TankBud

Brazilian pennywort

Hydrocotyle leucocephala

Also known as Pennywort

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Brazilian pennywort (Hydrocotyle leucocephala)
Aquarium Plants Factory · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Light
Medium light
CO2
No CO₂ needed
Temperature
68–82°F
20–28°C
Max height
19.7 in
50 cm
Growth rate
Fast
Placement
Midground
Type
Stem
pH
6.0–7.5
Hardness
3–15 dGH
Spread
5.9 in (15 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Beginner
Family
Araliaceae
Origin
Central and South America (including Brazil and Mexico)

Overview

Brazilian pennywort is a fast-growing stem plant with round, scalloped leaves shaped like coins. It is one of the easiest plants for beginners and low-tech tanks.

Did you know

Brazilian pennywort works as a floating plant and as a planted stem from the same cutting. A floating stem spreads a surface canopy that fry and shrimp hide in, while a rooted one climbs upward. Many keepers use it both ways in one tank.

Caring for Brazilian pennywort

Strip the lower leaves and push the stems into the substrate in the midground, where they grow upward and then trail across the surface. Loose stems also work left floating, as cover and shade.

Give Brazilian pennywort medium light and water at 68 to 82°F (20 to 28°C). It needs no added CO2. It is a heavy feeder through both roots and leaves, so root tabs and a liquid fertilizer both help. That appetite soaks up nitrates and helps starve algae.

It grows so quickly that it needs frequent trimming. Snip any stem segment with a leaf node and replant it or float it. Side shoots can be cut off once they have a few leaves and planted on their own.

Good to know

Brazilian pennywort is a Hydrocotyle in the ivy and ginseng family, Araliaceae. The genus was historically placed in Apiaceae, but molecular work moved it to Araliaceae. The species name leucocephala means white-headed, for its small white flower clusters. A white-and-green variegated cultivar is also in the trade.

In the wild

Brazilian pennywort is native to wet and boggy areas, stream edges and marshes across Central and South America, including Brazil and Mexico. It is a vigorous semi-aquatic that scrambles over wet ground and floats out across the water surface on long climbing stems.

Common questions

Does Brazilian pennywort need to be planted in the substrate?

Yes. Strip the leaves from the lower part of each stem, then push the stems into the substrate one at a time, a little apart.

Does Brazilian pennywort need CO2?

No. Brazilian pennywort grows well without added CO2.

How much light does Brazilian pennywort need?

Brazilian pennywort wants medium light. A light sold for planted tanks covers it.

Does Brazilian pennywort need root tabs?

They help. Brazilian pennywort takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate Brazilian pennywort?

Brazilian pennywort propagates by cuttings and side shoots. Cut off the top of a stem and replant it, and the stump left behind grows new shoots. Cut a side shoot off once it has a few leaves and plant it on its own.

How tall does Brazilian pennywort grow?

Brazilian pennywort grows to about 19.7 in (50 cm) tall. It grows fast, so expect to trim it often.

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