Salvinia minima, AKA water spangles, is an aquatic floating plant that is often used in fishtanks or private outdoors ponds to create a dense, beautiful floating carpet. It is an extremely hardy plant, so you need to be careful not to introduce it to outdoor water systems, as it is can out-compete other native aquatic plants. If you grow carnivorous plants, Salvinia minima can be a fun addition to your home bog! This plant is also very popular fish tank plant: fish enjoy the shade and protection of the canopy it provides, and hobbyists love it for it’s easy-going nature and the beautiful lily pad carpet that it makes. Another popular use of Salvinia minima is in floating terrariums (see pic). Growing this plant is almost too easy. Introduce it to a bowl of water, give it medium to bright light, and watch nature do the rest! Use tweezers and sharp sheers to prune your Salvinia minima. The biggest issue most users have with this plant is that it grows too fast! If this is the case, you can reduce light to slow down growth.
