One species · 4 forms

Alternanthera reineckii varieties

Alternanthera reineckii

Alternanthera reineckii is the dependable red stem: purple-red leaves that hold their color without extreme light or a CO2 system. The named forms change the height and the shade, not the recipe.

Pick a variety

Care, the same for every form

One setup covers every form on this page.

Difficulty: Medium
CO2: CO₂ beneficial
Growth rate: Medium
Type: Stem
Temperature: 68–82°F (20–28°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5

Red without the drama

Most red plants demand high light to color up; reineckii carries red pigment by default and keeps it under moderate light. Iron and decent light deepen the wine tones, and CO2 tightens the growth, but none of it is required the way it is for a red rotala.

Mini changed the job description

The dwarf form stays around ten centimeters and branches into low red cushions, which put reineckii in the foreground for the first time. Rosanervig adds pale veins over pink leaves, a nursery selection with the same habit as the standard plant, and Green swaps the red for olive on an otherwise identical stem.

Common questions

Why are the lower leaves falling off?

Shading. The canopy steals the light and the plant abandons what it cannot power. Trim the tops, replant them, and keep the stand thinned so light reaches down the stems.

Does AR need CO2?

No. It grows and stays red without it; CO2 just makes the growth denser and faster. The Mini form in particular benefits if you want a tight carpet-like cushion.