Hydrocotyle leucocephala

Semi tropical to tropical native of Central & South America. Often found growing in boggy habitat or beside waterways, it seems happiest growing emersed or floating but will grow submersed with enough light.

It tends to want to grow straight upward when submersed but can be persuaded to grow along the substrate with the right conditions.

There is a variegated form in cultivation which is more difficult to find.

Often recommended as a beginner friendly plant but it needs at least moderately strong light & some feeding to grow well.

To do well submersed it needs fairly intense light and fares poorly with only what fish provide & low light.

To grow it as a foreground plant takes high light, CO2, feeding & a great deal of trimming.

It’s capable of growing so fast you can almost see it happening in real time, which makes it a fairly heavy feeder. If it’s left to grow as it chooses it could take over a tank so it needs pruning.