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Form of Lagenandra meeboldii

Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round

Lagenandra meeboldii 'Red Round'

One of 4 forms of Lagenandra meeboldii · See all forms →

Also known as Lagenandra Red Round, Lagenandra sp. 'Red Round', Lagenandra meeboldii sp. 'Red Round'

FreshwaterRhizomeRhizome divisionSide shoots

Forms · Lagenandra meeboldii

See all 4 →

Care at a glance

Light
Low light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
Max height
7.9 in
20 cm
Growth rate
Slow
Placement
Midground
Type
Rhizome
pH
6.0–7.5
Hardness
0–20 dGH
Spread
7.9 in (20 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Easy
Family
Araceae
Origin
Selected form of Lagenandra meeboldii, native to south-west India (Karnataka and Kerala)

Overview

Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round is an easy midground plant that you treat like a broad-leaved crypt.

Did you know

Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round has shorter, nearly circular blades than the ordinary Red form. A mature plant looks more like a tiny pink-leaved Alocasia than a crypt relative.

Caring for Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round

Plant it in a nutrient-rich substrate with the rhizome and crown above the surface, since a buried crown rots. Expect some melt after planting, exactly like a crypt. Slow, steady replacement leaves follow.

Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round manages in low light without CO2 in a low-energy tank. Medium light with iron dosing and CO2 pushes the coppery pink-red color and keeps the rosette tight. It feeds through both roots and leaves, so root tabs and a liquid fertilizer both help. Keep it at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C).

Propagate it by cutting the rhizome or by splitting off daughter plants. A side shoot can be cut free once it has a few leaves and planted on its own.

Good to know

Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round belongs to Lagenandra, a small aroid genus in the family Araceae that sits beside Cryptocoryne. Details of the spathe separate the two. Lagenandra leaves unroll like a scroll with both edges rolled inward, while a crypt leaf rolls one edge around the other. The species honors the German botanist and collector Alfred Meebold. Red Round is a commercial cultivar name for a compact selection, with no formal botanical standing.

In the wild

Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round is a trade selection, not a wild population. The parent species grows on shaded, marshy riverbanks in southwest India, in Karnataka and Kerala, at elevations up to about 1200 m. Like other Lagenandra it lives emersed or half-submersed at the waterline. In the aquarium it adapts to fully submersed growth.

Common questions

Is Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round a different species from Lagenandra meeboldii?

No. Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round is a form of Lagenandra meeboldii. It reaches about 7.9 in (20 cm), against 11.8 in (30 cm) for the species. It also differs in spread.

Does Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round need to be planted in the substrate?

Yes. Push the roots into the substrate and keep the rhizome at the surface or just under it, with the growing tip uncovered.

Does Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round need CO2?

No, but it helps. Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.

How much light does Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round need?

Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.

Does Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round need root tabs?

They help. Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round?

Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round propagates by rhizome division and side shoots. Cut the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each, then tie or plant each piece. Cut a side shoot off once it has a few leaves and plant it on its own.

How tall does Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round grow?

Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round grows to about 7.9 in (20 cm) tall. It grows slowly and rarely needs trimming.

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