Sponge plant

Limnobium spongia

Family : Hydrocharitaceae

PlantFreshwaterfloating

Floating plant with round, spongy leaves, providing shade and shelter. Very easy care, ideal for open tanks.

Sponge plant — photo 1 sur 4 — Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 1: 107. Courtesy of Kentucky Native Plant Society. Scanned by Omnitek Inc. · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain1 / 4

Popularity

Easy plant

standard lighting, few requirements

Availability

Common in shops

Shop availability

IUCN Status

Least Concern

Description

Limnobium spongia is a floating plant with heart-shaped leaves 5-10 cm in diameter. Their spongy texture allows flotation. Roots hang in the water, providing shelter for fry. It grows quickly under moderate light and absorbs nitrates. Beware of overgrowth.

Habitat

Region :

Still waters, lakes and marshes

Distribution :

Recommended parameters

Temperature20–28 °C

pH6–8

GH5–15 °dGH

KH3–10 °dKH

NO₃

≤ 30 mg/L

PO₄

≤ 2 mg/L

Care

Difficulty

1/5

Diet

Photosynthetic

Min. tank

20 L

Min. group

Adult size

10 cm

Lifespan

2 years

Temperament

Peaceful

Propagation

Division : séparer les plantules filles issues des stolons.

Care notes

Temperature 20-28°C, pH 6-8, GH 5-15. Moderate lighting. No CO2 needed. Remove excess leaves regularly to avoid shading. Propagation by dividing stolons.

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