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Purple Waffle Plant
Strobilanthes alternata
Also known as hemigraphis, hemigraphis alternata, waffle plant
Plantae›Tracheophyta›Magnoliopsida›Lamiales›Acanthaceae
Used emersed on the margin of paludariums/ripariums with its roots in the tank water as a nitrate-absorbing biofilter (not a true submerged plant). Medium-to-bright indirect light; roots once foliage is kept above water.
Grown with its roots in the tank water and its leaves in the air: a living nitrate filter, not a submerged aquarium plant. Give it bright indirect light; no aquarium CO₂ or substrate needed.
Where it's from
Native to Maluku
Recorded as introduced in Belize, Benin, Caroline Is., Chad and 27 more places
At a glance
- Light
- Medium to bright indirect
- Growth
- Moderate
- Placement
- Emersed — roots in water, leaves in air
Member photos
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Legality
No state or federal restrictions on record.
Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and change over time; check with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping or shipping it.
The care information here is written with AI help, so it can contain mistakes. Spot one? Tell us and we'll fix it. Native range: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) (CC BY 4.0).
At a glance
- Light
- Medium to bright indirect
- Growth
- Moderate
- Placement
- Emersed — roots in water, leaves in air
Keepers’ experiences
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