)
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	10 gallon

Jungle Vallisneria is one of the common aquarium plants in the hobby.

It is actually one of the earliest plants in the aquarium hobby and it is still a very popular plant.

This is a fast growing plant that can grow as tall as 6 feet.

It is also a very hardy plant so it is a good choice for beginners.

This plant can tolerate a wide range of water parameters and it is also a very good plant for a cold-water aquarium.

Check out 8 Best Coldwater Aquarium Plants

Light requirements

Just like Corkscrew Vallisneria, Jungle Vallisneria does well in moderate to high lighting conditions.

So you should provide it at least 3-4 watts of light per gallon.

If you provide it with more light, it will grow faster.

Substrate requirements

You can use any substrate whether that is sand or gravel for planting Jungle Vallisneria in your aquarium.

If you plant it in a nutrient-rich substrate then it will grow faster.

Fertilization requirements

For better nourishment of Jungle Vallisneria, you should regularly supplement it with iron-rich fertilizers.

You should use liquid fertilizers and add them after the weekly water changes.

Ideal water parameters

The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Jungle Vallisneria is between 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Its pH tolerance range is between 6.8-8 and you should keep it in moderately hard to very hard water.

How to keep it in an aquarium?

Depending on the size of your aquarium, you should keep it in the middle ground or background of your aquarium.

If you have a small to medium size aquarium then you should keep it in the background.

If you have a large aquarium you can keep it in the middle ground of your aquarium.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

4. Ludwigia repens

PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Ludwigia Repens
COMMON NAMES	Ludwigia repens, Ludwigia repens Rubin, Red repens, Ludwigia sp. Weinrot, Red-Leaf Ludwigia, Creeping Primrose-Willow
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Ludwigia repens
FAMILY	Onagraceae
CARE LEVEL	Easy
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Low to very high
GROWTH RATE	Moderate to Fast
TEMPERATURE	60- 86oF
pH	5 – 8
HARDNESS	Very soft to hard level
PLACEMENT	Background
MAXIMUM SIZE	7-19 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	10 gallon

Ludwigia repens is a very popular coloring plant in the aquarium hobby.

This is a fast growing plant that can grow as tall as 19 inches.

It is also very easy to care for and can tolerate a wide range of water parameters so it is a very good choice for beginners.

It can tolerate temperatures as low as 60 degrees Fahrenheit so you can easily keep it in a cold water aquarium.

This is also a very good plant for small fishes like Tetras as it provides a lot of hiding places for them.

Check out 7 Best Aquarium Plants For Tetras

Light requirements

Ludwigia repens can do well in almost any lighting condition.

You can keep it in low lighting and it can tolerate very high lighting conditions as well.

Ideally, for the proper growth of Ludwigia repens, you should keep it in moderate lighting conditions.

You should provide it with at least 2 to 4 watts per gallon of light.

Substrate requirements

You can use any substrate for planting Ludwigia repens in your aquarium.

Can use sand or gravel as a substrate or you can use a nutrient-rich substrate and it will benefit from it.

Fertilization requirements

Ludwigia repens is very undemanding and it can survive without any fertilizers.

But for faster growth and its red coloration, you should supplement it with some fertilizers that are rich in CO2.

You can also supplement it with additional CO2 gas to get its red coloration.

Ideal water parameters

As mentioned earlier, Ludwigia repens can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.

That being said, the ideal temperature for the proper growth of Ludwigia repens is between 60-86 degrees Fahrenheit.

Its tolerance range is between 5 to 8.

You can keep it in any water whether that is soft to very hard and it will do just fine.

How to keep it in an aquarium?

Ludwigia repens is a tall stem plant that can grow as tall as 19 inches.

So it is a very good background plant for your aquarium.

