Plants
Whorled Pennywort
Hydrocotyle verticillata
Origin: Whorled pennywort comes from the Americas — from the southern USA to South America. It grows on wet shores, marshes, and shallows, forming low mats of round leaves.
Also known as: Whorled marshpennywort, Hydrocotyle verticillata
Fact sheet
- Height
- 10 cm
- Temperature
- 18–26 °C
- pH
- 6–7.5
- Lighting
- Medium
- CO₂
- Recommended
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Placement
- Foreground, Midground
Overview
Whorled pennywort is a low carpeting plant with distinctive round peltate leaves, where the petiole attaches to the centre of the blade (like an umbrella). The leaves rise vertically on short petioles from a creeping rhizome, forming an original fore- or midground. It grows more slowly than most pennyworts and needs good light to stay compact. It is decorative for its unusual leaf shape and good for accent patches in the foreground.
Appearance
Vertical petioles 5–12 cm tall rise from a creeping horizontal rhizome, each bearing a round peltate leaf 1–3 cm across with a scalloped edge. The petiole attaches to the centre of the leaf. Colour is fresh green. It forms not a solid carpet but rather a 'grove' of umbrella leaves.
Care
It needs medium to strong light for compact growth, 18–26 °C, pH 6.0–7.5. CO2 is recommended. It roots in nutrient-rich substrate. Under weak light the petioles stretch and the plant thins out.
Fertilizing
It feeds mainly through roots: it appreciates nutrient-rich substrate and root feeding. Micronutrients and CO2 improve density and colour.
Breeding
It propagates by the creeping rhizome, which puts out new petioles and daughter plants. Rooted sections can be separated and replanted.
Fun facts
The round leaf with a central petiole (peltate) makes the species easy to recognise. Unlike the fast creeping pennyworts, verticillata grows vertically and more slowly. It also tolerates damp emersed culture well.