Aquatic plants are used to give the freshwater aquarium a natural appearance, oxygenate the water, absorb ammonia, and provide habitat for fish, especially fry (babies) and for invertebrates. Some aquarium fish and invertebrates also eat live plants. Hobbyists use aquatic plants for aquascaping, of several aesthetic styles.
Aquatic plants have a variety of different growth forms, with most species found either partially or fully submerged in their natural habitat. Although there are a handful of obligate aquatic plants that must be grown entirely underwater, most can grow fully emersed if the soil is moist. Though some are just living at the water margins, still, they can live in the completely submerged habitat.
Freshwater plants can be obtained from a plethora of sources. These range from established nurseries to smaller sellers found on platforms like Amazon, Etsy, and EBay. For rarer plants, they may only be obtainable through niche forums or non-traditional sellers (eg: scientific supply companies). Occasionally, new plants may enter the market after being collected from the wild and propagated.
This list includes all plants in a broad sense (Archaeplastida) grown and sold for intentional use in freshwater aquaria. Organisms not included are true plants that are undesirable in aquaria (eg: black beard algae) or other photosynthetic organisms (golden algae, diatoms, cyanobacteria) that have variable desirability but ultimately aren't plants. For those, see freshwater aquarium algae. Many of these species are dangerous invasives and should be disposed of in a way that guarantees that they will not enter local waters.
Complex red algae (Florideophyceae)
Order Batrachospermales FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon nameCommercial sourcesImageBatrachospermaceaeBatrachospermum?none
Order Ceramiales FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon nameCommercial sourcesImageDelesseriaceaeCaloglossaCaloglossa beccariired "moss" (unaccurate)
Order Thoreales FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon nameCommercial sourcesImageThoreaceaeThoreaThorea hispidanoneNeeds quality image
Complex Chlorophyte green algae (Ulvophyceae)
Order Cladophorales FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon namesCommercial sourcesImagePithophoraceaeAegagropilaAegagropila browniiMarimo
Complex Chlorophyte green algae (Charophyceae)
Stoneworts (Order Charales)
FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon namesCommercial sourcesImageCharaceaeCharaChara brauniiChara contrariaChara fragilisChara vulgarisCommon stonewortNitellaNitella capillarisNitella flexilisSmooth stonewortNitella gracilisNitella hyalinaMany-branched stonewortNitella opacaDull stonewortNitella translucensTranslucent stonewortTolypellaTolypella glomerataTolypella nidifica
Mosses Order Dicranales FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon nameCommercial sourcesImageFissidentaceaeFissidensFissidens fontanusPhoenix moss
Order Bryales FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon nameCommercial sourcesImageMniaceaePlagiomniumPlagiomnium affinePearl moss
Order Hypnales FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon nameCommercial sourcesImageAmblystegiaceaeDrepanocladusDrepanocladus aduncusStringy mossNeeds quality imageLeptodictyumLeptodictyum ripariumKneiff's feathermossFontinalaceaeFontinalisFontinalis antipyreticaWillow mossHypnaceaeTaxiphyllumTaxiphyllum alternansTaiwan mossNeeds quality imageTaxiphyllum barbieriJava mossVesiculariaVesicularia dubyanaSingapore mossNeeds quality imageVesicularia ferrieiWeeping mossNeeds quality imageVesicularia montagneiChristmas mossNeeds quality imageVesicularia reticulataErect mossNeeds quality image Liverworts
Order Marchantiales FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon nameCommercial sourcesImageMonosoleniaceaeMonosoleniumMonosolenium tenerumPelliaRicciaceaeRicciaRiccia fluitansRiccia, CrystalwortRicciocarposRicciocarpos natansPurple-fringed riccia
Lycopods
