Dwarf Hygrophila care guide
Hygrophila polysperma · Acanthaceae
Dwarf Hygrophila (Hygrophila polysperma) is an aquatic plant. It belongs to the Acanthaceae family. It is native to India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, southern China and Malaysia; a brown “Ceylon” form comes from Sri Lanka. Introduced in Florida and Texas. It needs low to high light. Water temperature: Tolerates about 4–35 °C. pH: 5.0 – 8.0. Care difficulty: Very Easy (one of the most robust, undemanding aquarium plants; water hardness has no effect). Growth rate: fast.
How do you care for Dwarf Hygrophila?
| Light | Low to High (light matters little; under weaker light it grows slower with smaller leaves) |
|---|---|
| CO₂ | Not needed |
| Temperature | Tolerates about 4–35 °C |
| pH | 5.0 – 8.0 |
| Placement | A stem group in the midground |
| Growth | Fast |
| Difficulty | Very Easy (one of the most robust, undemanding aquarium plants; water hardness has no effect) |
| Family | Acanthaceae |
How do you trim and propagate Dwarf Hygrophila?
Fast growth means trimming every 2–3 weeks. Cut side shoots or the top shoot and replant them; an isolated leaf can root itself.
Where does Dwarf Hygrophila come from?
India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, southern China and Malaysia; a brown “Ceylon” form comes from Sri Lanka. Introduced in Florida and Texas · Biotope regions: South-east Asia.
What should you know before buying Dwarf Hygrophila?
On the US Federal Noxious Weed List and illegal to import or sell in several states (for example Kansas and South Carolina); invasive where it has escaped (Florida, Texas). Check local rules and never release it into natural waters.
Sources
- Hygrophila polysperma - Dwarf Hygrophila — Flowgrow Aquatic Plant Database
- Hygrophila polysperma — Wikipedia
- Hygrophila polysperma (Hygrophila polysperma) — Aquasabi plant fact sheet (its values are credited there to the Flowgrow databas
Care details checked against these sources on 2026-10-29.
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