Anubias gigantea (giant Anubias) care

Light

Most houseplants sulk in a dim corner. Anubias gigantea is one of the handful that doesn't. Low to moderate light is enough for healthy growth. Given its slow pace, intense lighting mostly encourages algae. Emersed, provide bright-indirect light and shelter it from direct sun. The tell that you've pushed even a low-light plant too far is soil that stays wet for a week — the plant has stopped transpiring, which means it's stopped using water, which is one short step from rot.

Watering

Water anubias gigantea submerged or emersed; change 20-30% of tank water weekly. The actual day count varies with pot size, light, and season — the finger test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a fixed calendar. Empty any drainage saucer afterwards so the pot isn't sitting in water. Grows submerged but performs especially well emersed at or above the waterline. Tolerates soft to moderately hard water, pH 6.0-7.5. Emersed culture requires saturated substrate and near-saturated air.

Soil and pot

Anubias gigantea grows best in rhizome attached to hardscape, never buried. Secure the heavy rhizome to large driftwood or rock with the rhizome exposed; substantial roots can anchor into a rich substrate when emersed. Burying the rhizome causes rot. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Anubias gigantea sits happiest at around 90-100% humidity and 22-28°C (72-82°F). Submerged in aquariums; emersed growth demands humidity above 90%. The large leaves brown and crisp at the margins in dry indoor air. If you keep the room above 22 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed anubias gigantea sparingly. Supply a complete liquid aquatic fertiliser through the water column; emersed plants in rich substrate also respond to root feeding. Iron and potassium are key. CO2 boosts growth on this large, otherwise slow species. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on anubias gigantea in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Rhizome rot — Substrate burial smothers the rhizome and causes rot. Keep it exposed and remove any soft, discoloured tissue.
• Outgrowing the setup — Its giant size overwhelms standard tanks. Reserve it for large aquariums or paludariums and divide to manage size.
• Algae on broad leaves — The big, long-lived leaves collect green-spot and beard algae under strong light. Use moderate light and good flow.
• Slow establishment — Large rhizomes are slow to settle, particularly when shifting between emersed and submerged growth. Keep conditions stable and be patient.

Propagation

Divide the substantial rhizome with a sterile blade, leaving each piece with multiple leaves and roots, then reattach to large hardscape or pot up emersed. Big divisions re-establish more reliably. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Anubias gigantea is mildly toxic to pets. Not individually listed by the ASPCA. As an Anubias in the arum family (Araceae), it sits within a family the ASPCA classifies as toxic to cats and dogs due to insoluble calcium oxalates. Treat with caution and verify with a vet rather than assuming it is pet-safe. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Anubias gigantea deep-dive guides

Every aspect of anubias gigantea care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Anubias gigantea watering schedule
• Anubias gigantea light requirements
• Best soil mix for anubias gigantea
• Anubias gigantea fertilizing guide
• When to repot anubias gigantea
• How to propagate anubias gigantea
• Anubias gigantea growth rate & size
• Anubias gigantea cold hardiness
• Anubias gigantea temperature & humidity
• Is anubias gigantea toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is anubias gigantea toxic to cats?
• Is anubias gigantea toxic to dogs?

Featured in these plant shortlists

Anubias gigantea qualifies for 3 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best low-light houseplants — Houseplants that need no direct sun and cope with a north-facing room or a spot well back from a window.
• Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
• Best bathroom plants — Humidity-loving houseplants that also cope with lower light — suited to the steamy, often-dim conditions of a typical bathroom.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Anubias gigantea is also commonly called giant Anubias.

• Monstera care — light, water and common problems
• Pothos care — light, water and common problems
• Fiddle leaf fig care — light, water and common problems
• All 5561 plant care guides in the Growli library