TankBud

Rotala Nanjenshan

Rotala sp. 'Nanjenshan'

Also known as Rotala 'Nanjean'

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Care at a glance

Light
High light
CO2
CO₂ required
Temperature
64–82°F
18–28°C
Max height
15.7 in
40 cm
Growth rate
Fast
Placement
Midground
Type
Stem
pH
5.0–7.0
Hardness
0–12 dGH
Spread
5.9 in (15 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Medium
Family
Lythraceae
Origin
Taiwan (single locality near Nanjenshan, introduced 1993)

Overview

Rotala Nanjenshan is a fine-leaved stem plant that forms a soft, feathery bush in the midground. It is easier to grow than Rotala wallichii and often stands in for it.

Did you know

Rotala Nanjenshan spent years sold under the wrong name 'Mayaca sellowiana'. That name belongs to a totally unrelated plant.

Caring for Rotala Nanjenshan

Plant Rotala Nanjenshan as single stems in the midground. Keep the water soft, because in hard water it thins out and loses color.

Give it strong light and injected CO2 to keep it compact and colorful rather than pale and leggy. Dose trace elements for the reddish tips, and add root tabs, since it feeds through roots and leaves. It handles 64 to 82°F (18 to 28°C) and a pH of 5 to 7.

It grows fast, and the bush trims into denser growth the more you top it. Replant the tops, and plant side shoots on their own once they have a few leaves.

Good to know

Rotala Nanjenshan has never been seen fruiting in cultivation, so its exact species is unconfirmed. The widely cited APC Plant Finder suggests it may be a natural hybrid of Rotala rotundifolia and R. wallichii. Both belong to the loosestrife family, Lythraceae. Its narrow leaves, roughly a millimeter thick, look much like those of Rotala wallichii but in a lighter green.

In the wild

Rotala Nanjenshan is known from a single location near Nanjenshan in southern Taiwan, and it entered the hobby in 1993. In the wild it grows submersed in soft, CO2-rich water. Out of the water it takes on a creeping habit and now and then shows small, light purple flowers.

Common questions

Does Rotala Nanjenshan 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 Nanjenshan need CO2?

Yes. Rotala Nanjenshan needs injected CO2 to grow well, and it usually struggles without it.

How much light does Rotala Nanjenshan need?

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

Does Rotala Nanjenshan need root tabs?

They help. Rotala Nanjenshan 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 Nanjenshan?

Rotala Nanjenshan 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 Nanjenshan grow?

Rotala Nanjenshan grows to about 15.7 in (40 cm) tall. It grows fast, so expect to trim it often.

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