01
Overview
Water lettuce grows ribbed, felt-soft leaves in rosettes that can span a dinner plate outdoors, though aquarium ‘dwarf’ stock stays smaller under lights. Its root beards reach deep and feed hard, making it a nutrient exporter of the first order and a regulated pest in warm waterways.
Size note: Compactness is highly condition-dependent; the trade label “dwarf” does not identify a separate species.
02
Aquascaping use
One or three rosettes make a sculptural statement in open-topped tanks; the deep roots furnish shelter beneath. It suits ponds and big tanks better than nano surfaces it would monopolize.
03
Planting
Float it and keep the crown dry; condensation drip from tight lids rots the velvet. Give it air space above the rosette.
None
04
Light & CO₂
Bright, open-air light grows the tightest rosettes; under weak lamps it pales and flattens. Carbon comes free from the atmosphere.
05
Substrate & fertilization
It devours nitrogen; in lean tanks the oldest leaves yellow as it cannibalizes them. Feed the system knowing this plant taxes it first.
Feeding behavior: Water-column feeder. Nutrient demand: high.
06
Growth, trimming & propagation
Remove daughter rosettes at the runner as they crowd, disposing of them lawfully. Trim dead outer leaves to keep rosettes trim.
Runner separation
07
Common problems
Water lettuce is invasive or regulated in many jurisdictions. Verify local law, never release it, and dispose of excess plants securely.
- !Shades and starves submerged plants below
- !Crown rot under drippy covered tanks
- !Widely regulated as invasive
