Care specifications
| Type | Stem |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Light | Medium (35–70 µmol PAR) |
| CO2 | Beneficial, not required |
| Fertilizer demand | Medium |
| Growth rate | Fast |
| Max height | 8 in |
| Spread | 4 in |
| Placement | Foreground, Midground |
| Attaches to hardscape | No |
| Snail & shrimp safe | Yes |
| Temperature | 68–82 °F |
| pH | 6–7.5 |
| Color | Green |
| Trimming | Frequent |
| Styles | Iwagumi, Nature, Dutch |
Get Pearl Weed
Propagation
Trim and replant tops, or push pinches of cuttings into the substrate; every fragment with a node grows.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pearl Weed form a carpet without CO2?
Yes — it is one of the few plants that can. Under medium-high light, plant small clumps an inch apart and trim flat every week or two; the repeated cutting forces horizontal, creeping growth. Without CO2 it carpets thicker and taller than Monte Carlo, more like a dense half-inch to one-inch turf.
Why does my Pearl Weed carpet keep lifting off the substrate?
Pearl Weed roots lightly, and once the mat thickens, the shaded bottom layer dies and the whole sheet peels up. Trim aggressively to keep the mat under an inch and replant any lifted sections as fresh cuttings — thin and anchored beats thick and floating.
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