You can just let it float in your aquarium.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

Check out 13 Best Aquarium Plants That Can Grow Without Substrate

5. Bacopa Caroliniana

Photo by David J. Stang under CC BY-SA 4.0

PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Bacopa
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Bacopa Caroliniana
FAMILY	Scrophulariaceae
CARE LEVEL	Easy
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Low
GROWTH RATE	Slow
TEMPERATURE	69.8 – 80.6°F
pH	6.8 – 7.2
HARDNESS	71.43 – 142.86 PPM
PLACEMENT	Background
MAXIMUM SIZE	11+ inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	10 gallons

Bacopa caroliniana is one of the most popular aquarium plants in aquascaping because of its coloration.

This plant produces leaves that range from green to yellow to pinkish in color.

This is a fast growing plant that can grow more than 11 inches.

It is very undemanding so it is a good choice for beginners.

As it is one of the popular plants, it is widely available in almost all aquarium shops.

It is also one of the best oxygenating plants for aquariums.

Check out 9 Best Oxygenating Plants for Aquarium (and Pond)

Light requirements

Bacopa caroliniana is very undemanding when it comes to light and it can survive in almost any lighting conditions.

You should provide it with at least 2 watts of light per gallon for its proper growth.

But as I said earlier, it can still survive without any light just make sure that it is not in shade.

To get its red coloration, you have to keep it under strong lighting.

Substrate requirements

You can use any substrate for planting Bacopa caroliniana in your aquarium.

But fine gravel substrate is recommended.

Fertilization requirements

Bacopa caroliniana is a very hardy plant and can do well without any fertilizers.

But if you are going after its red coloration then you have to supplement it with some additional fertilizers and also additional CO2.

Ideal water parameters

The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Bacopa caroliniana is between 69 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Its pH tolerance ranges between 6.8 to 7.2 and water hardness tolerance ranges between 4 to 8 °N.

How to keep it in an aquarium?

As Bacopa caroliniana is a tall stem plant that can grow more than 11 inches tall, you should keep it in the background of your aquarium.

If you have a large tank then you can keep it in the middle ground or near the walls of your aquarium.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

Check out 17 Best Background Plants for Aquarium (For Large and Nano Tanks)

6. Asian Ambulia

Photo by Andreus Felipen under CC BY-SA 3.0

PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Asian ambulia
COMMON NAMES	Dwarf ambulia, Ambulis, Asian marshweed
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Limnophila sessiliflora
FAMILY	Plantaginaceae
CARE LEVEL	Moderate
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Low
GROWTH RATE	Fast
TEMPERATURE	59-82° F
pH	5 – 8
HARDNESS	2 – 21°dKH
PLACEMENT	Mid-Background
MAXIMUM SIZE	15 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	10 gallon

Asian ambulia is a very beautiful fast growing plant that can grow as tall as 15 inches.

This plant is a very good alternative to the Cabomba which is very demanding.

This plant is very easy to care and it can tolerate a wide range of water parameters which makes it ideal for beginners.

It can tolerate temperatures as low as 59 degrees Fahrenheit so you can easily keep it in a cold water aquarium.

Light requirements

Asian ambulia is very undemanding when it comes to light and it does well in low-lighting conditions.

Ideally, you should provide it at least 0.5 watts per liter of light.

Substrate requirements

You can use any substrate for planting Asian ambulia in your aquarium.

Fertilization requirements

Asian ambulia is a very hardy plant and can do well without any fertilizers.

But as with all the aquarium plants, if you supplement it with fertilizers it will benefit from it and grow faster.

Check out 7 Best Aquarium Plants That Don’t Need Fertilizers

Ideal water parameters

As mentioned earlier, Asian ambulia can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.

That being said, the ideal temperature for the proper growth of Asian ambulia is between 59 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

Its pH tolerance ranges between 5 to 8 and its water hardness tolerance ranges between 2-21 dkh.

How to keep it in an aquarium?

If you have a small to medium size aquarium then you should keep it in the background of the aquarium.

If you have a larger aquarium then you can keep it in the midground of the aquarium.

7. 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 one of the best tall-growing plants, and it can grow more than 20 inches tall.

This plant can tolerate temperatures as low as 72 degrees Fahrenheit, so you can keep it in a cold water aquarium as well.

