Hygrophila Pinnatifida
Low stock
Ships the next business day
Estimated delivery 3–5 business days after dispatch
Couldn't load pickup availability
Secure checkout. We never see or store your card details.
Plant information
Hygrophila Pinnatifida
About this plant
Deeply lobed, fern-like leaves that run bronze to reddish-brown under stronger light — unlike any other stem plant in the hobby. It's also a rheophyte, so it can be planted in substrate or tied to wood and stone like an Anubias.
What you'll receive
Choose from a variety of planting formats to suit your layout:
- Small Bare-Root Plants: Includes 1 small rooted plant, perfect for attaching to driftwood, stones, or décor.
- Fresh-Cut Plants: Approximately 2–3 fresh-cut stems without roots for flexible planting arrangements.
- Fresh-Cut Bunched: 2–3 fresh-cut stems bundled with foam and a plant weight for quick placement.
- Fresh-Cut Potted: 2–3 fresh-cut stems securely potted in rockwool and a net pot for stability and continued growth.
- Photos are for reference; leaf color, size and form vary considerably with lighting and nutrients. Grown emersed and will transition to submersed growth after planting.
- Never release aquarium plants into natural waterways.
Plant details
- Common name
- Pinnatifida, Hygrophila Pinnatifida
- Scientific name
- Hygrophila pinnatifida
- Origin
- India
- Placement
- Midground, planted or on hardscape
- Shipped size
- 1 small rooted plant, or 2-3 fresh-cut stems roughly 2-4 in
- Mature height
- 4–10 in
- Suits
- 10 gallons and up
- Growth rate
- Medium
Care guide
- DifficultyIntermediate
- LightLow to medium. It grows in low light; the bronze and red need stronger light
- CO₂Recommended, not required
- Water68–82°F · pH 6.0–7.5
- SubstrateNot required if attached to hardscape; nutrient substrate if planted
- Growth habitRheophyte. Plants in substrate or attaches to wood and stone
- PropagationCuttings and side shoots
At a glance
Grower's notes
- It behaves like two different plants. Tied to wood or stone it creeps sideways and throws vertical shoots like an epiphyte. Planted in substrate it grows taller and greener. Decide which you want before you place it.
- Pinholes in older leaves mean potassium. This plant is unusually hungry for it and shows the deficiency before anything else in the tank does — treat it as an early warning for your dosing.
- Bronze and red develop under strong light with iron available. In low light it stays green and healthy — the color is a lighting response, not a health sign.
- It drops lower leaves as it lengthens. Cut the tops and replant them rather than waiting for the bare stems to fill back in.
- Also available as sterile Pinnatifida Vitro Culture, and as the compact 'UK' form.
How it arrives
A sealed Vitro Culture® bag
Lab-grown plantlets in nutrient gel, free of snails, algae and pests.
- Keep it sealed at room temperature, out of direct sun, until you're ready to plant.
- Rinse off all the gel under lukewarm water. Left in the tank, it clouds the water and feeds algae.
- Split into small portions and plant with tweezers. Small portions spread faster than one big clump.
Normal: a little melt in the first weeks as underwater leaves replace the leaves grown in the lab.
Rooted plants in a net pot with rockwool
The most stable option, with roots already established.
- Rinse the plant under clean water.
- Plant the pot as is, or ease the plant out and gently tease away the rockwool. Either way works.
- For epiphytes like Anubias and Bucephalandra, keep the rhizome above the substrate or tie it to wood or rock.
Fresh-cut stems in a net pot with rockwool
Freshly cut stems without roots, held upright in a net pot for a quick setup.
- Rinse the stems under clean water.
- Plant the pot as is, or remove the stems and plant them one by one, an inch or two deep.
- New roots usually form within a couple of weeks.
Rooted plants bundled with foam and a plant weight
Easy placement plus the stability of roots.
- Rinse the bunch under clean water.
- Place the bunch as is, or remove the foam and weight and plant each one separately.
- Give each plant room so light reaches the lower leaves.
Fresh-cut stems bundled with foam and a plant weight
Freshly cut stems without roots, ready to drop in.
- Rinse the stems under clean water.
- Remove the foam and weight and plant stems one by one, an inch or two deep, for the fullest look. You can also place the bunch as is.
- New roots usually form within a couple of weeks.
Loose, rooted plants
No pot or foam, so you can place them exactly where you want.
- Rinse the plants under clean water.
- Plant the roots into the substrate, or tie the rhizome to wood or rock with cotton thread (never glue). Don't bury the rhizome.
- Trim any broken leaves; new growth follows once settled.
