Hydrocotyle Tripartita 'Japan'

Biosecurity Shipping Limitations apply

Shipping Allowed?

About Hydrocotyle Tripartita 'Japan'

Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Japan' is a popular freshwater aquarium plant known for its distinctive small, clover-like leaves and rapid creeping growth. It is a favourite among aquascapers looking to create a lush, natural-looking foreground or midground.

When provided with good lighting and CO₂, this plant spreads horizontally across the substrate, producing dense green growth that can form an attractive carpet. Its bright green foliage provides excellent contrast against darker plants, rocks and driftwood.

Unlike traditional carpeting plants, Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Japan' has a slightly more upright and textured appearance. It can also be encouraged to grow over hardscape, making it particularly versatile for nature-style and high-tech aquascapes.

Regular trimming helps maintain a compact appearance and encourages the plant to branch and spread. While it can survive in lower-tech aquariums, stronger lighting and CO₂ will significantly improve growth and density.

Quick Care Guide

• Scientific Name: Hydrocotyle tripartita
• Common Name: Hydrocotyle Tripartita 'Japan', Japanese Pennywort
• Family: Araliaceae
• Type: Creeping Stem / Carpeting Plant
• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
• Growth Rate: Fast
• Placement: Foreground to Midground
• Lighting: Moderate to High
• CO₂: Recommended
• pH: 6.0–7.5
• Temperature: 20–28°C
• Water Hardness: Soft to Moderately Hard
• Propagation: Cuttings / Runners
• Colour: Bright Green
• Aquarium Type: Freshwater

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Hydrocotyle Tripartita 'Japan' need CO₂?

It can grow without injected CO₂, but CO₂ supplementation produces much faster, denser and more compact growth.

Can it be used as a carpeting plant?

Yes. With sufficient light and CO₂, it can spread across the substrate and form a dense carpet. Regular trimming helps keep it low and compact.

How fast does Hydrocotyle Tripartita grow?

It is a relatively fast-growing aquarium plant, particularly under strong lighting with adequate nutrients and CO₂.

Can it grow on rocks and driftwood?

Yes. Its creeping stems can be trained across hardscape, creating a natural overgrown appearance.

How do I propagate it?

Cut healthy sections of the creeping stems and replant them into the substrate. New runners will develop and spread through the aquarium.

Is Hydrocotyle Tripartita suitable for beginners?

Yes, provided the aquarium has reasonable lighting and nutrient availability. It is generally more forgiving than many demanding carpeting plants.

Common Mistakes

• ❌ Using very weak lighting and expecting dense carpeting
• ❌ Planting large clumps too closely together
• ❌ Allowing it to become excessively overgrown
• ❌ Failing to provide adequate nutrients
• ❌ Burying the stems too deeply in the substrate
• ❌ Making large changes to lighting or CO₂ levels