Whorled Pennywort

[jread]

I was just wondering where this plant originates from. The reason being is that I would almost bet money that it's the exact same plant that grows in my parents' yard back home in Southeast Texas!!! During the wet parts of the year when the lawn is marshy, these things are EVERYWHERE! Are they truly an "underwater" plant? Most of the ones I've ever seen had exposed leaves. I used to pick them out of the ground, pull off the leaf but just leaving a little stem, then hold it horizontally and spin it. If you did it right, they'd fly off like little helicopters :D

If it's the same plant, then I'll definitely have to pull some out of the lawn next time I'm visiting and I see some: http://www.plantedtank.net/whorledpennywort.html

[TomFromStLouis]

I would not be surprised. Lots of these plants grow as you suggest which is why many of the ones you buy were grown emersed.

[plantbrain]

There are several species that grow all over the Sourthern US.
H verticillata and umbrellata are two common species.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[jread]

Ah, so it has to be the same plant then.

Do you think that I could get some of them and put them in my aquarium, or should they be raised immersed from the beginning?

[promethean_sprk]

I've heard they like it on the colder side underwater, but if they're growing in texas they might be ok.

[plantbrain]

They don't do too well in FL during the summer and they die back, in the winter they grow like mad.

Most of these species are only so so in tanks. Brazilian pennywort is a good plant to grow though.

If the leaf is dissected, it might be H ranuculus(spelling).

Some varieties will okay, H verticillata is pretty good.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[promethean_sprk]

There's some morning glory vine growing in my in-laws back yard, it looks very much like a large form of pennywort. So that's a possibility too.

[lesley]

Some species of Ranunculus is also a possibility. Does it produce little yellow flowers? The flowers of Hydrocotyle are very distinctive little white pompoms.