Ludwigia palustris
The classic forgiving red stem plant — easier than macrandra or super red. Pushes orange to deep-red tones under good light without needing soft or acidic water. Sometimes sold as Ludwigia palustris 'Red' or 'Mini'. A reliable first red plant for low-tech and CO₂ tanks alike.
Ludwigia Palustris (Ludwigia palustris) is a stem aquatic plant for the background of a planted tank. It reaches 20–40 cm under good conditions and grows at a fast rate. Light: medium to high. CO₂: recommended. Target 18–28 °C, pH 5.5–8.0, and 3–15 dGH. Substrate: Tolerant — inert or active works with root tabs. Propagate via top cuttings.
Care at a glance
The classic forgiving red stem plant — easier than macrandra or super red. Pushes orange to deep-red tones under good light without needing soft or acidic water. Sometimes sold as Ludwigia palustris 'Red' or 'Mini'. A reliable first red plant for low-tech and CO₂ tanks alike.
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Part of our complete guide to the planted aquarium.
Leaves yellowing, pitting, or new growth coming in pale or twisted? Work out what it’s short of in our plant deficiency guide.
The parameters that decide whether ludwigia palustris fits in your tank.
Onagraceae
Stem
Background
Tolerant — inert or active works with root tabs
Top cuttings
Cosmopolitan (Europe, Americas, Asia)
Cosmopolitan (Europe, Americas, Asia)
Tank-mate safety and the species this one is documented to thrive (or fail) alongside.
Weighing it against something similar? Compare Ludwigia Palustris head to head:
Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.
CO₂ requirement: recommended. Light requirement: medium to high. Under low-tech conditions the plant grows at a fast rate.
Ludwigia Palustris (Ludwigia palustris) needs medium to high light. Run a photoperiod of 6–8 hours; longer photoperiods invite algae unless CO₂ and dosing are dialled in.
Position: background. Substrate: Tolerant — inert or active works with root tabs It typically reaches 20–40 cm.
Propagation method: Top cuttings. Ludwigia Palustris is a stem plant.
Target 18–28 °C, pH 5.5–8.0, and 3–15 dGH. Flow tolerance: low to medium.
Difficulty: 1/5. Almost unkillable, a solid first-tank choice.
A planted tank is a system. Pair this plant with one entry from each other pillar to plan the whole scape.
