# manyflower marshpennywort (*Hydrocotyle umbellata*)

Manyflower marshpennywort is a small, green plant that loves to grow in wet places. Its round leaves float on the water, making it look like a little green umbrella!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Wetlands

![manyflower marshpennywort](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Water_pennywort.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Lorenzarius, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Water_pennywort.jpg)

## Appearance

The manyflower marshpennywort has bright green, circular leaves that resemble miniature pennies, often floating on or just above the water's surface. Its delicate stems creep along wet ground, topped by small, star-shaped white or greenish flowers clustered like tiny umbrellas.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Apiales
- **Family:** Araliaceae
- **Genus:** Hydrocotyle

## Interesting facts

- Even though it loves water, it can also grow on land for a while!
- It can grow new plants from just a small piece of its stem!
- Its tiny flowers are grouped together like a miniature umbrella!
- Some people eat its fresh, crisp leaves in salads!

## Special abilities

- **Water Purifier:** The manyflower marshpennywort can soak up extra nutrients from water, helping to keep its wetland home clean and healthy.
- **Rapid Colonizer:** Manyflower marshpennywort uses special underground stems to quickly spread across wet areas, claiming new territory efficiently.
- **Amphibious Growth:** This plant can thrive both underwater and on soggy land, adapting its leaves to suit its wet environment.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-20 cm
- **Spread:** 30-100 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.1-0.3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early fall
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Mallard (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — Mallards eat its seeds and foliage.
- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Tiny flowers provide nectar for bees.
- **Shelter:** [American bullfrog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bullfrog) (*Lithobates catesbeianus*) — Frogs hide among its dense leaves.
- **Eats:** Giant apple snail (*Pomacea maculata*) — Snails graze on its soft leaves.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem.
- [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.
- [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species.
- [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always wash your hands after touching plants, just to be safe!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify manyflower marshpennywort?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is manyflower marshpennywort?

5-20 cm

### How wide does manyflower marshpennywort spread?

30-100 cm

### How big are the flowers on manyflower marshpennywort?

0.1-0.3 cm

### When does manyflower marshpennywort bloom?

Late spring to early fall

### Is manyflower marshpennywort edible?

Yes

### Is manyflower marshpennywort toxic?

None

### What is manyflower marshpennywort's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Paul B Johnson State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/paul-b-johnson-state-park) — Mississippi, US · State Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Manyflower Marshpennywort: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/manyflower-marshpennywort)