This plant has a unique net-like leaf structure, which makes it unique among other aquarium plants.

Light Requirements

This plant needs moderate to high lighting conditions to do well.

You should provide it with light anywhere between 3 to 5 Watts per gallon of your aquarium.

Substrate requirements

Lace plant don’t have any specific substrate requirements. You can keep it in any substrate, whether that is sand or fine gravel, and of course, nutrient-rich, soil substrate.

Placement in aquarium

As Lace plant is a tall growing plant, so you should keep it in the mid-ground or background of your aquarium.

Fertilization requirements

Lace plant will benefit from additional CO2 and fertilizers that are specifically rich in iron and trace elements.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

8. Water wisteria

See more images at Amazon here

PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Water wisteria
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Hygrophila difformis
FAMILY	Acanthaceae
CARE LEVEL	Easy
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Moderate to High
GROWTH RATE	Fast
TEMPERATURE	70-82°F
pH	6.5-7.5
HARDNESS	2-8 KH
PLACEMENT	Background or Carpet
MAXIMUM SIZE	20 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	10 gallons

Water wisteria can grow as tall as 20 inches.

This plant can tolerate a wide range of water parameters, which makes it an ideal choice for beginners.

Light Requirements

Water wisteria needs low to moderate lighting conditions to do well.

You should provide it with about 2 to 3 watts of light per gallon of your aquarium.

Substrate requirements

Ideally, you should plant Water wisteria in a Sandy substrate because, naturally, they are found in sandy substrates.

Besides, you can also plant them in a fine gravel substrate.

Placement in aquarium

As Water wisteria can grow pretty tall, up to 20 inches, you should put it in the mid-ground or background of your aquarium.

Fertilization requirements

Water wisteria can grow well without any additional fertilizers. However, for better growth, you should supplement it with some additional fertilizers.

You could use root tabs as well as liquid fertilizer for this plant.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

9. Rotala Indica

Image by Jessa under CC BY-ND 2.0

PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Rotala Indica
COMMON NAMES	Indian toothcup
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Rotala Indica
FAMILY	Lythraceae
CARE LEVEL	Moderate
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Moderate to High
GROWTH RATE	Moderate to fast
TEMPERATURE	72-82° F
pH	6.5-7.5
HARDNESS	KH 3-8
PLACEMENT	Background
MAXIMUM SIZE	2 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	5 gallon

Rotala Indica can grow up to 20 inches tall.

This is a very popular plant in the aquarium hobby because it looks very attractive with its small leaves.

This is a very fragile plant, so you should avoid keeping it if you have aggressive species of fish in the tank.

Light Requirements

This plant requires moderate to highlighting conditions to do well.

So ideally, you should provide light anywhere between 3 to 5 Watts per gallon of your aquarium water.

Substrate requirements

You should plant Rotala Indica in sand or fine gravel substrate.

Fertilization requirements

Rotala Indica does require a good amount of fertilizer to do well in aquarium.

So you should supplement it with additional fertilization that is rich in trace elements, iron, and potassium.

Placement in aquarium

As Rotala Indica can grow up to 20 inches, you should put it in the mid-ground or background of your aquarium

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

10. Green cabomba

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 can grow up to 11 inches tall.

It is getting more and more popular in the aquarium hobby, so you may easily find it at your local fish store that sells plants.

Light requirements

Green cabomba needs moderate to highlighting conditions to do well. So you should provide it light anywhere between 3 to 5 Watts per gallon of your aquarium water.

Substrate requirements

You can plant Green cabomba in a gravel substrate. It will definitely benefit if you plant it in a nutrient-rich substrate. 

Fertilization requirements

For Green cabomba to do well, you will need to supplement it with some additional fertilizers.

If you are planting it in a gravel substrate, then you should supplement it with root tabs as well as liquid fertilizers.

If you are already planting it in a nutrient-rich substrate, then you just need to supplement it with liquid fertilizer.