Loose, fresh-cut stems
Freshly cut stems without roots, for full flexibility.
- Rinse the stems under clean water.
- Plant stems one by one, an inch or two deep, with a little space between them.
- New roots usually form within a couple of weeks.
A bulb, ready to sprout
Bulbs ship either dormant or already sprouted with leaves, depending on the option you choose.
- Rinse the bulb under clean water.
- Rest it on the substrate or press the base in slightly. Don't bury the top.
- A dormant bulb can take a few weeks to send up its first leaves.
A young sprouted tuber
Ready to pot up and grow into a full plant.
- Pot it in a wide container of heavy garden soil, crown just above the soil.
- Start shallow and lower it deeper as the leaves grow.
- Give it full sun once the leaves reach the surface.
Attached to hardscape
Already growing on rock or wood, so it's ready to place.
- Rinse the piece under clean water.
- Place it anywhere in your layout. No planting needed.
- Keep the rhizome out of the substrate.
Packed fresh to travel well
- Open the box as soon as it arrives.
- Rinse the plants under clean water.
- Plant or place them the same day if you can.
Check your plants within 24 hours of delivery. That's your Live Arrival Guarantee window.
Shipping & Live Arrival Guarantee
Live Arrival Guarantee
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.
Shipping Information
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.
FAQs
What is your return policy?
All sales are final, so we don’t accept returns or exchanges once your order ships.
The one exception: if your plants arrive dead or damaged, our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee covers a replacement, store credit or refund. Just email clear photos of the plants in their original, unopened packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label, within 24 hours of delivery.
Can you cancel my order?
We can only cancel your order if it hasn’t been fulfilled yet, and we can’t guarantee the cancellation will be possible. Please reach out to us as soon as possible and we’ll do our best to help.
What is your shipping policy?
We ship your order as soon as possible. Most orders ship within 1–2 business days, except live animals and backordered items.
Shipping speed depends on the carrier; you can choose the shipping service at checkout.
View more at Shipping Information.
Can I change my shipping address?
We can only update your shipping address if the order hasn’t been fulfilled yet, and we can’t guarantee the change will be possible. Please contact us with the updated address as soon as possible and we’ll do our best to help.
How does “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” work?
Add 3 or more eligible plants from our Buy 2 Get 1 Free Collection to your cart to activate the automatic discount. Mix and match freely. For every 3 eligible plants, your lowest-priced eligible plants are free at checkout.
View the Buy 2 Get 1 Free Terms.
Would it be possible to hold my order?
Unfortunately, we’re unable to hold orders for live plants because of high demand and quick sell-outs. Please place your order when you’re ready for us to ship it promptly.
What is your Live Arrival Guarantee policy?
We offer a 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee. If your order arrives dead, email at least two clear photos of the plants in their original, unopened packaging and a photo of the shipping label within 24 hours of delivery. After 24 hours, conditions are out of our control.
View more at 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee Policy.
Are your plants free from pests, algae, and pesticides?
Our plants are very clean, but we can’t guarantee they will be 100% free of hitchhikers (snails, algae, pests), because we can’t be responsible for your aquarium. We recommend rinsing all plants with clean water and quarantining them before use.
Plants in our Tissue Culture collection are 100% free of pests and algae and have never been in contact with any aquarium.
We don’t guarantee our plants are free of pesticides. We use homemade, organic pesticides in our greenhouse to control pests, and never pesticides containing copper, which is toxic to invertebrates such as snails, crabs, and shrimp.
We don’t guarantee your aquarium’s success and aren’t responsible for its inhabitants, including but not limited to fish, shrimp, snails, and turtles. Please quarantine all plants before use!
Are your plants grown emersed or submerged?
It depends on the species. Most of our plants are grown hydroponically in a controlled-environment greenhouse.
Common stem plants such as Ludwigia, Bacopa, and Myriophyllum, and rheophyte/epiphyte plants (Anubias, Bucephalandra, Microsorum, Bolbitis, etc.) are grown emersed, hydroponically, in a controlled high-humidity environment.
True aquatic plants that can’t grow emersed — such as Vallisneria, Elodea, Najas, Cabomba, Potamogeton gayi, and Ceratophyllum demersum — are always cultivated submerged, underwater.
Should I remove the foam, weight, or pot before planting?
It’s totally up to you — we usually keep them as they are!
What’s the difference between fresh-cut, bare-root, and potted plants?
All options offer the same high quality; they differ in how they are prepared and packaged:
- Fresh-cut Plants: loose, freshly cut plants without roots. Great flexibility if you prefer to plant them your own way.
