Penthorum Sedoides

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

American Stonecrop; Virginia Stonecrop

Environment

Freshwater

Native to

Eastern United States, Eastern Canada

Habitat

Wet banks, ditches, pond margins and marshy ground in eastern North America, often on muddy or silty substrates that flood seasonally

Sourcing

Captive-bred

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Easy

Growth form

Stem

Max height

4 – 16 in (10 – 41 cm)

Spread

3.2 in (8.1 cm)

Growth rate

Slow

Placement

Midground, Background

Water

Temperature

59 – 79 °F (15 – 26 °C)

pH

5.0 – 7.0

GH

0 – 14 dGH

dKH

0 – 14 dKH

PAR

35 – 50 PAR

Flow

Moderate

Light

Medium

CO₂

Beneficial

Planting

Substrate

Any

Feeds from

Both

Fertilizer needs

Medium

Colors

Green, Red

Feeding & breeding

Propagation

Cuttings, Splitting, Seeds

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Care guide

Overview

Ditch Stonecrop is a marginal wetland plant adapted for submersed growth as a stem plant, with light green serrated leaves along upright stems that take on red-bronze tones under stronger light. It suits midground to background placement in a planted tank and tolerates a broad range of temperature and water chemistry. Slow growth means regular trimming keeps stands full rather than leggy.

Care

Ditch stonecrop is an adaptable marginal plant that also does well as a submersed stem plant in the midground to background of a planted tank. Under medium light it grows upright with a fairly open habit, while stronger light and good nutrients push it toward a denser, more compact, creeping form with a hint of red or bronze in the leaves. It tolerates a wide swing in temperature and water chemistry, which makes it forgiving for mixed community setups, but slow-growing shoots can accumulate algae if light is too intense without matching nutrient and flow levels.

Planting & trimming

Root stem cuttings directly into an inert or nutrient-rich substrate, spacing them a couple of inches apart to allow the dense side-shoot growth to fill in. Established stands benefit from periodic trimming of the tops, which can be replanted to keep the group full rather than tall and sparse. It also grows well emersed in a paludarium or riparium setup, where open-top conditions encourage its most vigorous form.

Fertilizing

This species draws nutrients from both the root zone and the water column, so a combination of root tabs in the substrate and regular liquid fertilizer dosing gives the most consistent results. Iron supplementation helps bring out the reddish or bronze tint in the leaves and stems under higher light. Pale new growth or stalled growth usually points to insufficient micronutrients rather than a lighting problem.

Propagation

Propagation is straightforward from stem cuttings, which root readily when replanted in substrate. Mature plants can also be divided by splitting basal offsets, and emersed specimens can be grown from seed collected from the distinctive five-parted seed capsules.

Problems

Growth is naturally slow underwater, so algae can settle on older leaves if light outpaces nutrient supply or flow is stagnant around the stems. The plant does not typically melt after planting, though newly submersed emersed-grown stock may shed a few lower leaves while adjusting. Trimming and replanting tops keeps stands dense and prevents lower stems from becoming bare and leggy.

Sources

1. Penthorum sedoides care: light, CO2 and placement · TankBud
2. Ditch Stonecrop (Penthorum sedoides) Care Guide & Plant Profile | Guidarium
3. Penthorum Sedoides | Barr Report Forum - Aquarium Plants
4. Penthorum sedoides Aquatic Plant Care | Atlarium

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