🌿 Java Fern (Leptochilus pteropus) – Classic Hardy Aquarium Plant
Leptochilus pteropus, formerly known as Microsorum pteropus and widely recognized as Java Fern, is one of the most iconic and beginner-friendly aquatic plants in the aquarium hobby. Renowned for its durability, adaptability, and timeless appearance, this plant features deep green, elongated leaves that bring a natural and mature look to any aquascape.
Naturally found attached to rocks and driftwood in slow-moving tropical waters, Java Fern thrives in a wide range of aquarium conditions, making it an essential choice for both beginners and experienced aquarists.
🌟 Key Features:
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Scientific Name: Leptochilus pteropus
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Synonyms: Microsorum pteropus
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Common Name: Java Fern
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Hardy & Beginner-Friendly: Extremely resilient and easy to care for
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Epiphytic Growth: Attaches to driftwood, rocks, or décor—no substrate required
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Timeless Appearance: Deep green leaves add a natural, lush look
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Low Maintenance: Thrives in a wide range of water parameters
🌱 Growth & Propagation:
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Lighting Needs: Low to moderate (tolerates a wide range)
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CO₂ & Fertilizers: CO₂ not required; benefits from liquid fertilizers
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Growth Rate: Slow to moderate
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Growth Method: Rhizome plant (must not be buried in substrate)
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Nutrient Substrate: Not required
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Can Be Grown Emersed: Yes
Java Fern propagates easily by dividing the rhizome or through plantlets that form on older leaves, making it simple to expand within your aquarium.
🖼️ Aquascaping Benefits:
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Perfect for Hardscape: Ideal for attaching to driftwood, rocks, and décor
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Midground to Background Placement: Adds depth and structure to layouts
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Natural Jungle Look: Creates a mature, established aquascape feel
📦 What You’ll Receive
Fresh, healthy Java Fern (Leptochilus pteropus) cultivated and prepared by Aquarium Plants Factory®, available in convenient planting formats:
- Bare-root: Approximately 6+ individual leaves with some roots attached. Leaves may arrive separated, and rhizomes are not guaranteed to be connected. This is normal for Java Fern and allows easy attachment to hardscape.
- Bunched: Approximately 6+ leaves with some roots bundled with foam and a plant weight for easy placement. Leaves may be individual, and rhizomes may not be connected. This is normal for Java Fern and does not affect growth.
- Potted: Approximately 6+ leaves with some roots placed in a net pot with rockwool for stability. Leaves may be individual, and rhizomes may not be connected. This is normal and the plant will continue to grow once established.
⚠️ Disclaimer
Live aquatic plants may vary slightly in size, shape, and color depending on current stock and growing conditions. Java Fern is grown emersed and will transition naturally once placed in your aquarium. Some leaf melt may occur during this transition as the plant adapts to submerged conditions.
🚫 State Restrictions Notice ♻️ Be a Responsible Aquatic Plants Owner.
Certain aquatic plants may be restricted or regulated in some U.S. states. Always check your local and state regulations before purchasing or introducing plants into natural waterways. Never release aquarium plants into the wild.
Shipping Policy
At Aquarium Plants Factory, we carefully package and ship all orders to ensure plants and livestock arrive healthy and ready to thrive.
Order Processing Time
Most orders are processed within 1–2 business days after payment is received.
Orders placed on weekends or holidays will be processed on the next business day.
Orders containing out-of-stock, pre-order, or backorder items may require additional handling time.
Once your order ships, tracking information will be sent to your email.
Shipping Schedule
Live Plants
Live plant orders ship Monday through Saturday when using United States Postal Service (USPS).
Most plant-only orders ship within 1–3 business days, excluding products that are out of stock, pre-order, or backorder.
Estimated USPS delivery time is 2–5 business days, depending on your location.
UPS Express Shipping
We offer the following UPS expedited shipping options:
UPS 2-Day Air®
Estimated delivery: 2 business days
Please note that UPS 2-Day Air® is not a guaranteed service in the event of carrier delays, weather disruptions, or operational issues.
UPS Next Day Air®
Estimated delivery: 1 business day
This service is guaranteed by UPS according to their service guarantee policies.
UPS expedited orders ship Monday through Wednesday only to ensure packages arrive within the same week and avoid weekend delays.
Please note that orders require 1–2 business days of handling time before shipment.
To help ensure same-week delivery, please place UPS orders on or before Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time (PT).
Live Animals Shipping
Live animal orders ship Monday through Wednesday only.
This schedule ensures animals arrive within the same week and do not remain in transit over the weekend.
Handling time for live animal orders typically ranges from 1–5 business days, depending on:
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Weather conditions
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Livestock health
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Shipping destination
Tracking information will be emailed once the order has been shipped.
Free Shipping
We offer Free Shipping on eligible orders over $150 within the contiguous United States.
