Ludwigia Palustris
Ludwigia palustris
Plantae›Tracheophyta›Magnoliopsida›Myrtales›Onagraceae
📍 Worldwide
Ludwigia Palustris is one of the most accessible red stem plants, displaying green upper leaf surfaces and deep reddish-pink undersides that are visible as the stems wave in current. It is far less demanding than L. arcuata or Super Red Mini, making it an excellent entry-level red plant for tanks with moderate light. Fast growth means it requires regular pruning to maintain shape.
Community Photos
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by @isabellekaulback
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Tanks keeping this 🌿
Growing in 2 tanksCommunity tanks featuring Ludwigia Palustris.
Compatible Livestock
Gentle algae grazers that won't damage plant tissue; help maintain tank cleanliness
Small, peaceful shrimp that won't uproot or consume healthy plant matter
Algae-eating fish that respect live plants and provide bioload for plant nutrition
Small, non-destructive schooling fish that thrive in planted tanks with similar water parameters
Complementary foreground plant that creates layered aquascaping with Ludwigia as background
Slow-growing companion plant with different growth habit; both benefit from similar lighting and fertilization
Common Diseases
Nutrient Deficiency
Yellowing leaves, stunted growth, pale coloration, loss of red pigmentation in undersides
Increase fertilizer dosing (macro and micronutrients), add root tabs if using standard substrate, ensure adequate lighting and CO2
Algae Overgrowth
Green or brown algae coating stems and leaves, reduced light penetration, plant vigor decline
Reduce light duration to 8-10 hours daily, increase water change frequency, add algae-eating shrimp or fish, manually remove affected leaves
Melting
Rapid leaf deterioration, mushy stems, transparent or dissolving foliage
Improve water quality with frequent water changes, ensure stable temperature (18-28°C), reduce light intensity temporarily, remove dead tissue
Slow Growth
Minimal new leaf development, weak stems, pale leaves despite adequate light
Increase fertilizer frequency, boost CO2 to 30-40 ppm, verify lighting meets 60-150 PAR requirement, check water parameters for imbalances
Tips from the community 💡
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Quick Facts
- co2
- Beneficial but not essential
- light
- Medium to high (60–150 PAR)
- placement
- Background
- substrate
- Standard or enriched substrate
- growth rate
- Fast
Water it likes
- ph
- 6.0–7.5
- nitrate
- <30 ppm
- hardness
- 2–18 dGH
- temperature
- 64–82°F (18–28°C)