Hydrocotyle Tripartita

Want a carpet with recognizable leaves? Hydrocotyle tripartita creeps across the substrate on fine stems carrying bright green clover-shaped leaves — far more distinct at a glance than the grass and moss textures most carpets offer. It also climbs, which is where it gets interesting.

What You’ll Receive

Choose the format that suits your aquascaping needs:

• Fresh-Cut Plants: Loose, freshly cut portion without root, ready to be planted or attached
• Bunched Plants: Fresh-cut stems without root bundled with foam and plant weight for easy anchoring
• Potted Plants: Fresh-cut stems without root potted in rockwool and net pot for stable placement and easy handling

Plant Profile

• Common name — Hydrocotyle Japan
• Scientific name — Hydrocotyle tripartita
• Placement — Foreground to midground
• Mature height — 2–4 in
• Growth rate — Fast

Care

• Difficulty — Beginner
• Light — Medium to high. Strong light keeps it flat; weak light makes it climb
• CO₂ — Recommended, not required
• Water — 68–82°F · pH 6.0–7.5
• Substrate — Required. Root and water column feeder
• Growth habit — Amphibious. Also grows emersed
• Propagation — Creeping runners

Grower’s Notes

• Light decides whether it carpets or climbs. Under strong light reaching the substrate it stays flat and spreads sideways. Under weaker light it grows upward, scrambling over rock and wood — which some aquascapers do on purpose for a vine effect.
• Trim it often. It grows fast and will smother slower neighbors within weeks if left — this is a plant that needs managing, not a set-and-forget carpet.
• Replant the trimmings. Every cut piece roots readily, so one portion covers a foreground quickly at no extra cost.
• It attaches loosely to hardscape as it creeps, so you can wrap it around stone and let it hold on by itself.

Looking for the smaller version? Read our comparison of Hydrocotyle Tripartita vs Tripartita Mini.

Notes

• As live plants, appearance may vary slightly. Fresh-cut and bunched plants may not have established roots but will develop quickly under stable aquarium conditions.
• Never release aquarium plants into natural waterways.

At a glance

• Free shipping on orders of $150 or more (after discounts) within the contiguous United States, by USPS.
• Free thermal protection is included with every shipment, all year round.
• Processing: most orders leave us within 1 to 2 business days. Tracking is emailed when your order ships.
• USPS (2 to 5 business days) ships Monday through Saturday.
• UPS 2nd Day Air® ships Monday through Wednesday. Order by Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
• UPS Next Day Air® ships Monday through Thursday. Order by Wednesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
• Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and military addresses ship by USPS at a flat rate shown at checkout.
• Weather holds: during extreme heat or cold we may hold live orders until it's safe to ship.
• We ship within the United States only.

Please bring live plants indoors and unpack them the day they arrive. Every live order is covered by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee.

The complete rules, including lost packages and address issues, are in our Shipping Policy. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.

Every live order is backed by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee. If a plant arrives dead, we'll make it right.

How it works

• Tell us within 24 hours of the delivery time on your tracking.
• Send photos of the affected items in their original, unopened packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label, to hello@aquariumplantsfactory.com with your order number.
• We'll make it right with a replacement, store credit or refund for the affected item.

Good to know

• Some melting or yellowing as plants adjust from greenhouse to aquarium life is normal. They regrow from healthy roots and rhizomes.
• Please bring your package indoors and unpack it the day it arrives.
• Free promotional items and shipping charges are not covered.

The complete rules, including what's covered and what voids the guarantee, are in our Returns, Refunds & Live Arrival Guarantee. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.

Please review your state's regulations on restricted plants, as we are committed to not shipping plants that are restricted in your area. Do not release any plants into the wild or waterways, as this can harm local ecosystems by introducing invasive species.

Your cooperation in protecting the environment is appreciated. For continuously updated information, refer to the USDA State Noxious Weed list here.

Thank you for your responsible commitment to environmental preservation.