Micranthemum Micranthemoides

🌿 Plant Profile

• Scientific Name: Micranthemum micranthemoides

• Common Name: Pearl Grass, Baby Tears (not to be confused with Hemianthus callitrichoides)

• Origin: North America (United States)

• Height: 5–15 cm (2–6 inches)

• pH: 5.5 – 7.5

• Care: Easy to moderate

• Light: Medium to high

• CO₂: Beneficial, especially for dense carpeting

• Propagation: Stem cuttings

• Growth Rate: Fast

🌱 Care Notes

• Leaf Texture & Appearance: Micranthemum micranthemoides features small, round to oval leaves that grow densely on fine stems. The plant has a bright green, bushy appearance, and forms a low carpet or spreading mat when trimmed regularly.

• Placement: Ideal for the foreground or midground in aquascapes. Can be used as a carpeting plant or allowed to grow upward into a dense bush. Works well in Dutch, Iwagumi, and nature-style layouts.

• Water Conditions: Prefers soft to moderately hard water. Grows well in temperatures between 20–28°C (68–82°F).

• Lighting: Requires medium to high light. High light helps maintain compact, low growth and prevents leggy stems. In lower light, the plant will grow taller and lose its dense carpet-like form.

• CO₂: Recommended for best results. CO₂ promotes faster, healthier, and more compact growth. In tanks without CO₂, it may still grow but more slowly and less densely.

• Fertilization: Needs regular fertilization, especially micronutrients like iron and macronutrients such as nitrates and phosphates. Nutrient-rich substrate and/or water column dosing is ideal.

• Propagation: Propagated easily via stem cuttings. Trim healthy stems and replant them in the substrate to spread the carpet. Regular trimming encourages horizontal growth.

• Growth Rate: Fast, especially with high light and CO₂. Requires frequent trimming to maintain its shape and prevent overgrowth.