Cardamine lyrata 'Japan' Care Guide
Cardamine lyrata 'Japan' is a compact form of an East Asian marsh plant suited to cool-water and tropical aquascapes that are not kept too warm.
Overview
Cardamine lyrata is a member of the mustard family (Brassicaceae) native to the marshes of eastern China, Siberia, Korea and Japan. The 'Japan' selection is a compact form with smaller, rounder leaves. It is cultivated as an aquarium ornamental and grows as a bushy stem plant.
Taxonomy
- Family: Brassicaceae
- Genus: Cardamine
- Scientific name: Cardamine lyrata 'Japan'
Habitat
In the wild the species lives in moist places and along rivulets in East Asia, including China, Japan, Korea and Far Eastern Russia. It is a bog (amphibious) plant that can grow both emersed and submersed, and flowers from May to June with insect-pollinated, self-fertile flowers.
Aquarium requirements
- Temperature: 15-26 °C (59-79 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.8
- GH: 4-16 °dGH
- Lighting: medium to strong
- CO2: not required, but accelerates growth
- Placement: midground
- Maximum height: about 25 cm
Cooler water of around 20 °C encourages larger leaves, whereas temperatures of about 24 °C and above produce smaller leaves. The plant should not be kept above roughly 28 °C, where it begins to wilt. Under insufficient light the stems grow thin and leaves stay small.
Care and growth
Growth rate is medium. The species grows well even without added CO2, but carbon dioxide and bright light promote dense, compact bushes. It is regarded as an easy, beginner-friendly plant and works well in coldwater tanks as well as cooler tropical setups.
Propagation
Cardamine lyrata propagates easily by cuttings. Side shoots and trimmed tops can be replanted to form new stems, allowing a single plant to fill a midground group over time.