Placement in aquarium

As Green Cabomba can grow up to 11 inches, depending on the size of your aquarium, you should put it in the mid-ground or background.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

11. Java fern 

See more images at Amazon here

PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Java Fern
COMMON NAMES	Java Fern
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Microsorum pteropus
FAMILY	Polypodiaceae
CARE LEVEL	Easy
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Low to Moderate
GROWTH RATE	Low to Moderate
TEMPERATURE	68-82oF
pH	6.0-7.5
HARDNESS	60-160 ppm
PLACEMENT	Mid to Background
MAXIMUM SIZE	13.5 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	5 Gallons

Java fern can grow up to 13 inches tall.

This plant is very popular in the aquarium hobby because it has a very unique shape and it doesn’t require very strict water perimeters for it to do well.

Besides, it is also very cheap.

Light requirements

Java Fern doesn’t need a lot of light to do well.

You can put it in a low-lighting tank.

Substrate requirements

Java fern doesn’t have real roots, so you don’t need to plant it in a substrate.

However, if you can keep it planted in your aquarium. And you can plant it in any substrate. 

Fertilization requirements

Java fern can do well without any additional fertilizers.

However, if you want to encourage faster growth, then you should supplement it with some liquid fertilizers.

Placement in tank

As Java fern can grow up to 13 inches tall, you should put it in the mid-ground or background of your tank if you want to keep it planted in the tank.

Besides, you can also keep it floating in your tank

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

12. Anacharis

See more images at Amazon here

PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Anacharis
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Elodea
FAMILY	Hydrocharitaceae
CARE LEVEL	Easy
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Moderate
GROWTH RATE	Fast
TEMPERATURE	60-82° F
pH	6.5-7.5
HARDNESS	KH 3-8
PLACEMENT	Background
MAXIMUM SIZE	6 to 8 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	10 gallon

Anacharis can grow up to 8 inches tall. It can tolerate a wide range of water parameters, which makes it an ideal choice for beginners.

Light requirements

Anacharis does well under moderate lighting conditions.

Ideally, you should provide it with two watts of light per gallon.

High lighting can cause algae growth on this plant; on the other hand, if you provide it with very low lighting conditions, it will likely die.

Substrate requirements

You can use any substrate for this plant. However, it will do better if you plant it in a nutrient-rich substrate.

Fertilization requirements

Anacharis may do well without any additional fertilizers. However, for better growth, you should supplement it with some liquid fertilizer.

Placement in aquarium

You can plant Anacharis in the substrate of your aquarium and keep it in the midground or background of your tank.

Besides, you can also keep it as a floating plant.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

13. Water Sprite

See more images at Amazon here

PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Water Sprite
COMMON NAMES	Water Fern, Indian Fern
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Ceratopteris thalictroides
FAMILY	Pteridaceae
CARE LEVEL	Easy
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Medium to high
GROWTH RATE	Low to Moderate
TEMPERATURE	68-82°F
pH	6.0-7.5
HARDNESS	KH 3-8
PLACEMENT	Mid to Background
MAXIMUM SIZE	13.5 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	10 Gallons

Water Sprite can grow up to 13 inches tall.

This is a great plant if you have fish like guppies who need a lot of hiding places in their tanks.

Light requirements

Water Sprite does better under high-lighting conditions, so ideally, you should keep it under high lighting.

Subatrate requirements

You can plant Water Sprite in any substrate of your choice.

Fertilization requirements

This plant can do well without any additional fertilizers. However, if you want faster and healthier growth, then you should supplement it with some liquid fertilizers.

Placement in aquarium

As Water Sprite can grow up to 13 inches tall, depending on the size of your aquarium, you can keep it in the mid-ground or background of your tank.

Besides, you can also keep it as a floating plant in your aquarium.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

14. Brazilian pennywort

See more images at Amazon here

PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Brazilian Pennywort
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Hydrocotyle leucocephala
CARE LEVEL	Easy
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Moderate
GROWTH RATE	Fast
TEMPERATURE	68 – 82°F
pH	6.0 – 7.8
PLACEMENT	Floating or Foreground
MAXIMUM SIZE	8 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	10 gallon

Brazilian pennywort can grow up to 8 inches tall. 

