Form of Lindernia rotundifolia

Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated

Lindernia rotundifolia 'Variegated'

The named form of Lindernia rotundifolia · See the species →

Also known as Variegated lindernia

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated (Lindernia rotundifolia 'Variegated') — Aquarium Plants Factory · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Light: Medium 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: Cultivated variety of Lindernia rotundifolia, native to South Asia

Overview

Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated is one of the easier stem plants in the hobby. It is a sensible first variegated plant.

Did you know

The genus Lindernia is named after Franz Balthasar von Lindern, an eighteenth-century Strasbourg physician and botanist. That makes this little stem plant a small monument to Alsatian medicine.

Caring for Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated

Plant Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated in groups, or use it as a quick filler. Strip the lower leaves and push the stems in a little apart.

Give it medium light or better so the white veining stays distinct rather than washing out. It does fine without CO2, though injection and decent fertilizer make the growth denser and the markings cleaner. It feeds through roots and leaves, so root tabs help alongside a liquid fertilizer.

It grows fast and tolerates a wide range of hardness and temperature, from 59 to 82°F (15 to 28°C). Top and replant it regularly, and thin the group now and then so the lower leaves keep getting light. It is unfussy enough that neglect shows up as untidiness rather than melt.

Good to know

Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated is a member of Linderniaceae, a family carved out of the old Scrophulariaceae. The species name rotundifolia refers to the small, rounded, stalkless leaves set in opposite pairs. The variegated cultivar overlays the light green leaf with whitish veining and streaks. It is a color selection, not a separate taxon.

In the wild

Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated is a cultivar maintained in the trade, not a wild plant. Its parent, Lindernia rotundifolia, grows on sandy stream banks in South Asia, including Sri Lanka and India. There it roots in wet sand at the waterline and copes with periodic submersion when streams rise. Like the parent, it grows readily both emersed and submersed in cultivation.

Common questions

Is Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated a different species from Lindernia rotundifolia?

No. Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated is a form of Lindernia rotundifolia, and it is grown the same way as the species.

Does Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated 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 Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated need CO2?

No, but it helps. Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.

How much light does Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated need?

Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated wants medium light. A light sold for planted tanks covers it.

Does Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated need root tabs?

They help. Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated?

Lindernia rotundifolia Variegated 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.