Cultivated form (green nursery selection of Ludwigia palustris, no wild range)
Overview
Ludwigia palustris Green is an easy midgroundstem plant. Tropica and Dennerle sell it as the plain green form of Ludwigia palustris.
Did you know
Ludwigia palustris Green is Tropica's partner for 'Super Red', and Tropica suggests planting both in one group. The two share leaf shape, height and care, and side by side the light green makes the red look deeper.
Caring for Ludwigia palustris Green
Plant single stems of Ludwigia palustris Green about 1 cm apart in the midground. Stems left in the bunch tend to rot at the foam. It feeds through both roots and leaves, so root tabs and a liquid fertilizer both help.
It wants medium light and grows without CO2, though added CO2 makes it grow faster. Good dosing with iron and potassium deepens the green. It handles 59 to 82°F (15 to 28°C) and a pH of 5 to 8.
It grows fast and reaches 10 to 30 cm in its first two months. Each stem branches on its own, and trimming makes it branch more, so a group soon fills into a dense hedge. Replant the cut tops, which root within days.
Good to know
Ludwigia palustris Green belongs to the Onagraceae, the evening primrose family, and Tropica's text also names it 'Super Green'. Its small, oval leaves sit in opposite pairs like those of 'Super Red' but stay light green. Reddish leaf edges, stems and midribs mark most wild palustris, and this cultivar is sold for its plain green instead.
In the wild
Ludwigia palustris Green is a nursery cultivar with no wild range. Its parent species grows in bogs, ditches, pond edges and slow streams across the Americas, Europe, Africa and West Asia. There it creeps over wet mud as a low mat or stands upright under water.
Common questions
Is Ludwigia palustris Green a different species from Ludwigia palustris?
No. Ludwigia palustris Green is a form of Ludwigia palustris. It reaches about 11.8 in (30 cm), against 19.7 in (50 cm) for the species. It also differs in placement.
Does Ludwigia palustris Green 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 palustris Green need CO2?
No, but it helps. Ludwigia palustris Green can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.
How much light does Ludwigia palustris Green need?
Ludwigia palustris Green wants medium light. A light sold for planted tanks covers it.
Does Ludwigia palustris Green need root tabs?
They help. Ludwigia palustris Green 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 palustris Green?
Ludwigia palustris Green 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 Ludwigia palustris Green grow?
Ludwigia palustris Green grows to about 11.8 in (30 cm) tall. It grows fast, so expect to trim it often.
High lightMidground11.8 in (30 cm)
High lightMidground11.8 in (30 cm)
High lightMidground11.8 in (30 cm)
High lightMidground15.7 in (40 cm)
High lightMidground19.7 in (50 cm)