TankBud

Vallisneria Rubra

Vallisneria australis 'Rubra'

Also known as Vallisneria gigantea 'Rubra', Vallisneria gigantea rubra, Red jungle val, Giant red vallisneria

FreshwaterBrackishRosetteRunners

Vallisneria Rubra (Vallisneria australis 'Rubra')
Aquarium Plants Factory · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Light
Medium light
CO2
No CO₂ needed
Temperature
64–86°F
18–30°C
Max height
23.6 in
60 cm
Growth rate
Fast
Placement
Background
Type
Rosette
pH
6.5–8.0
Hardness
3–20 dGH
Spread
7.9 in (20 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root feeder
Growth region
Submersed
Difficulty
Beginner
Family
Hydrocharitaceae
Origin
Selected form of Vallisneria australis, native to eastern and southern Australia

Overview

Vallisneria Rubra is a fast-growing background val for larger tanks. It is a beginner plant that grows in fresh or brackish water.

Did you know

Vallisneria pollination is a small boat race. Female flowers rise to the surface on long spiral stalks. Male flowers break free underwater, float up and drift across the surface until they bump into one.

Caring for Vallisneria Rubra

Push the roots of Vallisneria Rubra into sand or soil and leave the crown above the substrate. It feeds through its roots, so add root tabs.

Vallisneria Rubra needs no CO2 and is happy in hard, alkaline water. It grows in medium light, but the red tones only develop under fairly strong light. In a dim tank you get a fast green val instead. It handles 64 to 86°F (18 to 30°C).

Leave it untrimmed, since vals resent trimming and cut leaves tend to rot back from the wound. Once settled it grows fast and sends runners in every direction. Pull unwanted daughter plants early, or it will colonize the whole footprint.

Good to know

Vallisneria Rubra is a tape grass in the family Hydrocharitaceae. The plant long sold as Vallisneria gigantea or V. americana var. gigantea is actually Vallisneria australis, and Rubra is its reddish selection. The epithet simply means red. Under bright light the leaves turn reddish to bronze, often with darker marbling.

In the wild

The parent species of Vallisneria Rubra grows rooted in lakes, rivers and slow streams across eastern and southern Australia. It ranges from soft, acid water to hard, alkaline water, with ribbon leaves that reach the surface and trail in the current. Aquarium stock is farmed, and this form has circulated for decades as Vallisneria gigantea rubra.

Common questions

Does Vallisneria Rubra need to be planted in the substrate?

Yes. Bury the roots and leave the crown, where the leaves join, just above the substrate.

Does Vallisneria Rubra need CO2?

No. Vallisneria Rubra grows well without added CO2.

How much light does Vallisneria Rubra need?

Vallisneria Rubra wants medium light. A light sold for planted tanks covers it.

Does Vallisneria Rubra need root tabs?

Yes. Vallisneria Rubra draws much of its food through its roots. Push root tabs in near it, or grow it in a nutrient-rich soil.

How do you propagate Vallisneria Rubra?

Vallisneria Rubra propagates by runners. New plants grow along its runners. Cut one free once it has roots and plant it.

How tall does Vallisneria Rubra grow?

Vallisneria Rubra grows to about 23.6 in (60 cm) tall. It grows fast, so expect to trim it often.

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