Ludwigia Red

Ludwigia red or Ludwigia Red, scientific name Ludwigia inclinata “Red”. The second name is a transcription of English. It comes from the equatorial and tropical regions of Central and South America. It is a very variable species. In nature, there are many subspecies that are identified by an additional prefix in the name, in this case it is “Red”.

The plant forms an upright stem with oblong leaves of red or orange color, arranged evenly in pairs opposite each other on each whorl. In favorable conditions, it grows rapidly, increasing in length by 30–40 cm in just one week. It is permissible to use only in spacious aquariums. Having reached the surface, Ludwigia red begins to spread along the water, forming many side shoots. From this moment, the emergence of new shoots on the lower tier stops.

Experienced aquarists with the help of pruning do not allow excessive growth, forming an underwater voluminous bush.

Healthy growth requires additional carbon dioxide, high light levels, nitrate and phosphate fertilizers. It is recommended to use special aquarium soils instead of regular soil. The lack of one of the components leads to the loss of red color in the leaves of Ludwigia Red, and it begins to look like another subspecies of Ludwigia green.