Hydrocotyle Tripartita (Hydrocotyle tripartita) Care Guide
A charming creeping plant with small clover-shaped leaves that forms dense mats. Popular in aquascaping for its unique leaf shape and ability to cascade over hardscape.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Hydrocotyle tripartita is an aquatic plant in the family Araliaceae. A charming creeping plant with small clover-shaped leaves that forms dense mats. Popular in aquascaping for its unique leaf shape and ability to cascade over hardscape. Can be used as carpet, midground, or attached to driftwood.
Taxonomy
- Family: Araliaceae
- Genus: Hydrocotyle
- Scientific name: Hydrocotyle tripartita
- Other names: Hydrocotyle Japan, Hydrocotyle sp. Japan
Habitat
Native to New Zealand and the Australian states of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Grows as a creeping herb along moist edges; submerged forms develop small three-lobed leaves on slender vertical stems.
Growth requirements
- Light: medium (≈50-80 PAR at substrate)
- CO2: optional (CO2 improves growth and coloration)
- Temperature: 20-28 °C
- pH: 6-7.5
- GH: 2-12 °dGH
- Substrate: nutrient-rich aquasoil or fertilised gravel
- Nutrient demand: medium
- Growth rate: medium
- Difficulty: intermediate
Placement
- Maximum height: 10 cm
- Trim every: 14 days
Propagation
In cultivation the plant is propagated by runners (daughter plants on horizontal stolons) and stem cuttings (replant the upper portion after trimming).
Propagating Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Mini' (Japan Pennywort)
Overview
Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Mini' is the compact form of Japan pennywort, with small green lobed leaves that look like terrestrial clover on creeping stems. It has been an aquascaping favourite for years thanks to its attractive foliage and easy upkeep, working both as a low carpet and as a midground shrub.
Propagation Method
This plant spreads very quickly by runners, so the main way to propagate it is to divide the creeping runner mat and replant the portions. Each stem with its root can be separated and planted as a fully independent plant; stem cuttings work the same way. The key rule is to keep the entire stem, leaf and root parts intact on every piece you divide off.
Step-by-Step
- Lift or loosen an established clump and find the creeping runners weaving through it.
- Separate the mat into portions, making sure each piece carries stem, leaves and roots together.
- Replant the portions across the planting area in a loose grid, leaving gaps between them.
- Press each piece gently into the substrate so the roots make contact and the stem stays put.
- Let the runners bridge the gaps; the grid fills in quickly into a continuous mat.
Conditions for Healthy Growth
Hydrocotyle tripartita is very easy to grow in CO2-injected tanks, where it forms dense clumps. It can be grown without injected CO2, but then the leaves stay smaller and the clumps are thinner and less dense. Higher light combined with CO2 pushes growth lower and denser, which is ideal when you want a tight carpet. It can be planted in substrate or attached to hardscape, where it also grows well.
Trimming & Maintenance
If the plant is cut back or allowed to bunch, it forms dense mats. Cut runners as soon as they appear wherever you do not want the plant to spread. As a clump matures, older leaves can deteriorate, yellow or be attacked by algae; remove those when you prune.
Common Challenges
- Runners spread aggressively into neighbouring plants if not trimmed back regularly.
- Without CO2 the carpet stays thin with smaller leaves and looser clumps.
- Old shaded leaves can yellow or attract algae, so prune the under-layer during maintenance.
Propagating Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Japan'
Overview
Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Japan' is a small clover-leaved member of the genus Hydrocotyle (family Araliaceae). Like its relatives it grows long creeping stems that form dense mats and reproduces by sending roots from the stem nodes.
In the aquarium it is used as a low carpet or midground plant that can also cascade over hardscape. Its creeping stolons knit together into a mat, making it a popular foreground choice that provides excellent shelter for small fish and shrimp.
Propagation Method
The primary method is division of the creeping mat. Because the plant roots at its nodes along horizontal stolons, you can cut the mat into sections and replant each piece, where it re-roots and spreads. Trimmed stem tops can also be replanted as cuttings.
Step-by-Step
- Lift or trim a portion of the established mat, including a few nodes and any existing roots.
- Cut the creeping stolon into small sections, each with at least one or two nodes.
- Plant the sections in a grid across the substrate, pressing each node firmly so it does not float away.
- Space sections a few centimeters apart so the runners can fill the gaps between them.
- Keep planting depth shallow; the runners will spread horizontally and merge into a continuous carpet.
Conditions for Healthy Growth
It does best in medium to high lighting and warm water (about 20-28 C). It can be grown without CO2, but the carpet stays much denser and lower under high light plus CO2. Feed both water-column and substrate fertilizers to support the spreading runners.
Trimming & Maintenance
Trim roughly every two weeks to keep the carpet low and dense. When stems grow too tall, cut the tops and replant them in the ground to thicken thin areas. You can also train the delicate vines to creep over hardscape for a cascading effect.
Common Challenges
Freshly planted sections tend to float free before they root, so plant nodes firmly and deeply. Under weak light the plant grows tall and leggy instead of carpeting; raise light and CO2 and trim more often to force low, dense, horizontal growth.