Gratiola

Care at a glance

Overview

Easy enough given clean water and good light, but a slow grower that needs patience. It prefers soft, slightly acidic to neutral water and forms dense, flat, wide cushions, so it works trimmed low as a foreground or midground plant. CO2 is not required but makes growth faster and denser. It is unusually flexible and can even be tied to wood or rock like a moss for a shag-carpet effect.

In the wild

A North American wetland plant from the southeastern and eastern United States, found in wet ground, ditches, and pond margins. It is a fairly recent addition to the aquarium hobby, forming low, dense cushions of narrow light-green leaves.

Good to know

A member of the family Plantaginaceae in the genus Gratiola (the hedge-hyssops). The species name viscidula refers to the slightly sticky, glandular texture of the plant. Despite the compact aquarium appearance, in the wild it grows as an emergent marsh herb.

Did you know

In the wild it sometimes grows as an epiphyte, clinging to surfaces, so in the aquarium you can attach it to hardscape like a moss instead of planting it in substrate.

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