Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean; naturalised in southern and south-eastern Asia
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
50 cm
Temperature
20–30°C
pH
6–7.5
Hardness
3–15 dGH
Care level
expert
Lighting
High light; best grown emersed
Care
Yellow velvetleaf is an emergent marsh plant that grows in clumps about 50 cm tall in shallow, still fresh water and swamps, sometimes in rice fields. It has hollow stems, broad smooth leaves and yellow three-petalled flowers about 1.5 cm across. In parts of South-East Asia it is eaten as a vegetable. It is not a floating plant and is really a marginal. It may produce some underwater leaves for a time, but our sources do not describe submerged growth, so it is best treated as a plant for open-topped tanks, paludariums or tropical ponds with its crown above water. It needs warmth and strong light. Water figures are our estimate, not from the sources. It is a weed of rice fields and a pest in some wetlands outside its native range. Never release this plant or dispose of it in drains or waterways; it is invasive in some countries. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limnocharisflava); Wikipedia, List of freshwater aquarium plant species. Checked October 2026.
Breeding
Seeds form in round fruits and are spread by water; plantlets also form on old flower stalks. Seed germinates on wet mud.
Compatibility and tank mates
Grow it as an emergent plant in paludariums or warm ponds rather than as a true submerged aquarium plant. Fish leave the tough leaves alone.
Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.
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