Estimated delivery time for free shipping orders is 2–5 business days.
If your order contains both live plants and live animals, the shipment may be combined and the appropriate shipping rate will be shown at checkout.
Free Shipping is not available for customers located in:
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Alaska
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Hawaii
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Puerto Rico
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Guam
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U.S. Virgin Islands
Customers in these locations must select Expedited or Express shipping options at checkout.
Delivery Time Estimates
Delivery times shown at checkout are estimates provided by the shipping carrier.
While we work hard to ship orders quickly, delivery times may vary due to factors outside of our control, including:
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Weather conditions
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Carrier delays
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High shipping volumes
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Transportation disruptions
Aquarium Plants Factory is not responsible for shipping delays caused by the carrier.
Delayed or Lost Packages
Occasionally, shipments may take longer than expected.
A package is considered lost only after 15 business days (approximately 3 weeks) from the ship date.
If a package is confirmed lost by the carrier, we may offer a 50/50 replacement, meaning:
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Aquarium Plants Factory covers 50% of the replacement cost
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The customer covers 50% plus shipping
Address Accuracy
Customers are responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address when placing an order.
Please ensure that your address is correct when using payment methods such as:
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Credit / Debit Card
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PayPal
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Apple Pay
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Google Pay
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Amazon Pay
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Shopify Pay
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AliPay
Orders returned due to:
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Incorrect address
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Refused delivery
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Failed delivery attempts
may not be eligible for a refund.
Order Cancellations
If you need to cancel an order, please contact us as soon as possible.
Orders can only be canceled before they have been shipped.
Once an order has been shipped, it can no longer be canceled.
Returns
Due to the sensitive nature of live goods, all sales are final.
We do not accept returns or exchanges for:
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Live plants
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Live animals
For any shipping questions, please contact us before placing your order.
Aquarium Plants Factory
https://www.AquariumPlantsFactory.com
WHAT WE GUARANTEE
24 Hours Live Arrival Guarantee* - In a rare case of live stocks dead on arrival, we must be notified within 24 hours by the same day of delivery. Please take clear photos of the damaged product and send it to us within 24 hours. Live Arrival Guarantee will be void after 24 hours of delivery. All replacements are considered final and we will not replace the replacement.
- Picture requirements: Take at least 2 clear photos of damaged product in their original, unopened & sealed transparent packing and send photos and orders information to our email within 24 hours: aquariumplantsfactory@gmail.com
- Please do not take picture of damaged plants, or animals in your aquarium. Once they have been introduced to your aquarium's ecosystem. It is no longer covered by our guarantee.
Please be aware that our Live Arrival Guarantee is subject to certain conditions. Specifically, the guarantee will not be applicable in cases where the package is marked as 'invalid address', 'undeliverable' or is 'returned to sender.' This includes situations such as a vacant delivery address, a missing apartment number, or any other issues that prevent the postal service from delivering your package.
It is crucial to provide accurate and complete shipping information to ensure the successful delivery of your order and the applicability of the Live Arrival Guarantee.
Please keep in mind that Live Arrival Guarantee only guarantees that live stocks will be alive upon arrival. We cannot guarantee that you will continue to have success with them. Many factors, including the aquarium environment, water quality, nutrient, temperature, lighting, filter, and CO2 system, can contribute to the failure to grow live plants and live animals.
WHAT WE CAN'T GUARANTEE
Even though our plants are very clean, but we can't guarantee they will be 100% pest-free because we cannot be responsible for your aquarium. Please use it at your own risk. We recommended all customers rinse the plants with clean water and quarantine them before use.
However, plants in tissue culture will be 100% free from pests, algae and never have been contacting with any aquarium.
- Due to the nature of the product. We don't guarantee our plants will be pests free. ( snails, algae, hitchhikers )
- We don't guarantee our plants will be free of pesticides. We use homemade, organic pesticides in our greenhouse to control pests. We do not use pesticides that contain copper. Copper is toxic to invertebrates such as aquatic snails, crabs, shrimps, etc
- We don't guarantee your aquarium success or are responsible for your aquarium inhabitant including but not limited to fish, shrimp, snail, turtle, etc. So please quarantine all plants when use!
- Unless specific, we don't guarantee aquatic plants will be grow emerged or submerge.
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.
Customers praised these aquatic plants as "beautiful" and "healthy" with vibrant green coloring. Most arrived well-packaged and thrived in tanks. However, some received smaller rhizome pieces than expected, and a few reported plants arriving brown or torn. Shoppers appreciated fast shipping and generous portions, though sizing inconsistency was noted.
- The most beautiful of all the plants I ordered. They look amazing in both my tanks.
- Java fern was beautiful. Packaged very well and neatly labeled.
- Beautiful plant. Healthy as can be. This shop is awesome.
