Virginia buttonweed (Diodia virginiana) care guide

Group
Plants
Other names
Virginia buttonweed
Family
Rubiaceae (coffee/madder family)
Origin
South-central and south-eastern USA, Mexico, Nicaragua and Cuba; naturalised in Japan, Taiwan and California
Water
freshwater
Temperature
15–28°C
Care level
expert
Lighting
Bright light; grows emersed

Care

Virginia buttonweed is a spreading, mat-forming perennial of marsh edges, savanna margins and low fields. Its leaves are 2–7 cm long and 4–12 mm wide. It is mainly a plant of damp ground and is known as a hard-to-remove weed of lawns. Our sources say nothing about aquarium use. As a marsh and damp-ground plant it is unlikely to last long fully submerged; grow it emersed in a paludarium or pond margin. 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. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diodiavirginiana); Wikipedia, List of freshwater aquarium plant species. Checked October 2026.

Breeding

Spreads by creeping stems and underground parts; cuttings root easily.

Compatibility and tank mates

Not a reliable aquarium plant; suitable for paludaria and pond edges.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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