TankBud

Form of Rotala rotundifolia

Rotala Shimoga

Rotala rotundifolia 'Shimoga'

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

Also known as Rotala sp. 'Shimoga', Rotala macrandra 'Shimoga'

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Invasive. Regulated as an invasive aquatic plant in California and Louisiana. Never release into the wild; dispose of trimmings in the trash.

Forms · Rotala rotundifolia

See all 11 →

Care at a glance

Light
Medium light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
68–82°F
20–28°C
Max height
19.7 in
50 cm
Growth rate
Fast
Placement
Background
Type
Stem
pH
6.0–8.0
Hardness
4–15 dGH
Spread
2 in (5 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Easy
Family
Lythraceae
Origin
Shimoga (Shivamogga) district, Karnataka, India

Overview

Rotala Shimoga is an easy, fast-growing stem plant for the background. It asks little of you, which makes it a good first rotala.

Did you know

Rotala Shimoga carries most of its pink on the leaf undersides, while the upper faces stay green. The broad leaves curl up and turn on their sides, which shows that pink from the front of the tank.

Caring for Rotala Shimoga

Plant Rotala Shimoga at the back of a larger tank, where its broad leaves have room. Tissue-culture plantlets may drop their first leaves while they switch to submersed growth.

Medium light gives soft green leaves, and strong light can add pink to the shoot tips. It grows without injected CO2, only much more slowly. It feeds through both roots and leaves, so give it steady macro and micro nutrients and some root tabs. One grower lost a bunch in very hard water with no nitrate.

Rotala Shimoga grows fast at 68 to 82°F (20 to 28°C). Trim it every two to three weeks and replant the tops. Side shoots from the trimmed stems can be cut off and planted on their own.

Good to know

Rotala Shimoga is a large, broad-leaved form of Rotala rotundifolia in the loosestrife family, Lythraceae. It first sold as Rotala sp. 'Shimoga', and ADA offered it as tissue culture by 2019. A few shops list it as Rotala macrandra 'Shimoga', which is a trade slip. Its light green leaves are much wider than the narrow submersed leaves of plain rotundifolia, and its shoots usually grow straight up.

In the wild

Rotala Shimoga is named for Shimoga district in Karnataka, southwestern India, officially called Shivamogga since 2014. No collecting site has been published for this form, so its origin rests on the trade name. The district takes in part of the Western Ghats and gets about 1,800 mm of rain a year. Its rice paddies, ditches and stream banks are typical ground for Rotala rotundifolia.

Common questions

Is Rotala Shimoga a different species from Rotala rotundifolia?

No. Rotala Shimoga is a form of Rotala rotundifolia. Added CO2 helps it, while the species grows well without.

Does Rotala Shimoga 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 Shimoga need CO2?

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

How much light does Rotala Shimoga need?

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

Does Rotala Shimoga need root tabs?

They help. Rotala Shimoga 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 Shimoga?

Rotala Shimoga 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 Shimoga grow?

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

Related plants