PlantFreshwaterIntermediate
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Lawn marshpennywort
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides
A charming creeping freshwater plant featuring tiny umbrella-shaped leaves. Perfect for creating a dense foreground lawn or adding detail to natural aquascapes.
- Taxonomy
- Class:MagnoliopsidaOrder:ApialesFamily:AraliaceaeSubfamily:HydrocotyloideaeGenus:HydrocotyleSpecies:Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides
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Water Temperature
20 - 28 °C
pH Value
6.5 - 7.5
Water type
Freshwater
Light
Medium
CO2
Medium
Expected height
5 cm
Expected width
20 cm
GH
4 - 15 dGH
KH
2 - 10 dKH
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Widely distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions of East Asia. It grows along the damp margins of ditches, streams, wet meadows, and rice paddies, thriving in both submerged and emersed conditions.
Taxonomy & Genetics: Belongs to the family Araliaceae (formerly Apiaceae), genus Hydrocotyle. It is closely related to the more common Hydrocotyle tripartita but features rounder, more compact leaves.
Physical Structure: A creeping stem plant that spreads via runner stems (stolons). It produces tiny lobed or rounded leaves, 0.5 to 1.5 cm wide, growing on thin vertical petioles from each node.
Color & Texture: Displays a vibrant, uniform light green coloration. The leaf texture is delicate with scalloped margins, creating a dense, soft cushion-like carpet over the substrate.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Lighting & CO2: Requires moderate to high lighting. While it can grow without supplemental CO2, carbon dioxide injection significantly accelerates growth and encourages a lower, more compact creeping habit.
Nutrition & Substrate: Thrives in a nutrient-rich substrate. Since it absorbs nutrients through both its root system and leaves, regular liquid fertilization containing iron and potassium is recommended.
Water Chemistry: Highly adaptable to various water parameters, preferring soft to moderately hard water (KH 2-10, GH 4-15) and a pH range of 6.0-7.5. Ideal temperature range is 20-26°C (68-79°F).
Space Management & Placement: Primarily used in the foreground as a carpeting plant or in the midground. It can also be trained to climb over wood and rocks, filling gaps between hardscape elements.
Pruning: Regularly trim dense patches using sharp aquascaping scissors to prevent the bottom layers from rotting due to lack of light. Cut runners can be replanted to propagate the plant.
Risks & Diseases: Insufficient light causes the stems to grow vertically, ruining the carpet effect. Nitrogen or potassium deficiencies lead to yellowing leaves and pinholes.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Widely distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions of East Asia. It grows along the damp margins of ditches, streams, wet meadows, and rice paddies, thriving in both submerged and emersed conditions.
Origin
South and Southeast AsiaEast Asia
Plant profile
- Placement
- Foreground
- It is primarily used as a foreground carpeting plant. Its tiny, delicate leaves make it perfect for nano aquariums. It should be planted in small, spaced out portions to allow the runners to spread and merge.
- Botanical form
- runner
- It features very small, shallowly lobed, shield-shaped leaves that grow along creeping runners. The foliage is a pale, slightly yellowish-green. Its diminutive size gives it a very delicate and intricate appearance.
- Growth
- Fast
- Under optimal conditions with high light and CO2, its growth rate is moderate. It is significantly slower than other Hydrocotyle species. Patience is required to achieve a full, continuous carpet.
- Substrate
- Medium
- The Lawn Marshpennywort (Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides) flourishes best in a fine-grained, high-quality aqua soil that offers abundant nutrients to its delicate root system. Its shallow creeping runners rely on the top layer of the substrate to root at multiple nodes and establish a low-growing mat. A lightweight soil texture prevents the tiny roots from being crushed and facilitates rapid horizontal expansion. Maintaining a substrate depth of 2-4 cm is entirely sufficient to anchor the plant and supply it with long-term nourishment.
- Column fertilization
- Optional
- It benefits from a steady supply of liquid nutrients, particularly iron and trace elements to maintain leaf coloration. Potassium is also important to prevent older leaves from developing holes. Regular, small doses of liquid fertilizer work best.
- Root fertilization
- Optional
- A nutrient-rich aquasoil is highly recommended for this species. It relies heavily on a fertile substrate to root deeply and spread its runners. Root tabs can be used to supplement older substrates.
- Trimming
- Occasional
- Trimming involves carefully snipping stray runners that grow over other plants or hardscape. To maintain a flat carpet, it can be gently pressed down or lightly trimmed with curved scissors. Avoid massive pruning at once, as it can be slow to recover.
- Propagation
- Division
- Propagation is achieved by dividing the runners. Simply cut a section of the runner with a few leaves and roots attached. Replant it into the substrate using fine-tipped tweezers, taking care not to bury the leaves.
- Sensitivity
- Moderate
- It is sensitive to shading; it requires unhindered, intense light to stay low and compact. It is also prone to algae growth among its tiny leaves if flow or nutrients are imbalanced. Sudden changes in water parameters can cause leaf melt.
- Layout role
- Foreground, Midground, Epiphyte
- Its main role is to provide a highly detailed, intricate foreground carpet. Its small leaf size is excellent for creating a sense of scale in smaller aquascapes. It contrasts beautifully with darker rocks or larger-leaved plants.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
Related species
Recommendations grouped by close relatives, companion choices, and similar care.
