No, it is a free floating aquatic plant.

It captures small aquatic invertebrates like daphnia.

Plant guide

Waterwheel plant.

Aldrovanda vesiculosa

Pronounced al-dro-VAN-da ves-ik-yoo-LOH-sa

Also known as Aldrovanda, Common Aldrovanda, Waterwheel, Waterwheel Plant

The waterwheel plant is a fascinating rootless aquatic carnivore that floats just below the water surface. It captures tiny prey using snap traps arranged in whorls around its stem. This rare plant is quite picky about its environment and needs pristine water conditions to thrive.

Another photo of Waterwheel plant — Photo by Robert Taylor (CC BY) via gbif

At a glance

Care level: Difficult
Plant type: Aquatic carnivorous plant
Light: Bright indirect light
Indoor light: Bright indirect
Water: Every day
Mature size: 6 to 8 inches
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 7 to 11
Bloom time: Mid to late summer

Care

Keep this plant in clean, nutrient poor water with a slightly acidic pH. Watch for algae buildup on the traps, which prevents them from closing properly. Ensure the water temperature stays warm during the growing season.

Watering: Always keep the plant fully submerged in distilled or rain water.
Feeding: Do not fertilize, as the plant captures its own nutrients from prey.
Pruning: Remove any dead or decaying stems to maintain water quality.
Repotting: Refresh the water and container annually to prevent mineral buildup.
Soil: None, aquatic
Soil pH: 5.0 to 6.5
Temperature: 10 to 30°C
Humidity: 70 to 100%
Drought tolerance: Low
Lifespan: Perennial, typically 1 to 3 years.
Deer and rabbits: High

Signs it needs repotting

Crowded growth
Yellowing stems
Reduced trap formation

Safety

People: There is no known toxicity to humans.
Children: Keep this plant away from small children as it is fragile and requires specific water conditions.
Edibility: This plant is not edible.

How to identify it

Whorls of snap traps along stem
Rootless free floating aquatic habit
Bright green foliage color
Traps resemble tiny clam shells

Height: 0m
Spread: 0.1 to 0.2m
Leaves: green, red, deciduous
Flowers: white, 0.5 to 1cm

Problems to watch for

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Growing it

Propagation: cuttings, seed
When to plant: spring, summer
Overwintering: The plant forms turions that sink to the bottom of the water body to survive winter. Keep the water from freezing solid to ensure the turions remain viable.
In containers: It is best grown in shallow, wide containers or ponds with distilled or rainwater.

Stem cuttings

1. Snip a healthy stem section.
2. Place the cutting in a clean, shallow container of water.
3. Ensure bright light and consistent temperatures.

Maintain high water quality to prevent competitive algae blooms.

Grows well with

Duckweed · They share similar aquatic environmental needs.

Similar species

Venus flytrap · It shares the same rapid trap mechanism.

Science

Family: Droseraceae
Genus: Aldrovanda
Order: Caryophyllales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Widespread across parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.
Conservation: It is listed as endangered in many parts of its native range due to habitat loss.

It thrives in clean, shallow, stagnant, or slow moving water with high light and low nutrient levels.

Value to wildlife: aquatic habitat
Pollinators: bees
Uses: botanical collection, aquatic display

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 1/9
Soil reaction: 5/9
Light: 8/9
Temperature: 7/9
Moisture: 9/9
Nutrients: 4/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Does it need soil?: No, it is a free floating aquatic plant.
What does it eat?: It captures small aquatic invertebrates like daphnia.

Where the name comes from

The genus honors the Italian naturalist Ulisse Aldrovandi.

Good to know

It is closely related to the Venus flytrap.
The plant does not have roots.
It can grow up to 1 cm per day in ideal conditions.
It forms winter buds called turions to survive cold periods.

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.