Unique banana shape
Easy care
Grows lily pads

Banana plants have been a staple of the aquarium hobby for many years because of their ease of care and visual impact. The banana plant gets its name because its tubers (where nutrients are stored) are shaped like a bunch of bananas. Once established, banana plants grow both wavy, green leaves in the water and tall lily pads at the surface. When this happens, check to make sure your other plants aren't being shaded out by the lily pads and trim if necessary.

Scientific Name: Nymphoides aquatica
Native To: Southeastern United States
Skill Level: Easy
Placement: Foreground to midground
Recommended Light: Low Light 10-20 PAR (click to see our PAR chart)
CO₂ Requirement: None
Preferred Fertilizer: Easy Green liquid fertilizer and Easy Root Tabs
Propagation: Trim off a leaf, float in water till roots grow, and replant

***Being a natural product, sizes can vary from what is shown.***

How to Plant Banana Plant Aquarium Plant

1. Remove the potted plant from plastic basket, and split the rock wool in half.
2. Carefully remove the plant roots from the rock wool, and make sure to remove all the small, yellow fertilizer balls. Wash off any remaining debris.
3. Rest the tubers on top of substrate or buried to about 1/4 inch so the plant can send roots down into the substrate. If buried too deeply, the plant may rot and eventually die.
4. If the tubers start floating, you can either wait for it to sink or place it loosely under a piece of hardscape to keep it weighed down.
5. The plant may come with a few small leaves. However, the leaves are delicate and it is common for them to be damaged in transit. More leaves will grow about 7–10 days after being planted in an aquarium.

How to Care for Aquarium Banana Plant

— Banana plant care is very easy, so start by using low lighting between 10-20 PAR.
— Why is my banana plant turning yellow or brown? If your plant is getting enough light, it may be a nutrient deficiency, so measure the nitrate level using a multi-test strip. Dose with Easy Green all-in-one fertilizer until the water has 20-50 ppm nitrate and add more Easy Root Tabs as needed.
— How to trim banana plant: If the plant has dying or melting leaves, cut them off at the base of the stem closest to the tubers.
— Note: Snails and plecos have been known to eat banana plants, so watch out for this if you see holes in the leaves.

How to Propagate Banana Plant Aquarium Plant

Simply cut off one of the leaves and let it float around in your tank. Eventually, new roots and some small leaves will start to appear, which you can then plant back into the substrate.