Growing Whorled Pennywort (Hydrocotyle Verticillata) In The Aquarium

This is a semi-aquatic species. It comes from tropical parts of South and Central Americas and southern states of the US. Its natural habitats are wetlands, floodplains, peatlands, swamps, shallow standing and slow-moving reservoirs.

This plant has creeping rhizome with several leaves and filamentous roots in each node. The leaves are green, circular with sinuate margins and centrally attached leaf stems. The leaf stems are 3-10 cm long. The diameter of the leaf is up to 4 cm.

This species grows horizontally but under water it grows slowly. It depends on light intensity and water level. The stronger lighting and lower water level the better. The lighting has also effect on the growth of the plant - the weaker light the plant is higher. Then its leaves are elongated towards the light, they are finer and more brittle. Additional fertilization isn't necessary but it is indicated. Yellowing leaves can be caused by nitrogen deficiency.

The species should be planted in the foreground in the aquarium. We can also use this plant as floating plant.

This is spermatophyte species (fine and white flowers) but in aquarium we reproduce it vegetatively - by the runners or by dividing the rhizome.