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Form of Alternanthera reineckii

Alternanthera Rosanervig

Alternanthera reineckii 'Rosanervig'

One of 4 forms of Alternanthera reineckii · See all forms →

Also known as Alternanthera reineckii 'Rosaefolia' Rosanervig, AR Rosanervig, Pink Rosanervig, Alternanthera cardinalis 'Rosanervig'

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Alternanthera Rosanervig (Alternanthera reineckii 'Rosanervig')
Aquarium Plants Factory · Used with permission

Forms · Alternanthera reineckii

See all 4 →

Care at a glance

Light
Medium light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
68–82°F
20–28°C
Max height
9.8 in
25 cm
Growth rate
Medium
Placement
Midground
Type
Stem
pH
6.0–7.0
Hardness
2–12 dGH
Spread
3.9 in (10 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Medium
Family
Amaranthaceae
Origin
Cultivar (species native to South America)

Overview

Alternanthera Rosanervig is a pink stem plant for the midground and a good entry point into red plants. It is rated medium difficulty.

Did you know

The emersed form of Alternanthera reineckii, grown out of water, is mostly green on top with pink undersides. It develops its full submersed pink only once it adapts to living underwater in the tank.

Caring for Alternanthera Rosanervig

Strip the lower leaves and plant the stems in small groups in the midground. You can also trim it low and use it toward the front for a splash of color.

Alternanthera Rosanervig colors up under medium light, and higher light with CO2 rewards it with a much more intense pink. It grows without injected CO2, only more slowly. It feeds through both roots and leaves, so use root tabs along with a liquid fertilizer that keeps iron and trace elements topped up. Keep it at 68 to 82°F (20 to 28°C).

It grows at a moderate pace. Top the stems and replant the cuttings to build a bush, and plant side shoots on their own. In nutrient-poor water the pink on the leaf undersides fades.

Good to know

Alternanthera Rosanervig is a culture form of Alternanthera reineckii, which sits in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. The species is one of the few reliably red aquarium stem plants. Rosanervig is a vigorous form with lighter veins and a more compact, less robust stalk than standard reineckii. Its pink comes from anthocyanins concentrated in the leaf.

In the wild

Alternanthera Rosanervig is a selected cultivar and does not exist as a distinct plant in nature. Its parent species is a South American marsh plant that grows along the margins of slow rivers and floodplains. It lives emersed on damp banks or fully submersed when the water rises.

Common questions

Is Alternanthera Rosanervig a different species from Alternanthera reineckii?

No. Alternanthera Rosanervig is a form of Alternanthera reineckii. It reaches about 9.8 in (25 cm), against 19.7 in (50 cm) for the species. It also differs in hardness, pH, spread and temperature.

Does Alternanthera Rosanervig need to be planted in the substrate?

Yes. Strip the leaves from the lower part of each stem, then push the stems into the substrate one at a time, a little apart.

Does Alternanthera Rosanervig need CO2?

No, but it helps. Alternanthera Rosanervig can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.

How much light does Alternanthera Rosanervig need?

Alternanthera Rosanervig wants medium light. A light sold for planted tanks covers it.

Does Alternanthera Rosanervig need root tabs?

They help. Alternanthera Rosanervig takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate Alternanthera Rosanervig?

Alternanthera Rosanervig propagates by cuttings and side shoots. Cut off the top of a stem and replant it, and the stump left behind grows new shoots. Cut a side shoot off once it has a few leaves and plant it on its own.

How tall does Alternanthera Rosanervig grow?

Alternanthera Rosanervig grows to about 9.8 in (25 cm) tall. It grows at a moderate pace.

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