Brazilian pennywort

Care at a glance

Overview

One of the easiest plants for beginners and low-tech tanks; it grows fast in medium light with no CO2 needed, though CO2 makes it explode. Plant stems in the substrate where they grow upward then trail, or just let them float as cover and shade, both work. It is a heavy nutrient feeder that helps soak up nitrates and starve algae, but it grows so quickly it needs frequent trimming. Propagate by snipping any stem segment with a leaf node and replanting or floating it.

In the wild

Native to wet and boggy areas, stream edges and marshes across Central and South America, where it scrambles over wet ground and floats out across the water surface. It is a vigorous semi-aquatic with round, scalloped coin-shaped leaves on long climbing stems.

Good to know

Despite the pennywort common name it belongs to the family Araliaceae (the ivy and ginseng family), in the genus Hydrocotyle. The genus was historically placed in Apiaceae but molecular work moved it to Araliaceae. The species epithet leucocephala means white-headed, referring to its small white flower clusters. There is also a white-and-green variegated cultivar in the trade.

Did you know

Did you know it works as a floating plant and a planted stem from the same cutting? Float it and it spreads a surface canopy that fry and shrimp hide in; root it and the same stem climbs upward, so many keepers use it both ways in one tank.

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