Java Fern | Bulk Pack

The plant most people start with, bought by the handful. Leptochilus pteropus — Java Fern — needs no substrate, no CO₂ and no bright light, which is why it is the backbone of most low-tech tanks. This is the bulk pack, for furnishing a large hardscape, a shop tank, or several aquariums at once.

What You'll Receive

Fresh, healthy Java Fern (Leptochilus pteropus) cultivated and prepared by Aquarium Plants Factory®.

Bare-root Portion: Approximately 6 individual leaves with some roots attached. Leaves may arrive separated, and rhizomes are not guaranteed to be connected. This is completely normal for Java Fern and makes it easier to attach each plant to driftwood, rocks, or other hardscape.

Unlike some sellers, we do not tie multiple rhizomes together with black cotton thread to make them appear as one clump, as this can restrict healthy growth, and increase the risk of rot over time.

• 5 Pack: 5 individual bare-root portions (approximately 6 leaves per portion)
• 10 Pack: 10 individual bare-root portions (approximately 6 leaves per portion)
• 20 Pack: 20 individual bare-root portions (approximately 6 leaves per portion)

For best results, attach each leaf or rhizome section to driftwood, rocks, or other hardscape using cotton thread. New rhizomes and plantlets will naturally develop as the plant grows.

Plant Profile

• Common name — Java Fern
• Scientific name — Leptochilus pteropus (syn. Microsorum pteropus)
• Origin — Southeast Asia
• Placement — Midground, attached to driftwood, rock or décor
• Mature height — 6-10 inches
• Growth rate — Slow

Care

• Difficulty — Beginner
• Light — Low to medium
• CO₂ — Not required; it encourages faster growth and larger leaves but is not needed
• Water — 68-82°F, pH 6.0-7.5
• Substrate — Not required. Epiphyte — attach the rhizome to hardscape and never bury it.
• Growth habit — Amphibious; grows emersed as well as submersed
• Propagation — Rhizome division, plus plantlets from mature leaves

Grower's Notes

• Buy coverage, do not wait for it. Java Fern adds only a few leaves a year. Twenty portions spread across a large piece of wood look established the day they go in; one portion never will.
• Separated leaves are a feature, not damage. Each leaf with a scrap of rhizome and a root will grow into its own plant, and separate pieces are far easier to distribute across a hardscape than one bound clump. That is why we do not thread them together.
• Never bury the rhizome. Roots may go into substrate; the green horizontal stem must stay in open water or it rots — the single most common way a Java Fern is killed.
• Black spots on old leaves are baby plants, not disease. Leave a spotted leaf in place until each plantlet has roots and two or three leaves, then detach and attach it elsewhere. A bulk planting becomes self-propagating within a year.
• Expect a change of leaf. We grow this emersed, so some arriving leaves will die back as the plants convert to submerged growth. That is the plant working, not failing.

Want to go deeper? Read our complete Java Fern Care Guide.

Notes

Pictures are representative samples only. Live aquatic plants are natural products and may vary in size, color, and fullness depending on season and growing conditions. Java Fern is commonly grown emersed and may experience a normal transition period as it adapts to submerged aquarium conditions.

Never release aquarium plants into natural waterways.

At a glance

• Free shipping on orders of $150 or more (after discounts) within the contiguous United States, by USPS.
• Free thermal protection is included with every shipment, all year round.
• Processing: most orders leave us within 1 to 2 business days. Tracking is emailed when your order ships.
• USPS (2 to 5 business days) ships Monday through Saturday.
• UPS 2nd Day Air® ships Monday through Wednesday. Order by Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
• UPS Next Day Air® ships Monday through Thursday. Order by Wednesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
• Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and military addresses ship by USPS at a flat rate shown at checkout.
• Weather holds: during extreme heat or cold we may hold live orders until it's safe to ship.
• We ship within the United States only.

Please bring live plants indoors and unpack them the day they arrive. Every live order is covered by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee.

The complete rules, including lost packages and address issues, are in our Shipping Policy. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.

Every live order is backed by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee. If a plant arrives dead, we'll make it right.

How it works

• Tell us within 24 hours of the delivery time on your tracking.
• Send photos of the affected items in their original, unopened packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label, to hello@aquariumplantsfactory.com with your order number.
• We'll make it right with a replacement, store credit or refund for the affected item.

Good to know

• Some melting or yellowing as plants adjust from greenhouse to aquarium life is normal. They regrow from healthy roots and rhizomes.
• Please bring your package indoors and unpack it the day it arrives.
• Free promotional items and shipping charges are not covered.

The complete rules, including what's covered and what voids the guarantee, are in our Returns, Refunds & Live Arrival Guarantee. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.

Please review your state's regulations on restricted plants, as we are committed to not shipping plants that are restricted in your area. Do not release any plants into the wild or waterways, as this can harm local ecosystems by introducing invasive species.

Your cooperation in protecting the environment is appreciated. For continuously updated information, refer to the USDA State Noxious Weed list here.

Thank you for your responsible commitment to environmental preservation.