# Anubias nana petite same as bonsai?



## MonsterMoss (Jul 2, 2014)

I asked this question to google but it seems to be unanswered. Some say they are one and the same. And some say nana petite is smaller than bonsai. 

I asked to see nana petite at LFS yesterday and the guy said bonsai and nana petite are the same, and showed me bonsai. It was rather big at 2~3 inches, light green and long-ish leafed. I was expecting much smaller with leaves the size of pinky nails, <1" tall and darker green. So yeah, I'm pretty confused.


Thanks in advance for any insights!


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

http://anubias-engl.blogspot.com/
http://www.flowgrow.de/db/aquaticplants/anubias-barteri-var-nana-petite-bonsai

I use to think bonsia was just a bs name sellers slapped on to increase $ on petite, but its a differnt plant, not the same as petite.

If you want pinkie nail sized leaves look for MICRO instead of petite or bonsia.


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## JMN16150 (Jul 21, 2012)

There are defective hybrids of aquatic plants, the most familiar exmple being Rotala macrandra var. 'Mini Buttefly' which is an unstable hybrid, having the tendency to revert to a form called Rotala macrandra 'Catterpillar' under less than ideal conditions or randomness, becoming quite opposite of the tiny leaved red 'Mini Butterfly'.
I've read that Anubias 'Bonsai' is actually the reverted form of an unstable Anubias barteri nana 'Petite' or Anubias 'Petite', which has gown back to take the form of a regular Anubias barteri nana. So leaf Sizes.. .would probably be A. barteri> A. barteri nana and A. barteri nana 'bonsai'> A. barteri nana 'Petite'> A. barteri nana 'Micro'.

I've also read that 'bonsai' are also sold under A. nana


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

It's the same plant from two different nurseries. Leaves do not get more than 1" long. 2-3" sounds like Nana, not petite/bonsai.


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## yellabelly (Mar 24, 2014)

I have 3 different size anubias from the same rhizome(all "petite") seems to depend on lighting. Ofcourse the ones producing tiny leaves are closest to the light. Also, moving them around helps with uniformity. Largest "petite" has 1" leaves, smallest has <pea size. Some plants have all sizes....


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

MonsterMoss said:


> I asked this question to google but it seems to be unanswered. Some say they are one and the same. And some say nana petite is smaller than bonsai.
> 
> I asked to see nana petite at LFS yesterday and the guy said bonsai and nana petite are the same, and showed me bonsai. It was rather big at 2~3 inches, light green and long-ish leafed. I was expecting much smaller with leaves the size of pinky nails, <1" tall and darker green. So yeah, I'm pretty confused.
> 
> ...


Hi MonsterMoss,

Yes, they are the same plant. The growers in Asia sell Anubias barteri nana 'Petite' as 'Bonsai'. If you see 'Bonsai' in a LFS chances are it was imported from Asia.


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## sleepswithdafishez (May 23, 2013)

I bought small "nail-sized leaf" Anubias ,from the same LFS ,in different periods ,maybe even different years?..

The first ones were sold as Anubias "micro" ,the others were sold as "bonsai" ,others as "petite".....still ,at this day I cannot tell which is which.Maybe my tank conditions didn't allow them to grow bigger leaves than a fingernail ,I am not sure.They seem to be less prone to algae than the anubias bought as "Nana" -whose leaves are bigger though-

Anubias "Nana" also seem to grow slower than the small-leaved ones.All varieties are in the same tank.


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