It is one of the best aquarium plants for beginners because it is very hardy, can tolerate a wide range of water parameters, and is not very demanding.

Light requirements

Brazilian pennywort can do well in any lighting environment. However, for healthy and faster growth, you should keep it in moderate to high-lighting conditions.

And provide it with light anywhere between 3 to 5 Watts per gallon.

Substrate requirements

You can plant Brazilian pennywort in any substrate of your choice.

Fertilization requirements

Brazilian pennywort can do well without any additional fertilizers.

If you want to encourage faster and healthier growth, then you should supplement it with some liquid fertilizer that is specifically rich in iron.

Placement in aquarium

As Brazilian pennywort can grow up to 8 inches tall, depending on the size of your aquarium, you should keep it in the middle ground or the background of your tank.

Besides, you can also keep it floating in your aquarium.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

15. Green foxtail

PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Green Foxtail
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Myriophyllum Pinnatum
FAMILY	Halorhagaceae
CARE LEVEL	Easy
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Moderate
GROWTH RATE	Fast
TEMPERATURE	72-82° F
pH	6.5-7.5
HARDNESS	KH 3-8
PLACEMENT	Background
MAXIMUM SIZE	24 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	10 gallon

Green foxtail can grow up to 24 inches. This is a very hardy plant, which makes it an ideal choice for beginners.

Light requirements

This plant can do well in any lighting condition.

Under low light, it will grow slower, and under highlight, it will grow faster.

Substrate requirements

This plant doesn’t have any substance requirements, so you can put it in any substrate of your choice.

Fertilization requirements

This plant can do well without any additional fertilizers.

However, if you are looking for lush green and faster growth, then you should supplement it with some liquid fertilizers that are rich in trace elements, CO2, and potassium.

Placement in aquarium

As Green foxtail can grow up to 24 inches tall, you should put it in the background of your aquarium.

Besides, you can also keep it as a floating plant in your aquarium.

16. Ludwigia repens

PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Ludwigia Repens
COMMON NAMES	Ludwigia repens, Ludwigia repens Rubin, Red repens, Ludwigia sp. Weinrot, Red-Leaf Ludwigia, Creeping Primrose-Willow
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Ludwigia repens
FAMILY	Onagraceae
CARE LEVEL	Easy
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Low to very high
GROWTH RATE	Moderate to Fast
TEMPERATURE	60- 86oF
pH	5 – 8
HARDNESS	Very soft to hard level
PLACEMENT	Background
MAXIMUM SIZE	7-19 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	10 gallon

Ludwigia repens can grow up to 19 inches tall.

This is a great choice for you if you are looking for a coloring plant because it comes in a wide range of leaf sizes as well as different colors, from the deepest green to the deepest red.

Light requirements

This plant does well under moderate to high lighting conditions.

So you should provide it with light anywhere between two to four watts per gallon of your aquarium.

Substrate requirements

You can plant this plant in any substrate of your choice; however, you should usually avoid sand substrates for this plant because they can suffocate its roots.

Fertilization requirements

Ludwigia repens may do well without any additional fertilizers. However, if you want rich coloration from this plant, then you should supplement it with fertilizers that are specifically rich in CO2.

Placement in aquarium

As this plant can grow up to 19 inches tall, you should ideally put it in the background of your aquarium.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

17. Giant hygro or temple plant

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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

Temple plant can grow up to 24 inches tall. It is also a very beginner-friendly plant because it is very hardy.

Besides, it is one of the best flowering aquarium plants.

Light requirements

This plant does well in moderate lighting conditions of 2 to 3 Watts per gallon.

Substrate requirements

The recommended substrate for Temple plants is fine gravel.

Fertilization requirements

For better growth of Temple plant, you should supplement it with some additional liquid fertilizers as well as root tabs that are rich in iron, potassium, and trace elements.

