Marsilea Crenata

Marsilea crenata is an aquatic fern that grows in the rice paddies and shallow waters of Southeast Asia; in Indonesia it is also eaten as a vegetable under the name "semanggi". Short-stalked leaves grow from a thin stem (rhizome) creeping just below the substrate. Above water the leaves are four-parted and clover-shaped; underwater, smaller leaves form that are mostly single or have few parts. Like its relative Marsilea hirsuta it is undemanding: it survives under medium light in an aquarium without CO₂ and slowly spreads across the substrate.

• Divide the plant from the nursery pot into small pieces containing a few leaves and roots.
• Plant the pieces 2–3 cm apart so that the rhizome stays just below the substrate.
• Place it in the foreground, in an open area well reached by light.

• Light: Medium; under strong light the leaves become smaller and denser.
• CO₂: Not required, but speeds up spreading.
• Fertilizer: Root tabs and occasional liquid fertilizer are enough.
• Trimming: Almost never needed; rhizomes spilling outside the area are cut to keep it tidy.