Aquatic Plants
Anubias Barteri 'Coffeefolia'
An Anubias barteri variety with strongly corrugated, deeply bullate leaves that arch gracefully downward -- the most pronounced leaf texture and the most sculptural form in the entire Anubias catalog.
Anubias Barteri 'Coffeefolia' is the most texturally dramatic Anubias in the catalog -- a variety selected for deeply bullate leaves whose surface is divided into raised, dome-shaped sections between the veins, creating a strongly three-dimensional, almost quilted texture that covers every leaf face and is visible from across the tank. Beyond the texture, Coffeefolia differentiates from other barteri varieties by its leaf posture: the leaves arch gracefully downward from the petiole insertion point rather than holding flat or upright, giving each leaf a gently cupped, drooping form that adds a natural, organic quality to the already striking surface corrugation. New growth emerges in reddish to bronze tones before transitioning to the deep, rich green of mature leaves -- a brief but attractive colouration event at the growing tip of the rhizome that distinguishes Coffeefolia further from the consistently green new growth of most other barteri varieties. Like all Anubias: rhizome must never be buried, attaches to driftwood and stone, no CO2 required. Fully safe with all Neocaridina, Caridina, and snails.
Not RequiredCO2
72-82FTemperature
Low-MedLighting
What to Expect
Texture, Form & Character
Deeply bullate surface -- raised domes between veins across every leaf face - the corrugation on Coffeefolia is more pronounced and three-dimensional than the ridge-and-channel corrugation of Anubias Barteri Wrinkled -- the tissue between the leaf veins bulges upward in rounded, dome-like sections that create a quilted or embossed appearance across the full leaf surface. Under any angled lighting the raised domes catch direct light on their upper surfaces while the vein lines and lower channels remain in shadow, producing a dramatic texture contrast that reads clearly at midground distances.
Leaves arch downward from the petiole -- a graceful, drooping posture - the petiole inserts into the leaf blade at a position that naturally causes each leaf to arch and droop slightly from its own weight as it matures. This gives Coffeefolia a more naturalistic, less rigidly upright posture than flat-leafed Anubias varieties -- each leaf hangs at a slightly different angle determined by its position on the rhizome and its age, producing a natural irregularity in the arrangement of the canopy that reads as genuinely plant-like rather than artificially composed.
New growth emerges reddish to bronze before maturing to deep green - the newest leaves at the growing tip of the rhizome emerge with a reddish to bronze colouration that is clearly different from the deep, stable green of fully mature leaves. The reddish new growth is most vivid in the first few days after a new leaf unfurls and transitions progressively to the characteristic deep green over one to two weeks. An established Coffeefolia plant with active growth always has one or two reddish-tinged new leaves visible at the growing tip.
Broad, mid-sized leaves at a scale between Nana and full barteri - leaf size is moderate -- larger than Nana but not as large as the biggest barteri forms -- putting Coffeefolia in the midground zone where the full texture is visible at viewing distance without the plant overwhelming the tank. The combination of textured surface, arching posture, and mid-scale presence makes it one of the most compositionally effective midground Anubias for display tanks where individual plant character matters.
Rhizome must remain completely exposed -- never buried in substrate - attach the full rhizome to driftwood or stone with cotton thread or aquarium-safe super glue gel. Check that no portion of the rhizome is in contact with substrate after attaching, particularly on low-positioned hardscape where substrate may shift and cover the base of the rhizome.
How to Set It Up
Getting Started
1Attach to substantial driftwood where the arching leaves have space to hang - the downward-arching leaf posture of Coffeefolia requires clearance below the attachment point for leaves to hang naturally without resting on the substrate. Attach on an elevated section of driftwood -- a branch or raised area -- rather than at the base of a piece where substrate contact would bend the arching leaves upward against their natural posture.
2Position for angled light to maximise texture visibility - the deeply bullate texture of Coffeefolia is most dramatic under light that hits the leaf surface at an angle rather than directly overhead -- angled light creates pronounced highlights on the raised dome surfaces and clear shadows in the vein channels. If overhead lighting is fixed, positioning the plant slightly off-centre where light angles across the tank provides better texture visibility than a directly top-lit position.
3Low to medium light with consistent photoperiod - identical care requirements to all barteri varieties. The broad, deeply textured leaf surfaces of Coffeefolia provide more surface area for algae than flat-leafed varieties -- consistent, moderate lighting rather than excess intensity keeps the bullate surface clean and the texture legible.
4Fertilise with balanced liquid formula including iron - regular liquid fertilisation two to three times weekly maintains the deep green of mature leaves and supports the reddish new growth colouration at the rhizome tip. Iron supplementation is particularly important for sustaining the red-bronze quality of new leaves, which becomes less vivid under iron deficiency even at adequate light levels.
Bonus TipCoffeefolia on the main piece of driftwood in a layout -- positioned as the dominant midground hardscape plant rather than one among several equal plants -- creates the most impactful use of its distinctive character. A single large, well-established Coffeefolia specimen with eight or more mature leaves simultaneously, all arching at slightly different angles with the quilted texture catching light across every leaf face, reads as a design-level focal point that no other Anubias variety achieves at equivalent scale. Let it have the prominent driftwood position that its character earns.
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Browse more aquatic plantsPair Coffeefolia with Nana, Minima, Bucephalandra, or Flame Moss for a complete textured hardscape arrangement. Browse our Aquatic Plants collection.
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