Water-clover (Marsilea quadrifolia) care guide

Group
Plants
Other names
European water clover, Four-leaf clover fern
Family
Marsileaceae (water clover family)
Origin
Central and southern Europe, the Caucasus, western Siberia, Afghanistan, south-west India, China, Japan and Vietnam
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
20 cm
Temperature
10–26°C
pH
6–7.5
Hardness
2–15 dGH
Care level
beginner
Lighting
Low to medium light; CO2 not needed

Care

European water clover is the type species of the genus. It grows in moist to wet sandy or loamy soils and in water, in sun or part shade, spreading by runners. Leaflets are up to about 2 cm long on stalks up to about 20 cm, floating in deep water and standing upright in shallow water or on land. Water clovers are aquatic ferns, not true clovers. They creep by rhizomes and carry long-stalked leaves with four clover-like leaflets, which float in deep water, stand upright in shallow water or grow on land. They reproduce by tough, bean-like spore capsules (sporocarps) that can survive drying for decades. In aquariums it is usually grown fully submerged in the foreground, where it is tolerant of a wide range of light and water conditions. It is also grown in pots of wet soil or half-submerged in ponds and suits coldwater tanks and outdoor ponds as well as tropical tanks. Water figures are our estimate, not from the sources. It has been established in the north-eastern USA for over a century and is considered a weed in parts of the country. Never release this plant or dispose of it in drains or waterways; it is invasive in some countries. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsileaquadrifolia); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsilea); Wikipedia, List of freshwater aquarium plant species. Checked October 2026.

Breeding

Divide the creeping rhizome into pieces with a few leaves and roots and replant them. Spores can be raised from sporocarps, which must be nicked or cracked and soaked to open.

Compatibility and tank mates

Low carpeting plant: shrimp and small fish are ideal companions. Digging fish (many cichlids, large loaches, goldfish) uproot it before it roots in, and bottom-sifters such as corydoras can disturb young clumps.

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

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