Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Anubias hastifolia (Anubias hastifolia)
Also called spear-leaf Anubias, tall Anubias.
More about anubias hastifolia
About Anubias hastifolia
Anubias hastifolia · also called spear-leaf Anubias, tall Anubias · tropical
Anubias hastifolia is a large African aquatic aroid recognised by arrow- or spear-shaped leaves with distinct basal lobes on long petioles. A bold background plant for sizeable aquariums and paludariums, it is hardy and slow-growing, attached to wood or rock and fed from the water column under low to moderate light.
Preferred mix: Rhizome attached to hardscape, never buried
Why anubias hastifolia needs this mix
Anubias hastifolia is an easy-going houseplant — it just wants a free-draining general mix that holds some moisture but never stays soggy.
- Anubias hastifolia is adaptable, but like most houseplants it still needs air at the roots — a mix that drains freely while holding a working moisture reserve.
- A little perlite or bark stops ordinary compost compacting into an airless block over time, which is the slow, common cause of decline.
- It is not fussy about pH or special ingredients; getting the air-to-moisture balance right is what matters.
For the full picture on what makes up a good mix, see our guide to the main types of soil and potting media — it explains why each ingredient above behaves the way it does.
What goes wrong with the wrong mix
The wrong soil is one of the most common reasons anubias hastifolia struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates anubias hastifolia's roots.
- A pure peat mix that dries to a hard, water-repelling block is hard to re-wet and stresses the plant.
- No drainage hole turns even a good mix into a stagnant, root-rotting sump.
Reusing tired, compacted old compost or skipping the perlite. A free-draining mix in a pot with a hole solves most "why is it struggling" cases for anubias hastifolia.
pH — does it matter for anubias hastifolia?
Anubias hastifolia is not fussy about pH — a slightly acidic to neutral mix (around pH 6.0-7.0), which a standard peat-free compost provides, is perfectly fine. No testing needed.
If you want to check or adjust it, the soil pH guide walks through testing and the safe ways to nudge a mix more acidic or more alkaline.
DIY mix vs a bagged one
A decent bagged houseplant compost works for anubias hastifolia as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.
Drainage and the pot
A pot with a drainage hole and a saucer you empty after watering is all anubias hastifolia needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Refresh anubias hastifolia's mix every 18-24 months; even good compost slumps and compacts, and fresh, airy mix is often the simplest fix for a tired plant. When the time comes, our repotting guide for anubias hastifolia covers the timing and technique step by step.
Anubias hastifolia soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for anubias hastifolia?
3 parts peat-free houseplant compost : 1 part perlite : 1 part orchid bark or coco chips (optional). Anubias hastifolia is adaptable, but like most houseplants it still needs air at the roots — a mix that drains freely while holding a working moisture reserve.
Can I use normal potting soil for anubias hastifolia?
Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates anubias hastifolia's roots. A decent bagged houseplant compost works for anubias hastifolia as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.
Does anubias hastifolia need a special pH?
Anubias hastifolia is not fussy about pH — a slightly acidic to neutral mix (around pH 6.0-7.0), which a standard peat-free compost provides, is perfectly fine. No testing needed.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for anubias hastifolia?
A decent bagged houseplant compost works for anubias hastifolia as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.
How often should I refresh the soil for anubias hastifolia?
Refresh anubias hastifolia's mix every 18-24 months; even good compost slumps and compacts, and fresh, airy mix is often the simplest fix for a tired plant. A pot with a drainage hole and a saucer you empty after watering is all anubias hastifolia needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Keep reading
- Anubias hastifolia care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water anubias hastifolia — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting anubias hastifolia — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- Should I water my plant? The simple check first
- Overwatered plant — signs and recovery
- Root rot — how the wrong soil starts it, and how to save the plant
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