Plant guide

Liverworts.

Marchantiophyta

Pronounced mar-kan-tee-OH-fih-tuh

Also known as Liverwort, Liverworts

Targionia hypophylla — Photo by Yves Bas (CC BY) via gbif

Liverworts are fascinating, non vascular plants that thrive in damp, shaded environments. They grow close to the ground and lack true roots, relying on tiny structures called rhizoids for anchorage. You will often spot them forming lush, green carpets on moist soil or decaying wood.

At a glance

Care level: Difficult
Plant type: Bryophyte
Light: Partial shade to full shade
Indoor light: Low light
Water: Every 1 to 3 days
Mature size: 2 to 10 centimeters
Growth rate: Slow

Care

Keep these plants consistently moist, as they dry out very quickly in standard household air. Provide high humidity and avoid direct sunlight to prevent the delicate tissues from scorching. Watch for browning edges, which signal that the environment is too dry or the light is too intense.

Watering: Keep the substrate constantly damp to the touch at all times.
Feeding: Use a very dilute, balanced liquid fertilizer only during the active growing season.
Pruning: Trim away any dead or decaying sections to maintain a tidy appearance.
Repotting: Repot only when the colony has completely outgrown its container or the substrate breaks down.
Soil: Moist, acidic, organic rich substrate
Soil pH: 5.0 to 6.5

Safety

Pets: Liverworts are generally considered non toxic to cats and dogs.

How to identify it

Simple, flat, ribbon like thallus body
Lack of true roots or stems
Presence of tiny root like rhizoids
Often produce small cup shaped gemmae
Grow in dense, moist, matting colonies

Problems to watch for

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

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Science

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Also in

Plants for shade

Keep your liverworts growing

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This guide was generated with AI on October 24, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.