TankBud

Rotala Coin Leaf

Rotala sp. 'Coin Leaf'

Also known as Rotala sp. Coin Leaf, Rotala rotundifolia 'Coin Leaf'

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Rotala Coin Leaf (Rotala sp. 'Coin Leaf')
Buce Plant · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Light
Medium light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
68–82°F
20–28°C
Max height
11.8 in
30 cm
Growth rate
Fast
Placement
Midground
Type
Stem
pH
6.0–7.5
Spread
2 in (5 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Easy
Family
Lythraceae
Origin
Aquarium selection of the Rotala rotundifolia group, attributed to India

Overview

Rotala Coin Leaf is an easy, fast-growing stem plant for the midground. It grows in plain low-tech tanks and high-tech ones alike.

Did you know

The coins that give Rotala Coin Leaf its name belong to its emersed growth. Underwater the leaves stretch longer and softer. The plant shows its namesake shape only where it grows above the waterline.

Caring for Rotala Coin Leaf

Plant Rotala Coin Leaf as single stems in the midground, a couple of centimeters apart. Keep parameters steady. Like most Rotala, it answers sudden swings by stalling or shedding its lower leaves.

Medium light is enough, and it needs no injected CO2. Stronger light plus CO2 and iron pushes the tops from green toward pink and orange-red. It feeds through roots and leaves, so pair root tabs with a liquid fertilizer. It handles 68 to 82°F (20 to 28°C).

It grows fast. Trim it at the height you want and replant the tops to build a dense bush. Untrimmed stems shade out their own lower leaves. Side shoots can be cut free and planted on their own.

Good to know

Rotala Coin Leaf is a stem plant in the loosestrife family, Lythraceae. Coin Leaf is a commercial name with no formal description. Most shops treat it as a form of Rotala rotundifolia, and some print it that way.

In the wild

Rotala Coin Leaf is a trade selection, not a documented wild population, and shops attribute it to India. Its parent stock belongs to the Rotala rotundifolia group, which grows across South and Southeast Asia in rice paddies, ditches and marshy ground. Those plants live emersed for much of the year and submersed when the water rises. Collection details for this form have never been published.

Common questions

Does Rotala Coin Leaf 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 Rotala Coin Leaf need CO2?

No, but it helps. Rotala Coin Leaf can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.

How much light does Rotala Coin Leaf need?

Rotala Coin Leaf wants medium light. A light sold for planted tanks covers it.

Does Rotala Coin Leaf need root tabs?

They help. Rotala Coin Leaf takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate Rotala Coin Leaf?

Rotala Coin Leaf 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 Rotala Coin Leaf grow?

Rotala Coin Leaf grows to about 11.8 in (30 cm) tall. It grows fast, so expect to trim it often.

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