# water pennyworts (*Hydrocotyle*) Water pennyworts are small, round plants that grow in wet areas like ponds and marshes. They have shiny green leaves that look like little coins floating on the water! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![water pennyworts](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Starr_010424-9001_Hydrocotyle_bowlesioides.jpg&width=800) Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Starr_010424-9001_Hydrocotyle_bowlesioides.jpg) ## Appearance The water pennyworts has round, coin-shaped leaves that float on water or rise from wet ground. Its bright green leaves are typically notched at the base, and it produces tiny, unassuming white to greenish-white flowers in small clusters. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Apiales - **Family:** Araliaceae - **Genus:** Hydrocotyle ## Interesting facts - In some cultures, young water pennywort leaves are eaten in salads! - It can absorb extra nutrients from the water, acting like a natural filter! - Its leaves look like tiny green coins, inspiring its 'pennywort' name! - Some types are grown in aquariums as pretty underwater decorations. ## Special abilities - **Water Weaver:** Water pennyworts can form dense mats, creating floating islands that provide shelter for small aquatic animals. - **Air Collector:** It has special air-filled tissues (aerenchyma) in its stems, helping it float and get oxygen in muddy environments. - **Rapid Spreader:** Water pennyworts can grow new plants from tiny stem fragments, allowing it to quickly colonize new wet areas. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-20 cm - **Spread:** 30-100 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.1-0.3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Mallard (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — Waterfowl eat its leaves and seeds. - **Eats:** Great Pond Snail (*Lymnaea stagnalis*) — Snails graze on its soft foliage. - **Shelter:** [Green Frog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/green-frog) (*Rana clamitans*) — Dense mats provide hiding spots for frogs. - **Shelter:** [Common Green Darner](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-green-darner) (*Anax junius*) — Nymphs hide among its submerged stems. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [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 water pennyworts? 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 water pennyworts? 5-20 cm ### How wide does water pennyworts spread? 30-100 cm ### How big are the flowers on water pennyworts? 0.1-0.3 cm ### When does water pennyworts bloom? Late spring to fall ### Is water pennyworts edible? Yes ### Is water pennyworts toxic? None ### What is water pennyworts's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Ebenezer](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ebenezer) — Georgia, US · Neighborhood - [Doctor I. Sylvester Hankins Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/doctor-i-sylvester-hankins-park) — Florida, US · Park - [Fort Christmas Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-christmas-historical-park) — Florida, US · Park - [Overbrook Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/overbrook-park) — Florida, US · Park [View all places to see water pennyworts](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/water-pennyworts) ## 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*) --- Source: [Water Pennyworts: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/water-pennyworts)