Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Mini' Care Guide
Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Mini' is a compact East Asian creeping plant with small round-lobed leaves used as a foreground or midground accent.
Overview
Hydrocotyle tripartita, often sold as Hydrocotyle Japan, is a creeping aquatic plant of the family Araliaceae with bright green clover-like leaves. The 'Mini' form has smaller round-lobed leaves on creeping stems and is a popular foreground or midground accent.
Taxonomy
- Family: Araliaceae
- Genus: Hydrocotyle
- Scientific name: Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Mini'
- Trade name: Hydrocotyle Japan, Japanese pennywort
Habitat
Hydrocotyle tripartita originates from East Asia. As an amphibious plant it grows both emersed and submersed, creeping over substrate and hardscape and rooting along its trailing stems.
Aquarium requirements
- Temperature: 22-28 °C (72-82 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 3-14 °dGH
- Lighting: medium to high
- CO2: not required, but improves density
- Placement: foreground / midground
- Maximum height: about 8 cm
Moderate to high light is ideal. The plant grows readily in CO2-injected tanks and can also be kept without CO2, where it tends to be thinner and forms less dense clumps. A nutrient-rich, fine-grained substrate supports healthy growth.
Care and growth
Growth rate is medium. Trained low it can be used as a carpet, but it is more commonly grown as a midground shrub or allowed to creep over hardscape. Regular trimming keeps the clumps compact and bushy.
Propagation
Hydrocotyle tripartita propagates from stem cuttings and runners. Trimmed pieces readily re-root, and the creeping stems spread to fill in foreground or midground areas.