01
Overview
River buttercup spreads by runner like a carpet plant but holds each deeply cut leaf aloft on its own stem, so a colony reads as miniature tree canopy rather than turf. The silhouette is unique in the foreground repertoire and oddly architectural for something ten centimeters tall.
02
Aquascaping use
Colonize it between stones or as a raised mid-foreground grove where the umbrella profile shows against open substrate. It gives diorama scapes convincing miniature palms.
03
Planting
Plant runner sections shallowly in fertile substrate; new parasols pop up along the advancing line. Direct the spread by trimming runners at borders.
Active nutrient substrate
04
Light & CO₂
Medium light with CO₂ keeps stalks short and umbrellas dense; low energy stretches the stalks and thins the canopy. Slightly cool water suits it.
05
Substrate & fertilization
Feed root and column; the running habit draws on both. Robust feeding shows in larger, more divided leaves.
Feeding behavior: Mixed feeder. Nutrient demand: high.
06
Growth, trimming & propagation
Mow tall outliers to keep the canopy level and harvest runner plantlets for new ground. Old shaded parasols yellow and should be plucked.
Runner separation
07
Common problems
- !Stretches leggy without adequate light
- !Canopy shades its own runners in thick stands
- !Spreads into neighbors' territory by stealth
