American Water Pennywort Plant Care
Hydrocotyle americana L.
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Hydrocotyle americana is a small plant native to the Northeastern United States. It is commonly referred to as American marshpennywort or navelwort and American water-pennywort.
Partial to full shade
At a glance
How do you care for American Water Pennywort?
American Water Pennywort grows best in partial to full shade.
Where Is the American Water Pennywort Native To?
What Is the American Water Pennywort?
American Water Pennywort (Hydrocotyle americana) belongs to the Araliaceae family within the Hydrocotyle genus. American Water Pennywort is native to the Northeastern United States. American Water Pennywort is also known as Water Navelwort.
American Water Pennywort displays a creeping ground cover growth habit, reaching up to tall with a spread of approximately . American Water Pennywort produces small, inconspicuous flowers.
What Light Does the American Water Pennywort Need?
American Water Pennywort thrives in partial to full shade. Avoid placing American Water Pennywort in direct, harsh sunlight for extended periods, as this can scorch the foliage.
Light Requirement
Partial to full shade
What Soil Mix Works Best for a American Water Pennywort?
Rich, moist soil with good drainage. Good drainage is essential for American Water Pennywort to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Do You Repot a American Water Pennywort?
Repot annually in spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a American Water Pennywort?
American Water Pennywort can be propagated through division, seeds, cuttings. Similar propagation techniques also apply to musk marsh pennywort plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the American Water Pennywort Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list American Water Pennywort, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the American Water Pennywort?
American Water Pennywort is susceptible to aphids, spider mites. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
Keep exploring plants
American Water Pennywort is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Hydrocotyle genus — compare its care with other Hydrocotyle species on PlantoScan.
Hydrocotyle is part of the Araliaceae plant family — browse all Araliaceae genera and species.
American Water Pennywort copes with lower light than most plants — browse the full list of low-light plants.
More Hydrocotyle Species
Other Hydrocotyle species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Hydrocotyle americana L., family Araliaceae (first published in Sp. Pl. : 234 (1753)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list American Water Pennywort, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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