Want a plant that looks like nothing else in the tank? Banana Plant grows from a cluster of thick, banana-shaped tubers sitting on the substrate, sending up round lily-like leaves on long stalks. The tubers are the reason to buy it — they are a genuine talking point and unlike anything else you can put in an aquarium.
What You’ll Receive
Sold as 1 small bulb, either:
- With Leaf: Bulb showing one or more sprouted leaves
- Without Leaf: Dormant bulb ready to sprout under proper conditions
Plant Profile
- Common name — Banana Plant, Banana Lily
- Scientific name — Nymphoides aquatica
- Origin — Southeastern United States
- Placement — Foreground to midground
- Mature height — 4–8 in
- Growth rate — Fast
Care
- Difficulty — Beginner
- Light — Low to medium
- CO₂ — Not required
- Water — 72–82°F · pH 6.0–7.5
- Substrate — Not required. Grows on plain gravel or sand
- Growth habit — Fully aquatic. Cannot be grown emersed
- Propagation — Bulb offsets, and plantlets from mature leaves
Grower’s Notes
- Never bury the tubers. Rest the bulb on top of the substrate with the tubers fully exposed — buried, they rot. Anchor it lightly if it floats, but do not push it in. This is the single rule that decides whether it lives.
- Those tubers are nutrient storage, which is why it grows well in plain gravel where other plants need root tabs.
- A dormant bulb without leaves is normal, not a defect. New growth usually appears within one to two weeks.
- It will send leaves to the surface if allowed. Cut any long-stemmed leaf at the base to keep the plant low and compact.
- Mature leaves can produce plantlets on their undersides. Let one develop roots, then detach and place it on the substrate as a new plant.
Want to go deeper? Read our guide to growing bulb plants and understanding dormancy.
Notes
- Some bulbs may arrive without leaves due to natural dormancy. This does not indicate poor health. Simply place the bulb on top of your substrate (do not bury), and new growth should emerge within 1–2 weeks under proper lighting and conditions.
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-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee — We guarantee that live plants and live aquatic animals will arrive alive. In the rare case of a Dead on Arrival (DOA), you must notify us within 24 hours of the delivery time recorded on the carrier's official tracking page. The guarantee is void after that 24-hour window, as condition can no longer be attributed to transit.
How to Submit a Claim
- Take at least 2 clear, well-lit photos of the affected items in their original, unopened, sealed packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label on the box.
- Email your photos and order number to hello@aquariumplantsfactory.com within 24 hours of delivery.
- Do not photograph plants or animals after they have been unpacked, planted, or introduced to your aquarium — once an item enters your aquarium's ecosystem, it is no longer covered.
Approved claims are resolved with a replacement, store credit, or refund at our discretion, under the terms of our Refund Policy. Each item is eligible for one replacement only — replacements are final and we cannot replace a replacement.
Conditions That Void the Guarantee
- Incorrect or incomplete shipping address (vacant address, missing apartment number, or any issue that prevents delivery)
- Packages marked "invalid address," "undeliverable," refused, or returned to sender
- Packages left unclaimed, held at a carrier facility at the customer's request, or not retrieved promptly after delivery — live goods must be brought indoors and unpacked the day they arrive
- Carrier delays, weather events, or delivery exceptions once the package has left our facility
- Shipments to freight forwarders or package-forwarding services
Providing accurate, complete shipping information and monitoring your tracking are essential to keeping your guarantee valid.
Please note: the Live Arrival Guarantee covers arrival only. We cannot guarantee ongoing success — aquarium environment, water quality, nutrients, temperature, lighting, filtration, and CO2 all affect long-term results.
What We Can't Guarantee
- Pest-free plants (potted & bare-root): Although our plants are grown in our own clean greenhouse, we cannot guarantee they are 100% free of snails, algae, or other hitchhikers. We recommend rinsing and quarantining all plants before adding them to your aquarium. Tissue culture (in vitro) plants are the exception — they are grown in sterile lab conditions, are 100% free of pests, algae, and disease, and have never been in contact with any aquarium.