Quillworts (Order Isoetales) FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon name Commercial sourcesImageIsoetaceaeIsoetesIsoetes japonicaJapanese quillwortNeeds quality imageIsoetes lacustrisOctopus plant, octopus quillwortIsoetes velata?Needs quality image Ferns
Waterferns (Order Salviniales) FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon nameCommercial sourcesImageMarsileaceaeMarsileaMarsilea angustifolia?Needs quality imageMarsilea crenataDwarf watercloverMarsilea drummondiiFuzzy watercloverMarsilea hirsuta?Marsilea muticaVariegated watercloverMarsilea quadrifoliaEuropean watercloverMarsilea schelpeanaCut-leaf watercloverPilulariaPilularia globuliferaCommon pillwortRegnellidiumRegnellidium diphyllumTwo-leaved waterfernSalviniaceaeAzollaAzolla caroliniana (technically Azolla cristata)Carolina mosquitofernAzolla filiculoides?Azolla pinnataFeathered mosquitofernAzolla rubraPacific mosquitofernSalviniaSalvinia auriculataEared water velvet, Eared water spanglesSalvinia biloba?Needs quality imageSalvinia cucullataCupped water velvet, Cupped water spanglesSalvinia minimaMini water velvet, water spanglesSalvinia natanswater velvetSalvinia oblongifoliaGiant water velvet, Giant water spanglesSalvinia sprucei?Needs quality image
Filmy ferns (Order Hymenophyllales) FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon nameCommercial sourcesImageHymenophyllaceaeCrepidomanesCrepidomanes malabaricum?Needs quality imageTrichomanesTrichomanes javanicumBorneo Fern
Common ferns (Order Polypodiales) FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon nameCommercial sourcesImageAspleniaceaeHymenaspleniumHymenasplenium obscurum?Needs quality imageDavalliaceaeDavalliaDavallia parvula?Needs quality imageDryopteridaceaeBolbitis Bolbitis difformis?Needs quality imageBolbitis heteroclitaEl niño fernBolbitis heudelotiiAfrican water fernLomariopsidaceaeLomariopsisLomariopsis lineataSüsswassertangPolypodiaceaeLeptochilusLeptochilus pteropusJava fernPteridaceaeCeratopterisCeratopteris cornuta ?Needs quality imageCeratopteris pteridoidesFloating antler-fernCeratopteris siliquosa?Needs quality imageCeratopteris thalictroidesWater sprite
Flowering plants (Angiosperms)
Nymphaeales
Trithuria austinensis Trithuria australis Trithuria inconspicua
FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon nameCommercial sourcesImageCabombaceaeBraseniaBrasenia schreberiWatershieldCabombaCabomba aquaticaGreen cabombaCabomba carolinianaCarolina fanwort, Carolina cabombaCabomba furcata (also known as Cabomba piauhyensisRed cabombaCabomba palaeformisPurple-underleaved cabombaNymphaeaceaeBarclayaBarclaya longifolia?Barclaya motleyi?Needs quality imageNymphaeaNymphaea stellata?Needs quality imageNymphaea leibergii?Needs quality imageNymphaea thermarum?Nymphaea zenkeri?Needs quality imageNymphaea lotus?Needs quality image
Nuphar advenum Nuphar japonica (Spatterdock) Nuphar lutea (Yellow water-lily) Nuphar pumilum Nuphar sagittifolium
Magnoliids
Order Piperales FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon nameCommercial sourcesImageSaururaceaeSaururusSaururus cernuusLizard's tailPiperaceaePeperomiaPeperomia pellucidaPepper elder Monocots
FamilyGenusSpeciesCommon nameCommercial sourcesImage Lagenandra dewitii Lagenandra insignis Lagenandra koenigii Lagenandra lancifolia Lagenandra meeboldii Lagenandra nairii Lagenandra ovata Lagenandra thwaitesii Lemna aequinoctialis Lemna gibba Lemna minor (Duckweed) Lemna perpusilla Lemna trisulca Najas graminea Najas guadelupensis (Guppy Grass) Najas indica Najas marina Najas minor Najas pectinata Potamogeton coloratus Potamogeton crispus Potamogeton densus Potamogeton filiformis Potamogeton gayi Potamogeton gramineus Potamogeton lucens Potamogeton malaianus Potamogeton natans Potamogeton perfoliatus Acorus calamus (Common sweet flag) Acorus gramineus (Japanese sweet flag) Alisma canaliculatum Alisma gramineum Alisma lanceolatum Alisma nanum Alisma orientale Alisma plantago-aquatica Alisma subcordatum Alisma triviale Alisma wahlenbergii Anubias afzelii (Narrow-leafed anubias) Anubias barteri var. barteri (Broadleaved anubias) Anubias barteri var. angustifolia Anubias barteri var. caladiifolia Anubias barteri var. glabra Anubias barteri var. nana (Dwarf anubias) Anubias gigantea Anubias gilletti Anubias gracilis Anubias hastifolia Anubias heterophylla Anubias pynaertii Aponogeton appendiculatus Aponogeton bernierianus Aponogeton boivinianus Aponogeton capuronii Aponogeton crispus (Crinkled or ruffled aponogeton) Aponogeton decartyi Aponogeton desertorum Aponogeton dioecus Aponogeton distachyos Aponogeton elongatus Aponogeton fenestralis Aponogeton henkelianus Aponogeton junceus Aponogeton longiplumulosus Aponogeton loriae Aponogeton madagascariensis (Madagascar laceleaf, lace plant) Aponogeton natans Aponogeton rigidifolius Aponogeton tenuispicatus Aponogeton ulvaceus (Compact aponogeton) Aponogeton undulatus Arthraxon hispidus
Crinum calamistratum Crinum natans (African onion plant) Crinum purpurascens Crinum thaianum (water onion) Cryptocoryne affinis Cryptocoryne alba Cryptocoryne albida Cryptocoryne aponogetifolia Cryptocoryne auriculata Cryptocoryne axelrodii Cryptocoryne balansae Cryptocoryne beckettii (Beckett's Cryptocoryne) Cryptocoryne blassii Cryptocoryne bogneri Cryptocoryne bullosa Cryptocoryne ciliata Cryptocoryne cognata Cryptocoryne cordata (Giant cryptocoryne) Cryptocoryne crispatula Cryptocoryne cruddasiana Cryptocoryne dewitii Cryptocoryne diderici Cryptocoryne elliptica Cryptocoryne ferruginea Cryptocoryne fusca Cryptocoryne gasserii Cryptocoryne grabowskii Cryptocoryne gracilis Cryptocoryne griffithii Cryptocoryne hudoroi Cryptocoryne keei Cryptocoryne legroi Cryptocoryne lingua Cryptocoryne longicauda Cryptocoryne lucens Cryptocoryne lutea Cryptocoryne minima Cryptocoryne moehlmannii (Moehlmann's cryptocoryne) Cryptocoryne nevillii Cryptocoryne nurii Cryptocoryne pallidinervia Cryptocoryne parva (Tiny cryptocoryne) Cryptocoryne petchii Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia Cryptocoryne purpurea Cryptocoryne retrospiralis Cryptocoryne schulzei Cryptocoryne scrurillis Cryptocoryne siamensis Cryptocoryne spiralis Cryptocoryne striolata Cryptocoryne thwaitesii Cryptocoryne tonkinensis Cryptocoryne undulata (Undulate cryptocoryne) Cryptocoryne usteriana Cryptocoryne venemae Cryptocoryne versteegii Cryptocoryne walkeri Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica' Cryptocoryne x willisii Cryptocoryne zewaldiae Cryptocoryne zonata Cryptocoryne zukalii
Echinodorus africanus Echinodorus amazonicus (Amazon sword) Echinodorus andrieuxii Echinodorus angustifolius Echinodorus argentinensis Echinodorus aschersonianus Echinodorus barthii Echinodorus berteroi Echinodorus bleheri (Broadleaved amazon) Echinodorus brevipedicellatus Echinodorus cordifolius (Radicans sword, spade leaf sword) Echinodorus fluitans Echinodorus grandiflorus (Large-flowered amazon) Echinodorus horemanii (Black-red amazon) Echinodorus horizontalis Echinodorus humilis Echinodorus latifolius Echinodorus longiscapus Echinodorus macrophyllus (Large-leaved amazon sword) Echinodorus martii Echinodorus major (Ruffled amazon sword) Echinodorus opacus (Opaque amazon sword) Echinodorus osiris (Red amazon sword) Echinodorus 'Ozelot' Echinodorus palaefolius Echinodorus paniculatus Echinodorus parviflorus (Black amazon sword) Echinodorus pelliscidus Echinodorus quadricostatus (Dwarf sword) Echinodorus radicans Echinodorus rigidifolius Echinodorus 'Rubin' Echinodorus rubra Echinodorus schlueteri Echinodorus subalatus Echinodorus tunicatus Echinodorus uruguayensis (Uruguay amazon sword) Eleocharis acicularis (Hairgrass) Eleocharis dulcis (Water Chestnut) Eleocharis minima (Mini Haigrass) Eleocharis montevidensis (Sand Spikerush) Eleocharis obtusa Eleocharis parvula Eleocharis vivipara Elodea canadensis (Canadian pondweed) Elodea densa (Elodea, pondweed) Elodea granatensis Elodea najas Elodea nuttallii Elodea occidentalis Eriocaulon amanoanum Eriocaulon cinereum Eriocaulon depressum Eriocaulon parkeri Eriocaulon setaceum
Floscopa glomerata Floscopa scandens
Paepalanthus fluviatilis
Sagittaria chapmani Sagittaria eatonii Sagittaria filiformis Sagittaria graminea Sagittaria guyanensis Sagittaria isoëtiformis Sagittaria latifolia Sagittaria microfila Sagittaria montevidensis Sagittaria natans Sagittaria papillosa