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Brazilian pennywort Variegated

Hydrocotyle leucocephala 'Variegated'

Also known as Variegated Brazilian pennywort, Variegated pennywort, Marble pennywort

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Brazilian pennywort Variegated (Hydrocotyle leucocephala 'Variegated')
Buce Plant · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Light
Medium light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°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
Easy
Family
Araliaceae
Origin
Cultivated variety of Hydrocotyle leucocephala, native to Central and South America

Overview

Brazilian pennywort Variegated is a fast-growing stem plant for the midground, grown just like the standard pennywort. It remains an easy plant.

Did you know

Brazilian pennywort Variegated erases itself if left alone. An untended plant slowly turns back into plain Brazilian pennywort, and the cultivar only persists because keepers keep pruning the green.

Caring for Brazilian pennywort Variegated

Strip the lower leaves and push the stems into the substrate a little apart, then let them climb. You can also drape stems over hardscape or simply float them.

Medium light keeps the cream sectors crisp. The variegated leaves carry less chlorophyll, so this form appreciates CO2 and a steady liquid fertilizer more than its parent. It still grows without injected CO2, only slower, and root tabs near its roots add to the liquid feed. Keep the water at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C).

It grows fast and needs regular trimming. Every node roots, so trimmings replant or float without fuss, and side shoots can be cut off and planted on their own.

Cut out all-green shoots at the base whenever they appear. They grow faster than the marbled ones and will gradually take over.

Good to know

Brazilian pennywort Variegated is a pennywort in Araliaceae, the family Hydrocotyle landed in after being moved out of the carrot family. The species name leucocephala means white-headed, for the pale flower clusters of emersed plants. Parts of each round, scalloped leaf lack chlorophyll, which gives a cream and green marbling. Like most variegation, it is genetically unstable.

In the wild

Brazilian pennywort Variegated is a cultivated sport, not a wild plant. Its parent, Hydrocotyle leucocephala, scrambles across marshy ground and stream banks in Central and South America. The parent roots at the nodes as it creeps, and it floats out across the water surface where it can. The variegated form arose and is kept in cultivation, and its marbled coloring has no wild counterpart.

Common questions

Does Brazilian pennywort Variegated 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 Variegated need CO2?

No, but it helps. Brazilian pennywort Variegated can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.

How much light does Brazilian pennywort Variegated need?

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

Does Brazilian pennywort Variegated need root tabs?

They help. Brazilian pennywort Variegated 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 Variegated?

Brazilian pennywort Variegated 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 Variegated grow?

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

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