Miniature lily pads that need no planting. Limnobium spongia — American Frogbit — floats round, glossy leaves on the surface with a curtain of fine roots trailing beneath. Native to North America, undemanding, and one of the few floaters that looks deliberate rather than weedy. What You’ll Receive Sold as a small portion – approx. 1–2 individual plants Plant Profile Common name — American Frogbit Scientific name — Limnobium spongia Origin — North America Placement — Free-floating on the surface Growth rate — Fast Care Difficulty — Beginner Light — Low to medium CO₂ — Not required. It takes CO₂ from the air Water — 68–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5 Substrate — Not required Growth habit — Amphibious. Also grows emersed on wet margins Propagation — Runners — daughter plants form on side stolons Grower’s Notes Keep the leaves dry on top. Frogbit hates water landing on its leaves — condensation from a tight lid or spray from a filter return makes the tops rot. An open top or a small gap under the lid solves it, and it's the single most common reason Frogbit fails. The long root curtain is the point. It gives shrimp and fry cover and pulls nutrients straight out of the water column. Surface flow packs it into corners. Aim filter returns downward or add a floating ring. Thin it regularly — daughter plants form fast and a sealed surface starves plants below of light. Compare with Amazon Frogbit: similar habit, larger leaves, tropical rather than North American. Notes As a floating plant, American Frogbit may spread quickly in nutrient-rich water. Regular thinning may be required to maintain light penetration for plants below. Never release aquarium plants into natural waterways.
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