Aquatic PlantsBeginner🌗 Medium light

Banana Plant

Nymphoides aquatica · also called Banana Lily, Big Floating Heart, Fairy Water Lily

🐾 Pet-safe

Generally non-toxic to cats and dogs.

A novelty rosette plant named for its cluster of banana-shaped tubers at the base, from which round, heart-shaped leaves grow. Easy and unusual, popular for small and nano tanks.

Educational only. KinStation content is reviewed by licensed veterinarians but cannot replace an in-person exam. Always consult a licensed veterinarian or board-certified specialist for diagnosis, treatment, or any decision affecting your pet's health.

Quick facts

Category	Aquatic Plants
Family	Menyanthaceae
Native origin	Southeastern United States
Care difficulty	Beginner
Light	Medium light
Pet toxicity	Pet-safe

Light

Low to medium light is sufficient; moderate light keeps it producing submersed leaves and a tidier habit. Under strong light it readily sends long-stemmed leaves to the surface to form floating pads.

Water

Temp 20-28 C (68-82 F), pH 6.0-7.5, soft to moderately hard water. Undemanding; basic water-column dosing keeps the leaves green and healthy.

Soil & potting

Do NOT bury the banana-shaped tubers - rest them on top of the substrate (or anchor only the thin roots), leaving the 'bananas' exposed, otherwise they rot. The tubers act as a nutrient store; roots will grow down into nutrient-rich substrate or toward root tabs. It is not an epiphyte and should not be tied to hardscape.

Environment — humidity, temperature, placement

CO2 not required. Gentle flow suits it. Foreground-to-midground placement in small tanks. To keep it low and bushy, trim off long stems that race for the surface; if left, it produces floating lily-pad-style leaves and small white flowers.

Propagation

Produces adventitious plantlets on older leaves and develops new tubers; daughter plants that form on leaves or at the base can be detached and placed on the substrate to root.

Toxicity detail

Non-toxic and safe with fish, shrimp, snails, and pets. Native to the US Southeast; not a federally restricted aquarium plant, but the related/look-alike Nymphoides peltata (yellow floating heart) IS a regulated noxious weed in several US states, so buy from reputable sources and never release any Nymphoides into the wild - dispose of excess in the trash.

Growth stages

How this plant changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.

Photo coming soon

Spore / recruit

Aquatic plants and macroalgae establish from spores, seeds, or drifting fragments that settle and attach to substrate or rock. Many freshwater aquarium plants and marine macroalgae also spread readily from a detached piece that takes root or holdfast.

Photo coming soon

Young growth

Young growth puts out its first blades, fronds, or leaves and anchors with roots or a holdfast. Submersed plants may look different from their emersed form, and growth speeds up as the plant adapts to the water's light and nutrients.

Mature

A mature aquatic plant or macroalga reaches its full size and characteristic shape, forming the dense growth, runners, or fronds typical of the species. Established plants spread to fill space and can be divided or trimmed to propagate.

Sources

Wikipedia - Nymphoides aquatica (encyclopedia)
USDA PLANTS - Nymphoides aquatica (database)