Marsileaceae
European water clover (Marsilea quadrifolia)
Marsilea quadrifolia
An easy plant for ponds, water features and aquariums: it needs roots that stay wet, in mud or under up to 15 cm of water, and plenty of light. It grows fast and spreads, so keep it in a pot sunk in the water.
Every 1 days
Bright indirect
° - °C
% - %
Categories
What is European water clover?
European water clover (Marsilea quadrifolia) is a easy-care plant from the Marsileaceae family. Marsilea quadrifolia is an aquatic fern in the Marsileaceae family, native to central and southern Europe, the Caucasus, parts of Siberia and Asia as far as China, Japan and Vietnam. Despite the name, it is not a true clover: every leaf has four rounded leaflets, up to 2 cm, that look like a lucky f...
European water clover grows up to 20cm, watering every 1 days. It is suitable for indoor environments and safe for pets.
Unlike many tropical plants, European water clover tolerates watering mistakes. Best for beginners. Unlike many popular species, European water clover is safe to keep around pets. Without adequate drainage, root rot can develop within 7 days.
How to Care for European water clover?
TLDR: European water clover needs Bright indirect, watering every 1 days, and temperatures between 15-30°C with 40-70% humidity.
How Often Should You Water European water clover?
The soil must never dry out. Keep the pot in the pond or in a saucer that is always full, with 5 to 15 cm of water over the soil. Out of the pond, top up the water every day in hot weather.
How Much Light Does European water clover Need?
Full sun or part shade. In low light the stalks stretch and the leaves get smaller.
What Is the Best Soil for European water clover?
Ordinary garden soil, sandy to loamy, without strong fertiliser. Avoid light, bark-based mixes, which float. Top the soil with sand or gravel to hold it in place.
What Pot Should You Use for European water clover?
An aquatic planting basket or pot set in the pond or in a container without holes; the pot holds the creeping stem and stops it taking over the pond.
Care Schedule
Repot
Every 365 days
What Is European water clover and Where Does It Come From?
Marsilea quadrifolia is an aquatic fern in the Marsileaceae family, native to central and southern Europe, the Caucasus, parts of Siberia and Asia as far as China, Japan and Vietnam. Despite the name, it is not a true clover: every leaf has four rounded leaflets, up to 2 cm, that look like a lucky four-leaf clover. The leaves rise from a creeping stem that runs through the mud and roots at the nodes, on stalks up to 20 cm long. In deep water they float; in shallow water or mud they stand upright. It has no flowers and reproduces by spores held in small brown capsules at the base of the leaves. In winter the top dies back and the plant regrows from the buried stem. In the United States it has become invasive in some states.
How to Propagate European water clover?
Rhizome division
It grows so fast that dividing it is also the way to keep the clump in check.
- 1 Lift the plant from its pot or pull up a length of creeping stem
- 2 Cut pieces with a few nodes and leaves, each with roots
- 3 Press each piece lightly into wet soil in a pot
- 4 Set the pot in water, with 5 to 10 cm of water above it
Materials needed:
Sporocarps
Without scratching the coat, the capsule will not open.
- 1 Collect the brown capsules from the base of the leaves
- 2 Sand or nick the hard coat of each so water can get in
- 3 Put the capsules in a shallow dish of water in a warm, bright place
- 4 Move the young plants to shallow mud when the first leaves appear
Materials needed:
How Big Does European water clover Grow?
TLDR: European water clover can reach up to 20cm tall with Fast growth rate.
Max height
20cm
Growth rate
Fast
Foliage
Deciduous
Plant Uses
Ornamental
Great for decoration
Ground Cover
Soil coverage
Edible
Can be consumed
Medicinal
Medicinal properties
Medicinal Uses
- Used in traditional medicine in parts of Asia as a diuretic and anti-inflammatory and for snakebite (traditional use, unproven)
Culinary Uses
- Leaves eaten cooked as a vegetable in parts of Asia
Is your plant showing symptoms?
Click on the symptom to discover possible causes:
Fun Facts
Every leaf has four leaflets, not just the rare ones as in true clover.
It is a fern: it has no flowers and reproduces by spores.
In parts of Asia it has been eaten as a vegetable for thousands of years.
Frequently asked questions
Is Marsilea quadrifolia a real four-leaf clover?
Can I grow water clover in an ordinary pot?
Why did my water clover disappear in winter?
Compare with similar plants
| Attribute | Difficulty | Light | Watering | Pet Safe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field Maple | Easy | Bright indirect | 14d | ✓ |
| Iberian Houseleek | Easy | Direct sun | 14d | ✓ |
| Silver Birch | Easy | Direct sun | 14d | ✓ |
| Common Blanketflower | Easy | Direct sun | 10d | ✓ |
