Plant advice?- Hardy Lily, Dwarf Lily, or Pennywort?

[Dalton'n'Darwin]

I'm revamping my 20gallon tank (11 inches tall) and want to include a live plant in my setup.

I have granite river rocks set into the bottom of the tank w/ silicone for a long time, and it's a great bottom layer for my axolotl.
I'm looking to get a nice plant somewhat similar to what an axolotl would normally live alongside in the wild. I'm hoping for a shade-producing plant to include on driftwood/surface, and am willing to add some substrate onto the rocks if needed. I honestly am not sure I'm down for a full conversion to a planted setup. I know my axolotl would really like something shady she can climb through or around.

I'm stuck between these options:
-Pennywort - hydrocotyle ranunculoides - I could plant it on some driftwood and could use it like a small shade plant, plus it's not toxic and I love how it looks.
-Water Hyacinth - eichhornia crassipes - I love the surface cover of this plant, and hope it may provide some of the surface cover that a lily might.
-Hardy Lily - something like nymphaea mexicana- I would love it if one of these would fit into my tank. My axolotl would LOVE to climb around and below the big long stems underwater, and I wouldn't mind keeping a light on my tank to have one of these.
-Dwarf Lily - maybe ?Nymphaea Stellata?? - Does anyone have experience with these? will they work with axolotls? How could I keep one in my tank? If I buy a fully grown plant, will it keep well splayed out across the surface of my tank? How much surface will they cover?

 

[michael]

Pennywort would be your best bet out of the 4. The other 3 would need lots of light and do best in a pond. Java fern would also be a good option.

 

[Dalton'n'Darwin]

Pennywort would be your best bet out of the 4. The other 3 would need lots of light and do best in a pond. Java fern would also be a good option.

I would love it if I could figure out a way to work with any of the other options, but I agree. My backup plan is to attach some native plants like Egeria densa(like hornwort) and Pennywort to driftwood and use other decorations to imitate surface cover or vines.

 

[Dalton'n'Darwin]

Java fern would also be a good option.

Do you think Java Fern would be able to reach the top of this size fish tank? Do you have a variety/type that you would recommend?

 

[MnGuy]

I don't know the scientific names, but I have two different types of "lilies" sold for aquariums and they do well in my 20 long with a basic LED light available at major pet stores. These are not the lilies that grow in ponds.

 

[Dalton'n'Darwin]

I don't know the scientific names, but I have two different types of "lilies" sold for aquariums and they do well in my 20 long with a basic LED light available at major pet stores. These are not the lilies that grow in ponds.

How do you have them planted in your tank and how much surface cover do they provide?