Placement in aquarium

As Temple plant is a tall growing plant that can grow up to 24 inches tall, you should put this plant in the background of your aquarium.

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18. Aponogeton Crispus

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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

Apontogeton Crispus can grow up to 10 inches tall.

It is a very good plant for beginners because it is very hardy and easy to care for.

Light requirements

Apontogeton Crispus can do well in low to moderate lighting conditions of anywhere between two to four watts per gallon of your aquarium.

Substrate requirements

Ideally, you should plant Apontogeton Crispus in a nutrient-rich substrate.

Fertilization requirements

Apontogeton Crispus is very easy to care for, but it does need a lot of nutrients to do well.

So you should supplement it with additional fertilizers in the form of liquid fertilizers as well as root tabs.

Placement in aquarium

As Apontogeton Crispus can grow up to 10 inches, depending on the size of your aquarium, you should keep it in the middle or background of your tank.

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19. Cryptocoryne wendtii

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PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Cryptocoryne Wendtii
COMMON NAMES	Wendt’s Cryptocoryne, water trumpet
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Cryptocoryne Wendtii
FAMILY	Araceae
CARE LEVEL	Easy
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Low
GROWTH RATE	Medium
TEMPERATURE	72-82° F
pH	6.0-8.0
HARDNESS	KH 3-8
PLACEMENT	Background
MAXIMUM SIZE	6 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	5 gallon

Cryptocoryne wendtii can grow up to 6 inches tall.

The best part about this plant is that it comes in different color variations, including green, brown, and red, so you can choose according to your liking.

It is a very popular plant, so you can easily find it at your local fish store or online. Also, it is very easy to care for which makes it beginner-friendly.

Light requirements

Cryptocoryne wendtii doesn’t have any specific light requirements, and it can do well in low light as well as high lighting conditions.

Substrate requirements

You can plant Cryptocoryne wendtii in gravel as well as soil-based substrate.

Fertilization requirements

For proper growth and development, you should regularly supplement Cryptocoryne wendtii with liquid fertilizers as well as root tabs.

Placement in aquarium

As this plant can grow up to 6 inches tall, depending on the size of your tank, you can put it in the foreground or mid-ground of your aquarium.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

20. Hornwort

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PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Hornwort
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Anthocerotophyta
CARE LEVEL	Easy
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Medium
GROWTH RATE	Fast
TEMPERATURE	59-86°F
pH	6.0-7.5
HARDNESS	5-15 dGH
PLACEMENT	Background
MAXIMUM SIZE	10 foot
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	15 gallons

Hornwort can grow up to 10 feet tall. 

It is one of the most popular plants in the aquarium hobby because it is very easy to care for and can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.

So you can keep it in a cold water aquarium as well as a tropical aquarium.

Light requirements

For faster growth, you should keep Hornwort in highlighting conditions. However, it will do just fine in moderate lighting conditions.

Substrate requirements

Hornwort doesn’t have any specific substrate requirements, so you can plant it in any substrate of your choice.

Fertilization requirements

Hornwort can do well without any additional fertilizers. 

Actually, Hornwort has allelopathic abilities, which basically means that it can reduce chemicals that prevent other plants from absorbing nutrients so that it can take nutrients for itself.

So if you are keeping any other plants in your aquarium, then you should supplement your fish tank with some fertilizer for the other plants.

Placement in aquarium

As Hornwort can grow pretty tall, up to 10 feet, you should put it in the background of your tank.

Besides, you can also keep it as a floating plant.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

21. Italian Vallisneria

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PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Italian Vallisneria
COMMON NAMES	Italian Vallisneria
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Vallisneria spiralis
FAMILY	Hydrocharitaceae
CARE LEVEL	Easy
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Moderate
GROWTH RATE	Moderate to Fast
TEMPERATURE	72-80℉
pH	6.0-7.5
HARDNESS	4 – 18°N
PLACEMENT	Background
MAXIMUM SIZE	11.81 – 21.65 inch
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	10 gallon

Italian Vallisneria can grow up to 21 inches tall.

