TankBud

One species · 6 forms

Rotala macrandra

Also known as Giant Red Rotala, Macrandra Red, Pink Rotala

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Rotala macrandra (Rotala macrandra)
(c) James Hardee, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by

Care at a glance

Light
High light
CO2
CO₂ required
Temperature
72–81°F
22–27°C
Max height
19.7 in
50 cm
Growth rate
Fast
Placement
Background
Type
Stem
pH
6.0–7.0
Hardness
4–12 dGH
Spread
2.4 in (6 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Difficult
Family
Lythraceae
Origin
India and Sri Lanka (marshes and ricefields)

Pick a form

Every form on this page runs on the same high-energy recipe; none of them has an easy mode.

Overview

Rotala macrandra is a large-leaved red stem plant for the background, and one of the fussiest in the hobby. It is a difficult plant and not one for beginners.

Did you know

Rotala macrandra grows both emersed on wet ground and fully underwater in the wild. It is the submersed form that develops the large, translucent red leaves the plant is famous for.

Caring for Rotala macrandra

Plant Rotala macrandra in groups in the background, but leave space between the stems so light reaches the lower leaves. The lower parts of the stems thin out with age, so replant the healthy tops.

Keep CO2 steady, since swings stunt and curl the growing tips. For deep red, run lean nitrate, under about 10 ppm, with higher phosphate, because rich nitrate keeps it greener and leggy. It feeds through roots and leaves, so add root tabs to the liquid dosing. Hold it at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C) with a pH of 6 to 7.

Once it settles in, growth is fast and trimming is frequent. Cut side shoots free once they have a few leaves and plant them as new stems.

Where rotundifolia forgives, macrandra keeps score. It wants strong light, injected CO2, soft water and a steady diet of iron and micronutrients, and it reports any shortfall within days as shrinking, pale or melting tips. In return it produces some of the most saturated red foliage in the hobby.

The leaves are thin enough to read through, except on Yellow, and stems snap if handled roughly. Plant cuttings gently, keep flow moderate, and trim with scissors rather than pulling; crushed stems rot instead of branching. Shrimp and snails love grazing the soft leaves once they start to fail, so keep the plant growing faster than it decays.

Good to know

Rotala macrandra is a stem plant in the family Lythraceae. Its broad, soft, almost crinkled leaves set it apart from the fine-leaved Rotala in the hobby. Many color forms and varieties exist in cultivation, from the deep wine-red 'macrandra red' to green and narrow-leaf types.

In the wild

Rotala macrandra is native to India and Sri Lanka. It grows in marshes, ditches and ricefields in soft, slightly acidic water. Its lowland tropical origin is why it wants warm, mineral-poor water.

Common questions

Can I grow macrandra without CO2?

Realistically, no. It survives briefly and then wastes away; every form on this page assumes injected CO2 and strong light.

Why do the leaves melt or shrink at the tips?

Macrandra shows nutrient and CO2 dips faster than almost any other plant. Check iron and micros first, then CO2 stability; a correction shows in the new growth within a week.

Does Rotala macrandra 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.

How much light does Rotala macrandra need?

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

Does Rotala macrandra need root tabs?

They help. Rotala macrandra 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 macrandra?

Rotala macrandra 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 macrandra grow?

Rotala macrandra grows to about 19.7 in (50 cm) tall. It grows fast, so expect to trim it often.

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