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Species library › Hygrophila › Hygrophila cataractae
Other Little published: much of this is inferred from related species

Hygrophila cataractae

An East African Hygrophila named for waterfalls (cataractae); it grows in or beside fast water in rapids and falls. It suits a warm, very humid, bright setup with flowing water or constant splash, and should cope with a lower water level in the dry season.

At home, aim for
Day IntermediateTargets in Plantistry
Night A clear drop at nightTargets in Plantistry
Humidity Humid airBand in Plantistry
Light Bright, filtered lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
No rest periodAquatic

Where it grows wild

A rheophyte, inferred from the name and the genus: it grows on wet rocks and gravel in rivers, rapids and waterfall spray zones, rooted in crevices and submerged by floods during the rains.

Recorded at 1050 to 1300 m (median 1100 m).

TanzaniaZambiaMozambiqueMalawiDR CongoKenyaUgandaZimbabwe

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates
✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it
✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light
✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it
✓ Substrate and airflow
✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.