- Fresh-cut Bunched: freshly cut plants without roots, bundled with foam and a plant weight, ready to place in your aquarium.
- Fresh-cut Potted: freshly cut plants without roots, potted in a net pot with rockwool for stability and a quick setup.
- Bare-root Plants: loose, rooted plants you can position exactly where you want.
- Rooted Bunched: rooted plants bundled with foam and a plant weight — easy placement plus the stability of roots.
- Rooted Potted: rooted plants potted in a net pot with rockwool — maximum stability and a low-maintenance setup.
Choose based on your planting preference and your aquarium setup.
Noxious weed info
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.
Why Aquarium Plants Factory?
How we grow, clean and pack your Pinnatifida.
Aquarium Plants Factory
Typical online shops
Customers praised these aquatic plants for arriving "healthy" and "pest-free" with fern-like leaves. Many noted "fast growth" and easy propagation. Plants were "well-packaged" with thermal insulation. Some experienced initial melting during adjustment. Customers recommend attaching to driftwood or rocks. Works well in low-tech setups without CO2, though high light brings out red coloration.
- Fern like leaves leave an impression. Clean no snails or algae.
- One of the nicest looking plants for sure.
- The plants seem to be adjusting well to my aquascape and I received a generous portion.
Fern like leaves leave and impression. Clean no snails or algae. Crypt. Lucens pictured. Quarter dollar for size reference.
The stems came in smaller than other plants but for a cheap price I got 4-6 stems that will grow fast and are easy to propagate. One of the nicest looking plants for sure.
plants arrived healthy and well rooted.
Fantastic look and adds great texture. The plants I received are healthy and pest free.
Like always received healthy, pest free plants. For some reason I was expecting this plant to be like a sword with a root base, a stalk, then leaves at top. What I got was more like a stem plant. It had roots along stem. Wasn't really sure how to plant it so just went for it. Ordered 2, received 3 but I think one could probably be divided into a 4th plant. Much smaller than i expected. Leaves are really neat and color is dense. Will be interesting to see how these progress as I think they are supposed to get large.
The hygrophila I received was full and healthy. I attached several stems to rock using aquarium glue & left the remaining stems loose in my tank to see how well they do. I’m hoping they will thrive because they look fantastic and serve as a great background plant for fish to hide in.
They arrived quickly, well insulated, and in great shape! That says something for Texas in July!
I was nervous about buying since I'd gotten a completely different plant when trying to order this from a different store, but this was gorgeous!
If you guys always provide selection and quality to these standards, I’ll never have a reason to shop anywhere else!
All the plants in my 55g tank are from Aquarium Plants Factory and as you can see, they've all grown SO much since I received them! (For reference, I don't use CO2 and they've still done extremely well!) And maybe I lucked out, but all the plants were/are snail free!
these arrived nice and three days later still look great
Very easy to plant and look great surrounded by my rocks! Great APF product
The beautiful plants are picture perfect. I could not be happier .Thank you so much.
Arrived quickly and healthy. Attached to some driftwood and vampire shrimp loving the coverage. Can't wait for the reds to start popping out.
It was well packed and arrived healthy and very pretty.
The plants arrived in great shape and packaged very well.
I was a bit bothered that they were cuttings instead of a rooted plant.
I am hoping they will take and root quickly in my tank.🤞🏻
This is a gorgeous plant with a fern like structure. It has been in the aquarium a week and I am already seeing growth and hints of red. It has a sturdy stalk and the fish love to swim inside its canopy.
They arrived very promtly, I believe there were 3-4 stems in the package. Leaves were all a very nice green and overall healthy looking.
The pinnitifida has acclimated well to my tanks and are still doing great over the past month, I've seen new growth on all of the stems and have even been able to take a propogation cutting on one of them.
Some of the new leaves on the plants closest to the light have gained a nice red coloration to the veins which adds a very nice contrast.
I do not run co2, but I do use both liquid ferts as well as a nutrient substrate, and am only using an LED shoplight rated for 1000 lumens on my 33 gallon long, so I would consider this to be an easy difficulty low tech plant.
If you are looking for an easy, great looking plant with an interesting leaf shape, defintiely consider picking up some hygrophila pinnatifida.
Arrived well, and starting to grow. Leaves are green on arrival, hope to see it darken up under strong light
All plant's great! Thanks!
they looks very healthy.
They arrived a day early and were packaged well . Got the fresh cut potted plants. They looked very healthy and they look great in the 2 aquariums i put them in. Now just hoping that they take root w/o any problems.
Unfortunately they arrived five days late thanx t the carrier but thanx t the excellent packaging the plants seem okay. Got them in right away and fingers crossed.
