
Java ferns are great for low-tech aquascapes, which means they don’t necessarily need tons of light, don’t require a CO2 system or fertilizers, and they’re pretty much impossible to kill. Java ferns use their roots only for anchoring purposes, as well, and let the leaves draw in the necessary nutrients instead. They have very strong roots that anchor to almost any porous surface – like rocks, a piece of driftwood, et cetera. In fact, Java ferns don’t grow in dirt particularly. This ability is an adaptation that allows them to grow outside of soil. Their leaves and roots grow from a thick horizontal stem in practically any direction, depending on the specific environment in which they live.


A lot of times, these plants are called creeping rootstalks or rootstalks because of the way they propagate. Java ferns are known as rhizomatous plants, which means that they have modified subterranean plant stems that send out shoots and roots from their nodes. They tend to grow along riverbanks where they can root onto a variety of surfaces for the optimal Java fern growth rate. Throughout the location where you’ll find it, Java ferns have different appearances in both leaf shape and size. Natively, you’ll find Java fern growing in Southeast Asia, in submerged and partially submerged spots in freshwater or brackish water.

Java fern is an aquatic plant that’s extremely popular for fish keepers who want a beautiful, planted aquarium, primarily because it’s an exceptionally hardy plant that is almost impossible to kill. They naturally grow and attach themselves to rocks and roots and grow both in fully and partially submerged environments…which is a large part of why this leafy green plant is a popular option for aquarium keepers who love a lush, green, planted Java fern aquarium. It’s a highly variable plant that has different geographic varieties that have differing leaf shapes and sizes. The Java Fern, nicknamed this for its natural habitat of the Indonesian Island of Java, can also naturally be found in Malaysia, Thailand, some regions of China, and the Northeastern areas of India.
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How to Propagate Java Fern Quick Overview Facts on Java Ferns
