# Plants that grow up, but not out?



## battered (Jan 1, 2012)

Looking for plants that grow vertically around 7-10 inches tall, but don't grow horizontally a ton. No stems, no vals, just low maintenance plants. Are crypts and ferns my only options?


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## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

How abouy a type of Rotala?


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## battered (Jan 1, 2012)

Trying to avoid stems because I'd prefer to avoid trimming in this case.


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## i'm a ninja (Aug 2, 2009)

Ferns will grow outward over time, so they are probably not what you're looking for. You could try some Vesuvias Swords, they're easy and grow pretty much straight up. You could also try Crypt Spiralis or Retrpspiralis, but both of them will get way taller than you are looking for. You could maybe try flame moss, it grows pretty tall if its happy where its at


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## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

Wow I can't even read lol. It's been a long day.


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## ony (Apr 1, 2011)

Bacopa monnieri? Its a stem but its slow growing enough that you won't need to trim often.


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## battered (Jan 1, 2012)

Unfortunately, bacopa monnieri actually grow pretty fast for me in the tank I'd be keeping it in. It's a nano, so it's kind of a hassle with stems. Also, I'm using Fluval Plant Stratum, which in my opinion, is frustrating when it comes to anchoring plants in the substrate because the pieces of substrate are so light. What about a banana plant? Sure, it's kind of awkward looking, but I love the look of the lily pads at the surface. It'd be complementing anubias nana petite as the only other plant in the tank, adds to the kind of "clean" look I'm going for, and isn't hard to "plant" into the substrate.


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## kamikazi (Sep 3, 2010)

if you are working with a bigger tank some types of swords may work for you or there are a few tall anubias species as well.


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## TwoTacoCombo (Apr 13, 2012)

Anubias Frazeri will grow very tall, but doesn't grow horizontally very fast. Dwarf Sag is growing up, not out, in my low light tank. Bacopa, ludwigia, and rotala are all growing vertically but not really bushing out. Persicaria kawa is growing straight up, but it does have longer leaves and takes up a bit more floor space and some of the other plants.


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## battered (Jan 1, 2012)

TwoTacoCombo said:


> Anubias Frazeri will grow very tall, but doesn't grow horizontally very fast. Dwarf Sag is growing up, not out, in my low light tank. Bacopa, ludwigia, and rotala are all growing vertically but not really bushing out. Persicaria kawa is growing straight up, but it does have longer leaves and takes up a bit more floor space and some of the other plants.


Thanks! Yeah, I keep bacopa, ludwigia, and rotala, and they're very nice. I just really don't want to deal with trimming stems in this case. Dwarf sag grows very short for me, for some reason. I'm still liking the banana plant idea though (I've always wanted to keep some sort of lily)


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

don't do banana's
their leafs grow to the size of the palm of my hand, which I think would be even more annoying in a nano then stems


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## battered (Jan 1, 2012)

Won't it adapt to a smaller tank/smaller surface? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay-oBpu_RGo is what got me thinking about it. Lily pads seem small enough here at least.


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

I was talking about the summered leafs tbh
I guess it does depend, but I would at the very least keep in mind the potential
besides, if there were large leafs you could always trim them off I'd imagine


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## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

Giant hairgrass? Also I have crypt willisii in my 6 gallon tank and banking on low light and no CO2 keeping it short, but right now it's only growing up and looks like nice blades of grass.


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## battered (Jan 1, 2012)

Hm...giant hairgrass sounds interesting. Didn't know it could be grown without co2. I have willisii but it still grows out a bit for me (the stems/leaves curl out naturally).


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## Ptyochromis (Mar 16, 2012)

Anubias Congensis? Anubias Lanceolata?
Dwarf sag? Pigmy swords? A lot of plants will 'stretch' up if you limit light.

Also, get some vals, vals are awesome.


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## battered (Jan 1, 2012)

Sag always grows short for me. The light on the tank is the Fluval 13w light anyways. I thought about vals but they grow so tall. I'm either going with the banana plant + anubias in the front, or an all anubias tank.


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## Ptyochromis (Mar 16, 2012)

All anubias would be cool. Low maintenance, my anubias out grow my swords lol. Then again I have had them for longer and my tank is low light/low tech. Most of them grow out from the rhizome.


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## pandamonium (May 14, 2012)

im a fan of brazilian pennywort. the plant grows like a weed and if planted grows straight to the surface. the leaves are situated around the stem. if you grow it floating, then the leaves will stick on the side closest to the surface. i have not grown it emersed yet though.


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