Japanese Spatterdock

A single Nuphar japonica rosette changes the scale of a planted tank: the leaves sit on long stalks that rise to the surface, each blade broad and slightly wavy, and the whole plant holds a space that most stem plants cannot fill. It is a temperate water lily from Japan and Korea rather than a tropical plant, which matters more than most catalogues admit.

It grows from a stout rhizome and sends out new leaves in succession from the crown. The rhizome needs a nutrient-rich substrate and should be left in place once settled — moving it repeatedly sets growth back for weeks. In a tank with a nutrient layer under the gravel it does well without extra fertiliser in the water column.

A temperature range of 20 to 28 °C suits it for aquarium use, and it tolerates both soft and moderately hard water across a pH of 5 to 8. Moderate light is enough; stronger light produces more leaves and faster growth, while the plant stays healthy under less. Because the leaf stalks are long, it belongs in the middle or background of a mid-size tank where the surface leaves will not shade the whole aquarium.