Cardamine Lyrata

Cardamine Lyrata

Cardamine Lyrata is a fast-growing and versatile aquatic plant from East Asia producing charming, clover-like rounded leaves on delicate, trailing stems that can be grown planted in the substrate as a background plant, allowed to float freely as surface cover, or managed as a naturalistic trailing midground plant. The multiple growing modes and genuine ease of care make it one of the most practically flexible and beginner-friendly aquarium plants available for cooler aquariums.

Care tip: Cardamine Lyrata grows best in moderate lighting with CO₂ optional. Maintain temperatures of 60–78°F and pH 6.0–7.5. Regular fertilization supports healthy growth.

Growing to 8 to 12 inches when planted, Cardamine Lyrata grows quickly and propagates easily — a great plant for fry tanks where fast, natural cover is needed and where trimmed portions can be floated as additional surface cover. As a cool-water plant it performs best below 78°F. The clover-like leaves create a charming, naturally organic character in any growing mode.

This easy plant grows in moderate lighting with CO₂ optional — the chart's "Low to Moderate" maps to Optional on our scale. The temperature range of 60 to 78°F reflects the genuine cool-temperate preference of this East Asian species. A pH of 6.0 to 7.5 provides comfortable conditions. Regular fertilization supports vigorous, healthy growth. Fast growth makes regular trimming necessary.

In the aquascape, Cardamine Lyrata provides fast, flexible green coverage in whatever growing mode suits the setup — planted background, floating surface cover, or naturally trailing midground. In cool-water and temperate aquariums it is one of the most reliably healthy and practically versatile plants available. As the chart notes it is great for fry cover — an accurate assessment of one of its primary practical values.

Cardamine Lyrata is a fast-growing, multi-mode, and genuinely easy cool-water plant for aquarists who want versatile green coverage. Its cool-water preference, fast growth, and flexible growing modes make it a naturally charming and practically useful plant for temperate aquariums and breeding setups.

Care & Specifications