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Form of Rotala rotundifolia

Rotala Orange Juice

Rotala rotundifolia 'Orange Juice'

One of 11 forms of Rotala rotundifolia · See all forms →

Also known as Rotala rotundifolia OJ, Rotala sp. 'Orange Juice'

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Forms · Rotala rotundifolia

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Care at a glance

Light
High light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
59–82°F
15–28°C
Max height
11.8 in
30 cm
Growth rate
Fast
Placement
Background
Type
Stem
pH
5.5–7.5
Hardness
1–12 dGH
Spread
1.6 in (4 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Medium
Family
Lythraceae
Origin
Italy (cultivated selection)

Overview

Rotala Orange Juice is a cultivated color form of Rotala rotundifolia. It is a fast stem plant for the background and rates medium difficulty.

Did you know

Rotala Orange Juice was created by the Italian hobbyist Massimo Iannella. He spotted a few orange-tinted shoots in a patch of ordinary Rotala 'Colorata' and propagated them.

Caring for Rotala Orange Juice

Plant Rotala Orange Juice in the background or upper midground, a few stems at a time. The leaves are brittle, so handle the stems gently while you plant them.

It needs high light to show its full gradient of green, yellow, orange and red. In weaker light the stems stretch and drop their lower leaves. It grows without injected CO2, but CO2 and steady iron dosing deepen the color and speed it up. In a low-tech tank it stays greener and softer in color.

It feeds through both roots and leaves, so pair a liquid fertilizer with root tabs. Rotala Orange Juice grows fast at 59 to 82°F (15 to 28°C). Top it regularly to keep it bushy and replant the trimmed tops, and the cut stems branch into side shoots.

Good to know

Rotala Orange Juice is a color sport of Rotala rotundifolia, meaning a spontaneous mutation, in the loosestrife family, Lythraceae. The species name rotundifolia means round-leaved. It refers to the rounded leaves of the emersed form, the part of the plant that grows out of water. Submersed stems produce narrow, needle-like leaves instead.

In the wild

Rotala Orange Juice is not a wild plant and does not occur in nature. It was selected in cultivation in Italy around 2014. Its parent species, Rotala rotundifolia, grows wild in marshes, rice paddies and pond margins across Southeast Asia.

Common questions

Is Rotala Orange Juice a different species from Rotala rotundifolia?

No. Rotala Orange Juice is a form of Rotala rotundifolia. It reaches about 11.8 in (30 cm), against 19.7 in (50 cm) for the species. It wants high light, where the species wants medium. Added CO2 helps it, while the species grows well without. It also differs in difficulty, hardness, pH, spread and temperature.

Does Rotala Orange Juice 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 Orange Juice need CO2?

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

How much light does Rotala Orange Juice need?

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

Does Rotala Orange Juice need root tabs?

They help. Rotala Orange Juice 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 Orange Juice?

Rotala Orange Juice 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 Orange Juice grow?

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

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