Vallisneria

Vallisneria is the classic background plant, sending long ribbon leaves to the surface where they trail along the top of the tank. We stock corkscrew val, which twists as it grows, and thin val, which is straighter and finer.

It is one of the fastest ways to fill the back of a tank. Val spreads by runners across the substrate and a few plants become a dense stand within a couple of months, which is either exactly what you want or something to keep on top of with a pair of scissors.

Plant it with the crown, the point where the leaves meet the roots, sitting just above the substrate rather than buried, and it will take off. It grows in ordinary gravel and does not need added carbon dioxide.