TankBud

Nesaea pedicellata Golden

Ammannia pedicellata

Also known as Nesaea pedicellata, Nesaea pedicellata 'Golden', Ammannia pedicellata 'Golden', Golden Nesaea, Ammannia pedicellata 'Gold'

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Nesaea pedicellata Golden (Ammannia pedicellata)
Aquarium Plants Factory · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Light
High light
CO2
CO₂ required
Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
Max height
15.7 in
40 cm
Growth rate
Fast
Placement
Background
Type
Stem
pH
5.0–7.5
Hardness
2–12 dGH
Spread
3.1 in (8 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Difficult
Family
Lythraceae
Origin
East Africa

Overview

Nesaea pedicellata Golden is a demanding background stem plant with yellow-gold leaves on orange-red stems. It is rated difficult and is genuinely fussy.

Did you know

The Golden form is a nursery-selected color sport, attributed to Florida Aquatic Nurseries. In the African bogs where the species grows wild, the plant is ordinary green.

Caring for Nesaea pedicellata Golden

Strip the lower leaves and plant the stems a little apart in the background. Keep the water at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C), with a pH of 5 to 7.5.

Nesaea pedicellata Golden needs high light and injected CO2, and its gold color develops only under both. Skimp on light, CO2 or nutrients and it stunts. It feeds through roots and leaves, so use root tabs or a rich substrate along with a liquid fertilizer. Go easy on potassium, since this plant and its relatives are reported to be sensitive to high doses.

It grows fast, so expect to trim it often. Propagate it from top cuttings, or cut off lateral shoots and plant them on their own.

Good to know

Nesaea pedicellata Golden belongs to the family Lythraceae, and the accepted botanical name of its species is Ammannia pedicellata (Hiern) S.A. Graham & Gandhi. The species was formerly placed in the genus Nesaea, which is why it still trades widely as Nesaea pedicellata. Grown emersed, its foliage turns a plainer, darker green.

In the wild

Nesaea pedicellata is native to East Africa, where it grows in temporary puddles, bogs and seasonally flooded ground. It is a marsh plant that survives dry periods emersed and shifts to submersed growth when flooded.

Common questions

Does Nesaea pedicellata Golden 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 Nesaea pedicellata Golden need CO2?

Yes. Nesaea pedicellata Golden needs injected CO2 to grow well, and it usually struggles without it.

How much light does Nesaea pedicellata Golden need?

Nesaea pedicellata Golden needs high light from a strong planted-tank LED. In weaker light its stems stretch and drop their lower leaves.

Does Nesaea pedicellata Golden need root tabs?

They help. Nesaea pedicellata Golden takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate Nesaea pedicellata Golden?

Nesaea pedicellata Golden 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 Nesaea pedicellata Golden grow?

Nesaea pedicellata Golden grows to about 15.7 in (40 cm) tall. It grows fast, so expect to trim it often.

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