Rotala macrandra Green is a demanding, large-leaved stem plant for the background. It is a difficult plant.
Did you know
Rotala macrandra Green still blushes pink to golden at the growing tips when phosphate is adequate and light is very strong. That is a milder echo of the vivid red its parent macrandra is famous for.
Caring for Rotala macrandra Green
Space the stems of Rotala macrandra Green apart in the background so light reaches the lower leaves and the plant does not shade itself. The leaves are fragile, and it melts or drops leaves when conditions swing. Consistency matters more than any single parameter.
It needs high light and pressurized CO2, roughly 20 to 40 mg/L. Keep the water stable and rich in nutrients, with root tabs and a liquid fertilizer to feed both roots and leaves. It suits 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) and a pH of 5 to 7.
Once settled it grows fast, up to several centimeters a week. Cut the tops and replant them, which also triggers side shoots from the base. Plant those side shoots on their own once they have a few leaves.
Good to know
Rotala macrandra belongs to the loosestrife family, Lythraceae. The Green form is a color variant of the same species rather than a separate species. It keeps the large, soft leaves of true macrandra but without the red pigment load.
In the wild
Rotala macrandra Green is a form of an Indian stem plant. Rotala macrandra is native to seasonal wetlands, rice paddies and slow waters of the Indian subcontinent. There the genus grows emersed and submersed along water margins that flood and dry with the seasons.
Common questions
Is Rotala macrandra Green a different species from Rotala macrandra?
No. Rotala macrandra Green is a form of Rotala macrandra. It reaches about 15.7 in (40 cm), against 19.7 in (50 cm) for the species. It also differs in hardness, pH, spread and temperature.
Does Rotala macrandra Green 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 macrandra Green need CO2?
Yes. Rotala macrandra Green needs injected CO2 to grow well, and it usually struggles without it.
How much light does Rotala macrandra Green need?
Rotala macrandra Green needs high light from a strong planted-tank LED. In weaker light its stems stretch and drop their lower leaves.
Does Rotala macrandra Green need root tabs?
They help. Rotala macrandra Green 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 Green?
Rotala macrandra Green 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 Green grow?
Rotala macrandra Green grows to about 15.7 in (40 cm) tall. It grows fast, so expect to trim it often.
High lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
High lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Medium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Medium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Medium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)