Java waterdropwort (Oenanthe javanica) care guide
- Group
- Plants
- Other names
- Water celery, Chinese celery, Minari, Seri, Water dropwort, Oenanthe stolonifera, Sium javanicum
- Family
- Apiaceae (carrot family)
- Origin
- East Asia; widespread in temperate and tropical Asia and native in Queensland, Australia
- Water
- freshwater
- Maximum size
- 100 cm
- Temperature
- 15–26°C
- pH
- 6–7.5
- Care level
- intermediate
- Lighting
- Medium to high light; CO2 helpful
Care
Java waterdropwort, or water celery, is a creeping marsh herb of stream banks, pond margins and wet ground in Asia, grown widely as a vegetable (minari or seri). It has aromatic, lobed, celery-like leaves on stems that root from every node, and white umbels of flowers when grown out of water. Unlike many of its relatives it is edible, but take care not to confuse it with poisonous water-dropworts. It is really a marsh plant that tolerates submersion. In the aquarium it can be grown underwater for a while as a midground stem plant, but it does best emersed in paludariums, at the edge of ponds, or with its roots in water. The cultivar 'Flamingo' has pink and cream leaf edges and is the form most often sold for aquaria. Expect plants to reach up to about 1 m out of water. Water figures are our estimate, not from the sources. Never release this plant or dispose of it in drains or waterways; it is invasive in some countries (several US states class it as invasive). Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oenanthejavanica); Wikipedia, List of freshwater aquarium plant species. Checked October 2026.
Breeding
Cut stems with a node or two and plant them; roots form at the nodes. It also spreads by creeping runners.
Compatibility and tank mates
Soft leaves are eaten by goldfish and other plant-eating fish. Best in paludariums or shallow, cooler tanks; suits temperate and subtropical set-ups.
Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.