Ludwigia Pantanal

Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata 'Pantanal'

Also known as Ludwigia inclinata 'Pantanal', Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata 'Cuba', Pantanal, Red Pantanal

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Ludwigia Pantanal (Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata 'Pantanal') — Bjoern.Traeger · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Light: High light
CO2: CO₂ required
Growth rate: Fast
Placement: Background
Type: Stem
Temperature: 72–82°F (22–28°C)
pH: 4.5–7.0
Hardness: 0–8 dGH
Max height: 15.7 in (40 cm)
Spread: 3.1 in (8 cm)
Nutrient uptake: Root + water column
Growth region: Submersed or emersed
Difficulty: Difficult
Origin: Pantanal wetlands, southwestern Brazil
Family: Onagraceae

Overview

One of the most demanding stem plants in the hobby. It needs high light, pressurized CO2, soft acidic water (ideally under 3 dKH), and steady dosing of nitrate, phosphate, potassium and especially iron. Iron shortage shows up fast as pale or white new growth and shrinking leaves. It tends to either boom or bust, so keep parameters stable and prune the tops to replant as it grows several centimeters a day when happy.

In the wild

This is a naturally collected variety from the Pantanal wetlands of southwestern Brazil, one of the largest tropical wetland systems in the world. In the wild it grows in shallow, soft, acidic water and can also creep along wet mud in its emersed form. The submersed plant is prized for narrow whorled leaves that turn deep pink to blood red under strong light.

Good to know

It belongs to the family Onagraceae, the evening primrose family. The 'verticillata' epithet refers to the verticillate (whorled) leaf arrangement, where leaves radiate around the stem in rings rather than in opposite pairs. It is a named locality form of Ludwigia inclinata, not a separate species, and is closely related to the 'Cuba' variety.

Did you know

Did you know its submersed leaves and stems can flush an intense magenta to red, but the plant produces small bright yellow flowers when grown emersed above the waterline, a reminder that it is a member of the primrose-willow family.