Ludwigia ovalis Pink

Ludwigia ovalis 'Pink'

Also known as Ludwigia ovalis sp. Pink, Pink ludwigia ovalis

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Ludwigia ovalis Pink (Ludwigia ovalis 'Pink') — Aquarium Plants Factory · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Light: High light
CO2: CO₂ beneficial
Temperature: 64–82°F; 18–28°C
Max height: 15.7 in; 40 cm

Growth rate: Fast
Placement: Midground
Type: Stem
pH: 5.0–7.5
Hardness: 1–12 dGH
Spread: 3.1 in (8 cm)
Nutrient uptake: Root + water column
Growth region: Submersed or emersed
Difficulty: Medium
Family: Onagraceae
Origin: Aquarium strain of Ludwigia ovalis, native to East Asia

Overview

Ludwigia ovalis Pink is a midground stem plant of medium difficulty, grown in loose groups.

Did you know

Ludwigia ovalis Pink colors up on iron, not on starvation. Many red stems blush only under ultra-lean nitrate, but this one turns pink with ordinary micronutrient dosing.

Caring for Ludwigia ovalis Pink

Set each stem of Ludwigia ovalis Pink on its own, a couple of centimeters apart, so light reaches the lower leaves. Soft to moderately hard, slightly acidic water suits it best, with a pH of 5 to 7.5.

It needs high light. Give it strong light with regular iron and trace dosing, and the tops turn pink. It feeds through both roots and leaves, so root tabs help too. It grows without injected CO2, but CO2 tightens the growth and deepens the color.

It grows fast, to about 40 cm, so trim it often by topping it and replanting the tops. The stumps then branch into side shoots. Keep the water between 64 and 82°F (18 to 28°C).

Under weak light it slides back toward olive and stretches. Crowded, shaded stems drop their lower leaves.

Good to know

Ludwigia ovalis Pink is a member of Onagraceae, the evening primrose family. The species name ovalis refers to the oval leaves. Unusually for trade ludwigias, they sit alternately along the stem rather than in opposite pairs. Pink is a commercial selection, not a described taxon. Where the standard species runs olive-gold to orange-red, this form holds a lighter rose-pink, clearest on newer growth.

In the wild

Ludwigia ovalis Pink is a selected aquarium form with no wild population, kept entirely in cultivation. Its parent, Ludwigia ovalis, is a marsh plant of East Asia. It creeps along pond margins, ditches and wet paddies in China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan. There it grows emersed on damp ground and switches to submersed growth when the water rises.

Common questions

Does Ludwigia ovalis Pink 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 Ludwigia ovalis Pink need CO2?

No, but it helps. Ludwigia ovalis Pink can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.

How much light does Ludwigia ovalis Pink need?

Ludwigia ovalis Pink needs high light from a strong planted-tank LED. In weaker light its stems stretch and drop their lower leaves.

Does Ludwigia ovalis Pink need root tabs?

They help. Ludwigia ovalis Pink takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate Ludwigia ovalis Pink?

Ludwigia ovalis Pink 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.