TankBud

Lindernia rotundifolia

Also known as Round-leaved lindernia, Bacopa rotundifolia

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Lindernia rotundifolia (Lindernia rotundifolia)
Aquarium Plants Factory · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Light
Low light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
59–82°F
15–28°C
Max height
11.8 in
30 cm
Growth rate
Fast
Placement
Background
Type
Stem
pH
5.0–7.5
Hardness
0–15 dGH
Spread
2.4 in (6 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Easy
Family
Linderniaceae
Origin
Sandy stream banks in Asia (also reported from Madagascar)

Overview

One of the easier and faster low-light stem plants, so it suits beginners, Walstad-style tanks, and filterless setups. It does fine without CO2, though moderate CO2 makes it denser and more compact. It quickly forms tidy bushy groups and takes regular topping and replanting. On the variegated form, cut off any all-green shoots to keep the marbled look.

In the wild

Grows on sandy banks along streams in Asia, adapted to nutrient-poor substrates where it draws much of its food from the water. It is a compact, round-leaved stem plant with paired leaves running tightly up the stem.

Good to know

Belongs to the family Linderniaceae, split out from the old figwort family Scrophulariaceae. A variegated cream-marbled cultivar exists in the hobby. The round opposite leaves give the species its name rotundifolia.

Did you know

It is unusually productive under low light for a fast grower, which makes it a handy plant for pulling excess nutrients and helping outcompete algae in modest, low-tech tanks.

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