- Pesticide-free plants: We use homemade, organic pest control in our greenhouse and never use copper-based pesticides, which are toxic to invertebrates such as snails, crabs, and shrimp. However, we cannot guarantee plants are entirely pesticide-free — always rinse and quarantine before use in invertebrate tanks.
- Your aquarium's success: We are not responsible for your aquarium inhabitants, including fish, shrimp, snails, and turtles. Please quarantine all plants before use.
- Growth form: Unless specified, we do not guarantee plants will grow emersed or submersed in your particular setup.
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 this aquatic plant for arriving "healthy and beautiful" with large tubers and vibrant foliage. Most reported rapid growth, new leaves sprouting within days, and successful acclimation to tanks. Packaging was consistently well-done. However, some noted leaf wilt during adjustment, occasional mold issues, and heat-related shipping damage affecting leaf quality.
- These are healthy and beautiful. Roots are already sprouting and I could not be happier!
- After a couple weeks it has over 10 leaf stalks and a large root system. Amazing plant!
- The plant is thriving very well. New sprouts already.
R
These are healthy and beautiful. Roots are already sprouting and I could not be happier!
R
The plant is thriving very well. New sprouts already. Thank you all so much for exceeding my expectations and delivering quality merchandise
D
Arrived healthy
See attached pic
B
2 weeks with my banana plant and one leaf is 3" diameter already. They arrived around three 1" size leaves . I moved one of the plants to find out it has 5" root too.
L
They are very healthy and beautiful plants. Will buy more from you. Thank you so much.
J
Came well packed and healthy. Bought 2 got 1 free. They are for guppy tanks.
J
Just created my very first 5 gallon Betta tank and researched all the beginner plants I could use and I have to admit this is my most "exotic" plant I have. I am really happy I bought this plant from apf! The plant arrive healthy and is now thriving in my tank. Had absolutely no issues with my plant purchase. I will be a repeat customer!
F
I love how this plant looks in my tank, and it arrived very green and healthy with no browning. Looked like it was growing sideways when I situated it in my tank, but just the next day it's already begun to grow upwards to the light, a good sign that it's acclimating fast :)
D
Wow, quick four day service from Cali to Wisconsin. My plant arrived healthy and much larger than expected. The bananas were over an inch long.
Always satisfied from this aquarium plant company.
F
arrived quickly and in great condition. Acclimating to my tanks perfectly
T
This plant is very prolific, after two days it's already growing
K
I got this for my 10 gallon betta aquarium . It started sprouting roots & growing the same day I put it in my tank . I absolutely love it , I will definitely purchase more of these in the future .
j
I recieved what has to be the best looking banana plant I've ever seen. Very full, very healthy. Great addition to my panda cory tank.
S
I ordered two of these banana lilies for my betta tanks (June 2020). They shipped promptly and arrived when expected, and were in good shape when they got here - good color, no damage. They've been in my tanks almost 3 days now, and seem to be adjusting well. No evidence of parasite snails at this time, which is always a concern when buying plants. Before my order even arrived, I received an email letting me know that if there were any issues I was welcome to contact the seller.
E
The banana plant looks healthy and is even beginning to sprout new leaves a couple days after it arrived
A
The plant is still alive, a month after it first arrived. I noticed that if the plant's environment changes there is a good chance the leaves will die out and new foliage will grow.
g
Arrived fast and healthy! I can already see some growth
L
The banana lily arrived in good condition. They have been in the tank for 5 days and I am seeing growth in new leaves and root runners. Very pleased so far.
D
Interesting and unique plant! I received two beautiful and perfectly healthy little plants. Highly recommend ordering from aquarium plants factory.
M
Plants arrived in great shape and doing very well in the aquarium.. very happy with them.
J
I love these banana lily they make a great addition to my tank
B
Very healthy looking plants. This plant in particular arrived well packaged and in excellent condition. Has not sprouted leaves yet so time will tell? Highly recommend!
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