Vallisneria Gigantea

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

Jungle Val; Tape grass; Eelgrass; Water celery

Synonyms

Vallisneria gigantea

Environment

Freshwater

Native to

United States, Canada, Central America, South America

Habitat

Shallow, slow-moving lakes, ponds, streams and brackish bays, usually under ten feet of water, forming dense meadows.

Sourcing

Aquacultured

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Easy

Growth form

Rosette

Max height

6 – 60 in (15 – 152 cm)

Spread

12 in (30 cm)

Growth rate

Fast

Placement

Background

Water

Temperature

64 – 82 °F (18 – 28 °C)

pH

6.5 – 8.5

GH

4 – 18 dGH

dKH

4 – 18 dKH

PAR

30 – 80 PAR

Flow

Low-Moderate

Light

Medium

CO₂

Not needed

Planting

Substrate

Nutrient-rich preferred

Feeds from

Roots

Fertilizer needs

Medium

Colors

Green

Feeding & breeding

Propagation

Runners

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Care guide

Overview

Long grass-like leaves fan out from a shallow crown and stretch toward the surface, while lateral runners push out along the substrate to root new plantlets nearby. As the larger-growing form of Vallisneria, it anchors firmly in nutrient-rich substrate and fills a background quickly under moderate to strong light.

Care

Jungle Val is an undemanding rooted plant that adapts to a wide range of water chemistry, including hard, alkaline water that many other aquatic plants dislike. It grows well under low to high lighting, though growth is fastest and leaves stay fuller under moderate to strong light. Because its long ribbon leaves can reach the surface and spread across the top of the tank, regular trimming near the crown keeps it from shading out lower-growing plants.

Planting & trimming

Plant the crown at or just above the substrate surface, gently pressing the roots and base into fine sand or gravel while leaving the lighter-colored crown exposed. Space individual plants or runners a few inches apart, since they fill in quickly on their own through lateral runners. Trim overly long leaves near the crown periodically to prevent them from floating over the surface and blocking light to other plants.

Fertilizing

This species is primarily a root feeder and benefits from a nutrient-rich substrate or root tabs tucked near the crown rather than relying only on water-column fertilization. Iron-rich fertilizer helps maintain leaf color and vigor, and slowed growth or pale new leaves often signal a lack of nutrients in the substrate. CO2 supplementation is not required, since wild populations grow in shallow water naturally low in dissolved carbon.

Propagation

Jungle Val spreads readily by sending out horizontal runners that root and form new plantlets a short distance from the parent. These daughter plants can be left in place to form a dense background stand or separated and replanted once they have developed their own root systems. Under good conditions a single plant can populate a tank with numerous offshoots within a few months.

Problems

Jungle Val is rarely troubled by disease, but algae buildup on the older leaves is common if lighting or nutrient balance is off. Burying the crown below the substrate causes the base to rot and the plant to fail, so keeping it planted at the correct depth is the main way to avoid losses. Liquid carbon products containing glutaraldehyde can damage or melt the leaves and should be avoided in tanks growing this plant.

Sources

1. Jungle Val - How to Grow and Care for Jungle Vallisneria - Aquarium Tidings
2. Jungle Val Care Guide: The Bulletproof Background Plant - Aquariadise
3. Vallisneria Care Guide: Jungle Val, Italian Val & More | World of Aquariums
4. Jungle val (Vallisneria americana) - Scale & Stem

Varieties in the catalog

Vallisneria Americana

More Vallisneria

Vallisneria Contortionist (Corkscrew Vallisneria)Vallisneria Gigantea 'Rubra'Vallisneria NanaVallisneria SpiralisVallisneria Spiralis LeopardVallisneria Torta