Description
Native to India’s Western Ghats, Hygrophila Pinnatifida stands out for its deeply lobed (pinnatifid) leaves — olive-bronze on top with a reddish-purple underside. Unusually for a Hygrophila, it sends out creeping side runners that root onto surfaces, so it can be planted in substrate or tied to wood and rock like Anubias or Bucephalandra.
What you get: one rooted plant with roughly 10–14 leaves, similar to the photo.
Care at a glance
- Light: medium to high for the best bronze-red colour
- CO₂: not required, but improves colour and compact growth
- Temperature: 22–28°C
- Placement: midground, planted or tied to hardscape via its creeping runners
- Water: pH 6.0–7.5; it does not need specially soft or hard water
Available on pre-order: imported to order, it ships about 15 days after you order, with dispatch and tracking details by email.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hygrophila pinnatifida easy to grow?
Moderately easy. It needs more light than Anubias or Java Fern, but it is fine for a beginner with a good planted-tank light. Give it medium to high light, 22–28°C and a weekly liquid fertiliser, and it grows without CO₂. Low light is the usual reason it stays green and leggy. For an easier Hygrophila, see our water wisteria vs Hygrophila pinnatifida comparison.
Can I tie it to driftwood instead of planting it?
Yes. Its creeping runners send out roots that grip wood and rock, much like Anubias or Bucephalandra. Tie it on with cotton thread or fix it with aquarium-safe glue. It roots in within a few weeks, and then you can remove the thread.
Is Hygrophila pinnatifida a red plant?
No, it is not a true red plant. The top of each leaf is olive to bronze-brown, and the underside is reddish-purple. With strong light and CO₂, new growth turns a deeper red-brown. Even then, it does not get as red as Ludwigia repens, or as pink-orange as Rotala rotundifolia tips. Use it as a bronze accent in the midground. For vivid red, see our guide to red aquarium plants.
Why are my leaves green instead of bronze-red?
Colour intensity tracks light and CO₂. Under low light it stays greener; brighter light and CO₂ bring out the bronze-olive and red tones.
Is it slow growing?
It grows moderately — faster than Anubias, slower than typical fast stem plants like Water Wisteria.
When will my pre-order ship?
Pre-order plants ship about 15 days after you order, and we email dispatch and tracking details. It is hand-packed and sent by courier anywhere in India for a flat ₹99, free on orders of ₹999 or more. If it arrives dead, send one continuous unboxing video within 4 hours of delivery on WhatsApp (+91 81416 96983) or email (buyanubias@gmail.com) and we refund or replace it.
Can Hygrophila Pinnatifida grow out of water?
It can. Hygrophila Pinnatifida is native to India and is often grown emersed, where its leaves are greener and less red than underwater. In the tank it grows both as a stem in the substrate and attached to wood or rock like an epiphyte. Read our Hygrophila Pinnatifida care guide.
Learn more in our Hygrophila Pinnatifida care guide.
Compare light, CO2, growth rate and difficulty for every plant we stock in the aquarium plant care chart.
Why buy from Anubias.in: imported to order (about 15 days on pre-order); ₹99 shipping anywhere in India, free on orders of ₹999 or more; prepaid via UPI, cards or netbanking. Any claim (dead, damaged, wrong plant) needs one continuous unboxing video sent within 4 hours of delivery on WhatsApp (+91 81416 96983) or email (buyanubias@gmail.com); photos alone are not accepted. More about buying from Anubias.in.
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