Description
A fine-leaved, relatively small, reddish to pink rather demanding stem plant. It is most decorative when planted in a group of many stems. It is also suitable as foreground plant and for smaller tanks, given that it is trimmed at the right time. The addition of CO2 enhances growth significantly. It prefers soft slightly acidic water.
Rotala wallichii is an elegant stem plant originating from soft, slightly acidic waters in South-Eastern Asia. Its inflorescence has bright purple flowers. Even though it is not quite easy in cultivation it is a highly popular plant. R. wallichii needs lots of light, CO2 fertilisation and a well-balanced supply of nutrients to grow well. The light intensity should at least be 0.5 watts per litre in order for it to attain intensive colours and to support growth. A good supply of CO2, either with bio CO2 or a system using pressure bottles is indispensable. Rotala wallichii grows best if the nitrate level never falls to zero but does not exceed 10 to 15 mg per litre either. A high phosphate content of 1-2 mg per litre is preferred, as well as a good supply of iron and micronutrients. Under optimal growth conditions this plant rewards its keeper with stunning colours, ranging from intense pink over orange to deep red foliage with a diameter of 2 cm and more. This Rotala species forms opulent finely-structured groups growing upwards.
Source
Flowgrow
Characteristic
Very fine delicate leaves
Reddish-brown to pink colours
Very nice in a large group
Complete Botanical Name
Rotála wallíchii (Hook. f.) Koehne
Family
Lythraceae
Genus
Rotala
Category
Middle Ground
Difficulty
difficult
Growth
fast
Carbon Dioxide
need
pH Value
5-7
Temperature Tolerance
15-30℃
Carbonate Hardness
0-12 dKH
General Hardness
0-30 °dGH
Propagation
Cuttings
Can Grow Emersed?
yes
Aquascaping
fine-leaved, very colourful plant for accents