A
The plants I bought were beautiful and in great condition with no blemishes, tears, or rotting. I bought Anubias Nana, Nana Petite, Java Fern, and Salvinia Minima. All were high quality. My only complaint was the buy 2 get 1 free sale. I misunderstood how to get the deal because I didn’t see the small print on my iPhone when ordering and only added 2 plants of each in cart, therefore not getting the third one free as my intention. It would have been nice if the store could have helped me out a little here being a first time buyer but live and learn. I will definitely order again.
D
Java fern was beautiful. Packaged very well and neatly labeled. Fast shipping. Thanks again
L
The java ferns I ordered were the most beautiful of all the plants I ordered. They still looked green and fresh when they arrived. They look amazing in both my tanks and I will definitely order more in the future.
J
Beautiful plant. Healthy as can be. This shop is awesome. I highly recommend.
E
Rather skimpy specimen All the leaves seem to have some flaw, a notch, a tear. What it looks like in 3 month will determine what I feel about this purchase. I have bought plants from Dustin that look great on arrival, strong stems and sturdy leaves only to be disappointed down-the-line.
D
1st time buyer (though not last!) - I ordered the java fern on the buy 2 get 1 deal. APF delivered plants of great quality that were as large as described. No pests that I could see (although I personally am ok with snails) That said I do currently have them in the quarantine tank. If you have been hesitant to make a purchase rest assured that these guys live up to their word. Even though my plants sat over the weekend (my fault for ordering so late in the week) They still arrived today looking in perfect health!
a
Plants landed today and look to be in great shape. They're part of my total replant following a massive post-heat wave meltdown. I've never seen anything like it. Only remaining material from before are Crypt roots (which are all sprouting new plants.. Massive wall of Vals and carpet of Crypts completely collapsed. Big algae bloom resulted. Your Java Ferns, Vals, Bucephalandra, and tiny Anubias plants are all in. The one "mix variety" Bucephalandra drift wood piece wants to float, but partial burying is keeping it down. Combined with some LFS stem plants, hoping this will be a stable recovery. Thanks!
J
Very clean, healthy, green plants. They deliver on the advertised 6+ leaves; although, I was surprised this meant those leaves were provided as many small pieces of rhizome in a package. This worked out fine since I was able to glue them to small pieces of lava rock to place in my aquarium.
I
Packaging , quality of service, everything was GREAT. Snail free plants. Although I dipped them in peroxide beforehand as a safety precaution. Overall I’m extremely satisfied with my purchase. I will definitely buy more in the future
P
Very clean, healthy, green plants. I haven’t seen any sign of snails or other pests. The portion provided is generous for the price. I’m a complete beginner with aquarium plants and was looking for easy to grow plants. These seem to fill the bill. My only critique is the description says, sold as potted plant. Indeed it was potted, but consisted of many small pieces of rhizome wrapped together to give the appearance of a larger plant. I actually found this to work out fine and glued them to small pieces of lava rock to place in my aquarium. Some larger pieces were fine individually, other smaller ones, I used several pieces on the same rock. No melt or problems at all.
R
They are very healthy plants. Put them in my new 75 gal aquarium
T
Java fern is in the back. All my plants were purchased at the same time, and are doing VERY good!!
M
I really like these plants super easy to take care of and a great size for smaller tank.
C
I purchased 4 Java Fern and got 2 free. I love the buy2 get 1 deals! I unpot my java ferns and either tie or glue them to small rocks, which are placed in the tanks. Most of these ferns consisted of multiple small pieces of rhizome, with little or no grabbing "roots", instead of 1 or 2 mature rhizomes. That made it a lot harder to arrange and attach to the hardscape. That's the only reason I knocked off one star. Other than that, the plants survived 10 days in the mail due to holiday shipping, with no noticeable ill effects. They've been in my tanks for 10 days now, clean green and healthy. The attached photo is my complete order in the quarantine tank: Java Fern, Windelov, Tropica and Water Sprite.
D
Arrived healthy and ready to plant. All is perfect
A
They arrived very green and healthy with good packaging. I ordered 3 along with a couple other plants to fully plant a 10 gallon.. I didnt realize each 1 is in a pot that can contain multiple plants so for a moment I was worried i got TOO MANY.. But it filled out my tank very nicely
D
Will order again!
N
Bought 3. Plants arrived healthy and have been doing great! Great addition to my 10g.
E
They look great, green, and healthy
M
Lush and green healthy plant. I purchased this with 2 other types of plants, all were bigger than expected and in excellent condition.
A
can you leave your plants in the pots, or should they be opened and planted individually?
Great question! Java Fern can actually be grown both ways — but we recommend removing it from the pot before planting.
If you prefer, you can leave it in the pot temporarily, but for long-term health and best growth, it’s better to remove and mount the plant individually.
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