It can tolerate a fairly wide range of water parameters, which makes it an ideal choice for beginners.

Besides, it is very cheap as well.

Light requirements

Italian Vallisneria can do well under moderate to highlighting conditions.

Under high lighting conditions, it will grow much faster.

Substrate requirements

You can plant this plant in any substrate of your choice.

Fertilization requirements

Italian Vallisneria can do well without any additional fertilizers.

Placement in aquarium

As Italian Vallisneria can grow up to 21 inches tall, ideally, you should keep it in the background of your tank.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

22. Moneywort

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PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Moneywort
COMMON NAMES	Moneywort
SCIENTIFIC NAME	Bacopa Monnieri
FAMILY	Scropulariacase
CARE LEVEL	Moderate
LIGHT REQUIREMENT	Moderate to High
GROWTH RATE	Moderate
TEMPERATURE	72-82° F
pH	6.5-7.5
HARDNESS	KH 3-8
PLACEMENT	Background
MAXIMUM SIZE	12+ inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	10 gallon

Moneywort can grow up to 12 inches tall.

This is not a beginner-friendly plant, so if you are a beginner, you should avoid this plant.

Light requirements

Moneywort does well under moderate lighting conditions.

Ideally, you should provide it with at least two watts of light per gallon of your aquarium.

Substrate requirements

You can plant Moneywort in any substrate of your choice. However, it will grow much faster and healthier in nutrient-rich substrate.

Fertilization requirements

Moneywort needs fertilizers on a regular basis to grow faster and healthier.

So ideally, you should supplement it regularly with root tabs or liquid fertilizers.

Placement in aquarium

As Moneywort can grow up to 12 inches tall, depending on the size of your aquarium, you should put it in the middle ground or background of your aquarium.

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23. Anubias barteri

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PARAMETERS	VALUES
PLANT	Anubias barteri
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	12 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE	5 Gallons
PROPAGATION	Rhizome Division

Anubias barteri can grow up to 12 inches tall.

It is a very popular plant in the aquarium hobby because it is very hardy. And it is an ideal choice for beginners.

Light requirements

Anubias barteri does well under low to moderate lighting conditions.

So ideally, you should provide it light between 2 to 3 Watts per gallon.

Substrate requirements

Ideally, you should plant Anubias barteri in a gravel substrate.

Fertilization requirements

Anubias barteri can do well without any additional fertilizers. However, it will definitely benefit if you can provide it with some liquid fertilizer on a regular basis.

Placement in aquarium

As Anubias barteri can grow up to 12 tall. So depending on the size of your tank, you should keep it in the midground or background of your aquarium.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

24. Red tiger lotus

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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 can grow up to 31 inches tall.

This is a very attractive red aquarium plant, and it also produces flowers when kept in ideal conditions.

And the best part is that it is a beginner-friendly plant.

Light requirements

Red tiger lotus is not very demanding when it comes to light.

You can put it under low, moderate, or highlighting conditions.

If you want more compact growth, then you should put it in a highlighting condition.

Substrate requirements

For faster and healthier growth, you should plant Red tiger lotus in a nutrient-rich substrate.

Fertilization requirements

Red tiger lotus can do well without any additional fertilizers. However, for faster and lusher growth, you should supplement it with some additional fertilizers in the form of root tabs as well as liquid fertilizers.

Placement in aquarium

As Red tiger lotus can grow up to 31 inches tall. Ideally, you should put it in the background of your aquarium.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

Things to keep in mind while choosing live tall growing aquarium plants

Now I’ll tell you the things you should keep in mind while choosing live, tall growing aquarium plants.

Choose plants according to the size of your tank

Before choosing tall growing plants, first of all, you will need to decide where you want to put the plant in your tank.

Usually, tall growing plants are kept in the middle or background of an aquarium.

Once you have decided on the placement, you should consider the maximum size that the plant can grow up to and your tank size, and you should choose the plant accordingly.

