Hydrocotyle leucocephala (Emergent)

Hydrocotyle leucocephala, Brazilian Pennywort, is one of the most popular and fastest-growing aquarium stem plants, and its emergent form is equally vigorous. Above the waterline it produces noticeably larger, kidney-shaped leaves on longer petioles, and periodically bears small clusters of white flowers. The emergent form integrates the water and land zones in a paludarium with a lush, tropical waterside character reminiscent of South American gallery forests.

It is one of the easiest emergent plants to establish — stems simply grow upward from a submerged base and begin producing emergent growth naturally without any special encouragement. The rapid growth rate means it requires regular trimming to prevent it from dominating the waterline zone, but the trimmings propagate instantly by replanting. It is an excellent nutrient exporter in densely stocked paludariums.