TankBud

Rotala Blood Red

Rotala rotundifolia 'Blood Red'

Also known as Rotala Blood Red, Rotala rotundifolia 'Blood Red' SG (Singapore), Rotala 'Blood Red'

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Care at a glance

Light
High light
CO2
CO₂ required
Growth rate
Fast
Placement
Background
Type
Stem
Temperature
72–84°F (22–29°C)
pH
6.0–7.5
Hardness
1–10 dGH
Max height
11.8 in (30 cm)
Spread
2.4 in (6 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Difficult
Origin
Cultivar of Rotala rotundifolia (native to Southeast Asia / southeastern China)
Family
Lythraceae

Overview

A background red stem that only earns its name under high light and pressurized CO2; in low light it reverts to green and stretches. Keep nitrates on the lean side and dose iron/traces to hold the blood-red tone, and trim regularly because the tops branch and can shade the lower stems. It arrives emersed or submersed and needs a few weeks to convert its leaves to the true underwater form.

In the wild

'Blood Red' is a selected color form of Rotala rotundifolia, a marsh and paddy-margin stem plant whose wild forms range across Southeast Asia and southeastern China. Standard rotundifolia grows emersed on wet banks with round leaves and turns to narrow submersed leaves underwater. This cultivar was selected for the way it holds deep red rather than the usual pinkish-orange of ordinary rotundifolia.

Good to know

Rotala rotundifolia belongs to the loosestrife family (Lythraceae). 'Blood Red' is one of the reddest of the rotundifolia strains and is noticeably more demanding than the plain green/pink form, needing high light and CO2 to express its color instead of fading to green. The red comes from anthocyanins that build up when the plant is grown lean on nitrogen with strong light, so keeping nitrate low and iron generous intensifies the color.

Did you know

Did you know that despite being sold and grown as a red plant, Rotala Blood Red actually goes greener when you feed it more nitrogen, so growers keep nitrate low on purpose to force the deep red coloration?

Where to buy

Some links may not be the exact species or variety.

…or ask your local fish store.

Appears in

High-light plants · Background plants · Stem plants · Advanced plants · Fast growers · Red plants

Growing Rotala Blood Red?

Track your planted tank, set reminders and plan your layout.

Sign in or Start a tank →

Related plants