# Height ?



## dorhonda (Apr 15, 2008)

When researching plants most info doen't tell you how tall the plants actually get. They say front, mid or back so does that mean they all get about the same height in a particular category? I'm used to gardening plants and they give you a range of how tall a plant will get ie. 10-12". It just makes it easier for me so I can figure out where to put stuff or am I over thinking this. Thanks for any help
Dorhonda


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## tropism (Jul 21, 2006)

Is it mainly stem plants that you're looking up that don't have maximum heights listed? The reason stem plants don't have that listed (usually) is because many of them will just keep growing and don't have a maximum height -- instead they have a maximum depth of water that they'll grow in. That's not usually a problem with true aquatic plants in aquariums because aquariums are usually less than 24" deep. (and we keep our water clear, give the plants CO2, etc)

I think *non*-stem plants usually do have a maximum height listed. At least the ones on the PlantFinder here at APC do. The plants in Tropica's plant list (at http://www.tropica.com/) all seem to have heights, even for the stem plants. One thing to consider though is that plants can be pretty variable and we're only dealing with a very small vertical area (unlike a garden). Saying a plant gets between 10 and 20 inches may or may not be very helpful.

All that said, it bugs me too when I see a placement suggestion listed but not actual size and growth rate information. I'd rather decide for myself where I want to put the plants.


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

Plants also grow to different sizes in different conditions and each tank will have different conditions based on the substrate, light, fertilization program, CO2 or not, etc. 

As an example I've had red melon swords in 2 different low-tech, soil-based tanks, growing happy and healthy for about 2 years now and staying between 6-8" tall. Then there are other members with high-tech tanks that have them growing 3-4 times that size (or more) and outgrowing the tank in less than a year. Similarly, I've moved crypts from one part of an aquarium to another and they completely changed their growth habit from 10+" to about 5" - thereby messing up my attempt at bringing order to my tank and causing hair-pulling frustration. My Cyperus helferi normally grows 20+" tall, I know of at least 2 other people that have tried growing it and it stops growing at 8-10" and starts spreading instead of growing taller. That type of range of growth isn't really helpful to how you specifically should expect it grow in your tank and where you'd be best off putting it.

Anyway, there are just so many variables particular to each individual tank that contribute to the growth habits of the plants that it's hard to give a definitive answer as to what size something will grow, usually it's just a general "it tends to stay shorter/get taller so will be good for x area of the aquarium". It can indeed be frustrating, but part of the process is learning how the different plants grow for you in the conditions you offer. As already mentioned, the PlantFinder will usually give at least a general idea of the size and expected growth rate so you can determine whether it's something you'd like to try.


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## aquabillpers (Apr 13, 2006)

My Echinodorus tenellus (Dwarf chain sag) grows to a maximum height of 2 inches under normal conditions. But if it is crowded I've had it grow to 12 inches and more.

If the 12 inch plants are moved to another aquarium where they have enough room, they lose the long leaves and revert to normal size.

Bill


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

Its just much easier to generalize about plants because they can vary so much, but there is info out there if you look around more. The Tropica plants WEB site does give general size, and so do several books. If you want to know about specific plants, just let us know. We can help!


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