Pennywort Brazilian (Hydrocotyle Leucocephala) - Potted

Pennywort Brazilian | Potted

Brazilian Pennywort (Hydrocotyle leucocephala) is a distinctive, fast-growing plant from Brazil known for its round, coin-like leaves—typically about one to two inches across—that instantly add a fresh, playful texture to a planted aquarium. Because the leaf shape is so different from most stem plants, pennywort is especially useful when you want to make a scape feel more dynamic and layered rather than “all the same leaf.”

Brazilian Pennywort Overview

In the aquarium, Brazilian Pennywort grows in long, flexible stems with leaves spaced along the stalk, giving it a light, trailing look that can be styled in multiple ways. It’s a favorite among aquascapers because it can behave like a midground plant, a background filler, or even a floating canopy depending on how you place and trim it.

In a planted layout, it’s especially appreciated for:

• Unique leaf shape and texture: Round leaves create instant contrast against grassy plants, fine-leaved stems, and broad crypts.
• Fast growth and nutrient uptake: Helps pull excess nutrients from the water column, which can support a cleaner, more stable planted tank when paired with good maintenance.
• Versatile styling: Train it upward as a midground “vine,” let it drape over hardscape, or allow it to float for a shaded, natural look.
• Cover and comfort for fish behavior: When it reaches the surface, it can create gentle shade that helps skittish fish feel more secure.

Whether you keep it trimmed and compact or let it stretch and trail, pennywort adds movement and a natural, riverbank-like feel to the aquarium.

Caring for Pennywort Brazillian

Brazilian Pennywort is easy to grow and adapts well to a wide range of water conditions, making it a great option for both newer and experienced hobbyists. It will grow especially quickly under stronger lighting, and because it’s such a fast grower, regular trimming helps keep it dense and intentional rather than long and leggy. If you allow it to reach the surface, the stems may begin to sprawl and spread, creating a floating canopy effect with leaves that provide dappled shade below. In community tanks, that “tangled vine” growth is also part of the charm—livebearers like guppies, swordtails, and mollies, along with schooling fish such as tetras, often swim playfully in and out of the foliage, using it as casual cover and a natural-feeling swim-through space.

While Pennywort can do well in “basic” setups, it becomes noticeably fuller and more vibrant with consistent nutrients. A complete liquid fertilizer such as Thrive is a great choice for supporting steady growth, especially because Pennywort pulls a lot of nutrition directly from the water column. If you’re running a planted tank with heavier plant mass or brighter light, routine fertilization helps keep growth lush rather than pale or stunted. For lighting, a programmable planted-tank fixture like the Fluval Plant Spectrum 4.0 Bluetooth 24/7 LED Aquarium Light makes it much easier to dial in consistent intensity and photoperiod, which is often the difference between Pennywort growing “okay” and growing thick, fast, and attractive.

• Light: Medium (stronger light encourages faster, denser growth)
• Temperature Range: 59–82°F
• Placement: Midground (can also be used foreground-to-midground or floated)
• CO₂: Not required (helpful for thicker, faster growth)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Growth Rate: Fast

From an aquascaping perspective, pennywort looks fantastic woven through hardscape. You can guide stems between rock gaps to create a “wild creek edge” look, or let it drape over driftwood for a more natural, overgrown style. It pairs beautifully with textured stone like Ohko Dragon Rock or Seiryu Stone, and it also complements epiphytes like Anubias and Java Fern, or Swords—the pennywort provides softer movement while the epiphytes anchor the scene. For trimming and shaping, sharp scissors make a big difference, and our Modern Aquarium 6-Piece Aquascaping Tool Set is ideal for keeping the plant tidy and replanting healthy cuttings without disturbing the scape.

Why Choose the Potted Version

Potted Brazilian Pennywort is a convenient option if you want a more stable, ready-to-place plant with an established root system. Many aquarists like setting the pot directly into the substrate at first while the plant adjusts, then removing it later to plant stems more precisely throughout the layout. It’s also helpful if you’re still experimenting with placement and want to shift the plant around without repeatedly uprooting it.

Pennywort Brazilian is also available as a bare-root plant.

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If you’re building a lush, nature-inspired aquascape, Brazilian Pennywort is an easy way to add unique leaf texture, fast growth, and a soft, trailing look—especially when combined with hardscape and a few complementary plant shapes for contrast.