Water cabbage (Samolus valerandi) care guide

Group
Plants
Other names
Brookweed, Seaside brookweed, Water rose, Samolus parviflorus, Samolus americanus
Family
Primulaceae (primrose family)
Origin
Very widespread: western and Mediterranean Europe, North Africa, Asia, Australia, Japan and the Americas
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
35 cm
Temperature
15–25°C
pH
7–8
Hardness
8–20 dGH
Care level
expert
Lighting
High light; CO2 injection helps underwater

Care

Samolus valerandi (brookweed, sold as water cabbage or water rose) is a small perennial of stream banks, seeps and coastal marshes, found across much of the world. On land it forms a rosette of pale green leaves and grows up to about 35 cm tall when flowering, with long stalks of small white five-petalled flowers from spring to autumn. It is semi-aquatic. It has been sold for aquaria as a bright foreground rosette, but it seems to survive only a limited time fully submerged, so treat it as a short-lived aquarium plant and a good bog, pond-edge or paludarium plant. Underwater, give it strong light and a rich substrate; on land, keep it in wet soil in sun or part shade. It prefers neutral to alkaline conditions. Water figures are our estimate, not from the sources. It is native to Britain and tolerates cool water, so it suits unheated tanks better than warm tropical ones. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samolusvalerandi); Wikipedia, List of freshwater aquarium plant species. Checked October 2026.

Breeding

Grown from seed: the plant is self-fertile and sets small round capsules of seed. Emersed plants flower and seed readily; sow on wet soil. Underwater it rarely flowers.

Compatibility and tank mates

Best for coldwater or cool tropical tanks, paludaria and pond margins. Soft-leaved, so goldfish, large cichlids and other plant-eaters will damage it; small community fish, shrimp and snails are fine.

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

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