TankBud

One species · 4 forms

Hygrophila corymbosa

Also known as Temple plant, Giant hygro, Starhorn, Hygrophila stricta, Hygrophila angustifolia rubra

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Hygrophila corymbosa (Hygrophila corymbosa)
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Light
Low light
CO2
No CO₂ needed
Temperature
68–82°F
20–28°C
Max height
19.7 in
50 cm
Growth rate
Fast
Placement
Background
Type
Stem
pH
6.3–7.5
Hardness
4–18 dGH
Spread
4.7 in (12 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Beginner
Family
Acanthaceae
Origin
Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam)

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Overview

Hygrophila corymbosa, the temple plant, is a large, fast-growing stem plant for the background. It is a beginner plant.

Did you know

Submersed Hygrophila corymbosa sometimes sends a shoot all the way to the surface. The shoot breaks into the air to grow emersed leaves and can even flower, a holdover from its life as a seasonal marsh plant.

Caring for Hygrophila corymbosa

Strip the lower leaves and plant single stems in the background with space around each one. The leaves get large, and a tight group shades itself out. Keep the water at 68 to 82°F (20 to 28°C).

Hygrophila corymbosa is undemanding and grows in low to moderate light without CO2. Added CO2 and fertilizer give faster, more compact growth and better leaf size. It is a heavy feeder through its roots and the water column, so dose a liquid fertilizer and add root tabs near its roots.

It grows fast and needs regular trimming. Watch for lower-leaf loss, which usually means light or nutrients are not reaching down the stem. Top it and replant the healthy crowns to keep it bushy, and plant side shoots on their own once they have a few leaves.

Siamensis narrows the leaves, Cherry Leaf flushes its new growth red, and Variegated marbles its leaves in cream, yellow and white. Compacta is a dwarf mutation that grows as a squat rosette until it eventually decides to stem anyway. All are nursery forms of the one species, usually sold emersed with dark, stiff leaves that get replaced underwater within weeks.

Corymbosa grows fast enough to show missing nutrients before anything else suffers: pale new leaves mean iron, pinholes mean potassium. That appetite makes it a great plant for new tanks, where it soaks up the excess that would otherwise feed algae.

Good to know

Hygrophila corymbosa belongs to the family Acanthaceae and is a robust stem plant. It is sometimes sold under the older name Hygrophila stricta or as Nomaphila stricta, and also as giant hygro. Numerous regional and leaf-form variants exist, such as the narrow-leaved Angustifolia and the compact Siamensis, all treated under the corymbosa umbrella. Like other Hygrophila, it roots from its leaf nodes.

In the wild

Hygrophila corymbosa grows in marshes, ditches and stream margins across Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. It spends part of its life emersed on wet banks and part submersed when water levels rise. Emersed, it produces sturdier leaves and small bluish flowers, while submersed it forms the broad, soft leaves seen in aquariums.

Common questions

Why did all the leaves fall off after planting?

The emersed leaves it was grown with always drop underwater. New submerged leaves, longer and softer, follow quickly; keep the stems planted and feed them.

How do I keep Compacta small?

It stays low on its own for a long time, especially under strong light. When it finally stems up, cut the stem back to the rosette and replant the cutting.

Does Hygrophila corymbosa 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 Hygrophila corymbosa need CO2?

No. Hygrophila corymbosa grows well without added CO2 and suits a low-tech tank.

How much light does Hygrophila corymbosa need?

Hygrophila corymbosa is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.

Does Hygrophila corymbosa need root tabs?

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

How do you propagate Hygrophila corymbosa?

Hygrophila corymbosa 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 Hygrophila corymbosa grow?

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

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