Choose healthy live plants

If you are shopping for plants offline, then you should choose the plant that looks lush and has a lot of new growth.

Also, you should make sure that the plant actually has roots, or rhizomes, so that you can plant it right away in your aquarium.

Besides, you should check the plant thoroughly and make sure that there are no snails on it.

How to spot unhealthy plants

Brown or black leaves or stems are clear signs that the plant is not getting all the nutrients and is dying, so you should avoid getting such plants.

Leave the plants alone for a while after planting

If you are not getting plants from the hobbyists in your area and if you are purchasing plants online, then in that case, the plants are usually grown in a different environment and in different water compared to your aquarium water.

So in this case, when you plant the plant in your aquarium, as the plant is not used to your aquarium water, its existing leaves will start to melt.

When this happens, beginners freak out. But in such situations, you should not panic. 

You should let the leaves melt, and you should trim such melting leaves.

After trimming the old leaves, the new leaves will be very well adjusted to your aquarium water, and they will grow fine and healthy in your aquarium.

Try to get a lot of different types of plants

You should try to get as many different tall growing aquarium plants as you can and put them in your aquarium.

This is because after doing a lot of research, you still can’t tell which plants will actually do well in your aquarium.

Some of the plants will die no matter what you do for them, and some will survive.

That’s why it is important to get at least a few plants right away to put in your aquarium.

Do fish like tall plants?

In the natural habitat of many fish, there are a lot of tall growing aquarium plants. So if you keep some tall aquarium plants in your tank, it will make them feel like home.

Usually, tall growing aquarium plants provide a lot of hiding places for the fish. This can be very helpful for the fish in case they are threatened for any reason.

How to plant tall aquarium plants in an aquarium?

Broadly speaking, there are three types of tall aquarium plants.

And the method of planting them in aquariums differs slightly.

Rhizome plants

Rhizome plants, as the name suggests, have rhizomes.

The roots grow below the rhizome.

The best thing about these types of plants is that you don’t necessarily need to plant them in the substrate; however, you can if you like.

Commonly, they are placed between rocks or porous ornaments in an aquarium.

So planting them in your aquarium is pretty straightforward, you just need to place them between rocks or ornaments in your tank. Or you can also plant them in your substrate. Just make sure not to bury the rhizome in the substrate.

Aquarium plants with crowns

There are several aquarium plants that have crowns, for example, sword plants like the Amazon sword and cryptocoryne plants like Cryptocoryne wendtii.

Basically, when planting such plants in your aquarium, you should make sure not to bury the crown of the plant in the substrate. You should just bury its roots.

Stem plants

Planting stem plants is very straightforward and generally easy. Simply bury the bottom of the stem plant up to 2–3 inches into your substrate.

If the stem plants you got don’t have any roots, you can keep them floating in your tank for a few days until they grow some roots. And then plant it in your aquarium substrate.

How to plant aquarium plants in an aquarium (video tutorial)

Does trimming aquarium plants help them grow?

Trimming aquarium plants helps them grow, especially stem aquarium plants, which can multiply when you trim them.

But in the case of other plants, like rosette plants, trimming them will not help them grow.

What to do when aquarium plants get too tall?

If your aquarium plants get too tall, you should trim them.

And if you are trimming the stem plants, then you can actually plant the trimmed plants into the substrate, and it will grow new plants.

Best place to buy live aquarium plants

If you can, you should get the live plants from the hobbyists in your area.

This is because when you get aquarium plants from them, the plant is already acclimated to the water in your area.

So when you plant the plant in your aquarium, it will get adjusted to the new environment quickly, and it will start to grow right away.

If you are purchasing the plant online, then you should get it from a reputed source. If you are buying from Amazon, then you should check the reviews from other people who have bought the plants from the seller.

FAQ

Conclusion

So these are the best live tall-growing aquarium plants.

I hope you found this list helpful.

If you do, please share it.

Also, let me know which plant you are going to try in your aquarium in the comments section below.

Happy fishkeeping!