Marsilea
Marsilea hirsuta
Also sold as Dwarf four-leaf clover · Dwarf water clover
Synonyms Marsilea crenata · Marsilea minuta · Water clover
Marsilea (Marsilea hirsuta) is a carpeting plant for the foreground, growing to about 5 cm (2 in) at a moderate pace. It wants 64–82°F (18–28°C), low light and no CO₂, and counts as an easy plant to keep alive.
At a glance
| Type | Carpeting plant |
|---|---|
| Light | LowThe least light it survives in, not the light it looks best in. |
| CO₂ | Not neededWhether it survives without added CO₂ — not whether CO₂ would help it grow faster. |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Temperature | 64–82°F (18–28°C) |
| Max height | 5 cm (2 in)Grown submersed, left to mature, never trimmed. |
| Growth rate | Moderate |
| Placement | planted in the foreground |
| pH | 6–7.5 |
Before it goes in
- Marsilea lives under a plain low-light LED — it does not need a planted-tank lamp to survive.
- It grows without CO₂.
- It feeds through its roots, so in plain sand or gravel it needs root tabs; in an aquasoil it does not.
- It stays around 5 cm (2 in), low enough to keep the front glass clear.
- Its leaves are soft: Goldfish, Common Pleco and Molly will eat it.
- It needs about 6 weeks to root. Fish that dig — Goldfish and Common Pleco — will lift it before then.
Can it grow without CO₂?
Yes. Marsilea does not need CO₂ at all.
How much light does it need?
Low light is enough — and that is the survival line, not the “it looks better” line.
How big does it get?
About 5 cm (2 in) tall when it is mature and untrimmed, growing at a moderate pace, after roughly 6 weeks to root in.
Will my fish eat it?
Its leaves are soft, so some will: Goldfish, Common Pleco and Molly.
What it goes with
- Plants that run on the same light and CO₂, so they can share a tank without one of them being the odd one out: Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis', Water Sprite, Anubias nana 'Petite' and Cryptocoryne wendtii.
- Animals that share its temperature range and will not eat or uproot it: Betta, Cherry Shrimp, Angelfish and Bristlenose Pleco.
Often compared with
| Marsilea | Dwarf Hairgrass Mini | Microcarpaea minima | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Low | Medium | Medium |
| CO₂ | Not needed | Recommended | Recommended |
| Max height | 5 cm | 5 cm | 5 cm |
| Difficulty | Easy | Medium | Easy |
More plants
Sources (2) · checked Sep 2026
- Growth in low light, CO₂buceplant.com
- Max heighttropica.com