Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Broad-leaved Anubias (Anubias barteri)
Also called Broad-leaved Anubias, Anubias Barteri.
More about broad-leaved anubias
About Broad-leaved Anubias
Anubias barteri · also called Broad-leaved Anubias, Anubias Barteri · houseplant
Broad-leaved Anubias is a slow-growing West African aquatic or semi-aquatic herb widely used in freshwater aquariums and paludariums. Its thick, dark-green, broadly ovate leaves are extremely hardy and shade-tolerant. Rhizomes must never be buried in substrate — attach to rocks or driftwood for best results.
Preferred mix: Attach to hardscape; rhizome must not be buried
Watch for — Rhizome rot: Burying the rhizome in substrate causes it to rot at the crown. Always attach to hardscape with only the roots in or near the substrate. Brown, mushy rhizome tissue should be cut back to clean, firm growth and the plant re-attached.
Why broad-leaved anubias needs this mix
Broad-leaved Anubias is an easy-going houseplant — it just wants a free-draining general mix that holds some moisture but never stays soggy.
- Broad-leaved Anubias 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 broad-leaved anubias 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 broad-leaved anubias'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 broad-leaved anubias.
pH — does it matter for broad-leaved anubias?
Broad-leaved Anubias 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 broad-leaved anubias 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 broad-leaved anubias needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Refresh broad-leaved anubias'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 broad-leaved anubias covers the timing and technique step by step.
Broad-leaved Anubias soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for broad-leaved anubias?
3 parts peat-free houseplant compost : 1 part perlite : 1 part orchid bark or coco chips (optional). Broad-leaved Anubias 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 broad-leaved anubias?
Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates broad-leaved anubias's roots. A decent bagged houseplant compost works for broad-leaved anubias 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 broad-leaved anubias need a special pH?
Broad-leaved Anubias 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 broad-leaved anubias?
A decent bagged houseplant compost works for broad-leaved anubias 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 broad-leaved anubias?
Refresh broad-leaved anubias'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 broad-leaved anubias needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Keep reading
- Broad-leaved Anubias care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water broad-leaved anubias — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting broad-leaved anubias — 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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- All 8452 soil and potting-mix guides in the Growli library