Hygrophila polysperma: living card for a stem plant

Hygrophila polysperma helps consume nutrients and stabilize new planted tanks. Neglect it, and the same fast growth shades everything below.

Quick read

• Type: fast stem plant.
• Aquarium: starter planted tank, bright low-tech, or high-tech.
• Indicative temperature: 20-28 C.
• pH: 6.0-7.8.
• Light: medium.
• CO2: optional, speeds growth.
• Planting: separate stems, replant healthy tops.
• Difficulty: low; requires frequent trimming.

What to check before planting

Choose stems with firm tips and no black bases. Lower leaves may drop after planting; the tops show the future.

During adaptation, old leaves may die back while new shoots appear in a different form. Judge the growth point, not a perfect old leaf.

Planted-tank design

Plant in rear or side groups. Trim and replant tops to keep density controlled and avoid bare stems.

The right position prevents future work: slow plants under less light, stem plants with trimming margin, and large plants where they do not block the whole aquarium.

Working parameters

It responds quickly to macronutrient shortage. Pale leaves, holes, or twisted growth help reveal planted-tank imbalances.

The plant responds to light, carbon, nutrients, flow, and stability, not to labels like low-tech or high-tech. Change one variable at a time so you can see what worked.

Compatibility and warning

Good with small fish. Large herbivores may nibble tender shoots; excessive current bends newly planted stems.

Black bases and melting stems indicate too little light under the mass, poor circulation, or too long without trimming.

Reference sources

Tropica Aquarium Plants and Kew Plants of the World Online for culture, growth type, and botanical reference. Ranges are indicative and depend on light, nutrients, CO2, and the plant’s original growth form.